Revisiting Joe Root's 121 vs India in 2021 Headingley Test
16 Jun 2025

Joe Root is among the players to watch out for as England prepare to take on India in a five-match Test series from June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.

The star batsman has been the backbone of England's batting lineup in home Tests.

In fact, he scored a brilliant hundred when these two teams last played a Test at Headingley, in 2021.

Here we revisit that stellar knock.

England were dominating when Root arrived
Knock

The Headingley track looked a nightmare for batters as India were folded for just 78 while batting first.

In response, England openers Rory Burns (61) and Haseeb Hameed (68) recorded fifties.

Hence, the hosts were comfortably placed at 159/2 when Root, the then England captain, arrived.

Root and Dawid Malan got into the scheme of things and played smartly against a strong Indian bowling attack.

They added 139 runs before Malan departed for 70.

Brilliance from Root
Century

Though Root then played the second fiddle in a 52-run stand with Jonny Bairstow (29), the former brought up his hundred during the course.

He eventually departed for a positive looking 121 from 165 balls - his third hundred of the series which was laced with 14 fours.

Jasprit Bumrah had trapped him.

Root led from the front as England finished at 432/10. The hosts eventually recorded an innings win in this game.

Root's performance in the last home Test series vs India
Series performance

As per ESPNcricinfo, Root scored a whopping 737 runs at an average of 105.28 in the aforementioned 2021-22 series.

The final game of the series took place in 2022 due to COVID-19 issues.

These are the third-most runs by an England batsman in a bilateral Test series at home.

He also hit four centuries, the joint-most by a batsman in a Test series on English soil.

Root would be determined to enhance his record even further.

Root's overall numbers at Headingley and against India
Record breakdown

Root has overall racked up 682 runs from 10 Tests at 42.62 at Headingley.

His tally includes two tons and four half-centuries.

The England talisman has played 30 Tests against India so far, scoring an impressive 2,846 runs at an average of 58.08.

No other player has scored more runs in this regard as his tally includes 10 tons and 11 half-centuries.

Root's Test numbers against India are also sensational at home as the tally reads 1,574 runs at 74.95.