Joe Root Achieves Milestone in ODI Cricket Against India

Joe Root has made headlines with his outstanding performance in the first ODI against India, scoring 76 runs and achieving a batting average above 50 in ODIs. This article explores his remarkable statistics, compares him with cricket legends like Virat Kohli and Ab de Villiers, and discusses the challenges he faces in maintaining his form. Root's achievement places him among the elite players in cricket history, making this a must-read for sports enthusiasts.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 14, 2026, 23:15 IST

Historic Performance by Joe Root

In a remarkable display of skill, Joe Root showcased his exceptional form in One Day Internationals (ODIs) during the first match of the series against India at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on July 14. Root played a crucial role in helping England recover from a precarious position, finishing with an impressive 76 runs off 76 balls, leading the team to a total of 258 runs. His partnership with Liam Dawson, which yielded 121 runs off 134 balls, was pivotal, as Dawson contributed a solid 68 runs from 83 balls. Root's innings featured six fours and a six.

Joe Root's ODI Milestone

Joe Root Creates History

With this performance, Root elevated his ODI batting average to over 50. He has now participated in 190 ODIs, accumulating 7,653 runs at an average of 50.01, including 20 centuries and 46 half-centuries. This achievement marks him as the second player in cricket history to maintain an average above 50 in both ODIs and Test matches, following in the footsteps of Ab de Villiers. In Test cricket, Root stands as the second-highest run-scorer ever, trailing only Sachin Tendulkar, with 14,114 runs at an average of 50.58, which includes 41 centuries and 67 half-centuries.

Comparative Analysis of Players

Players Averaging Above 50 in Both Test and ODI Cricket

Player	ODI Runs And Average	Test Runs And Average
Ab de Villiers	9577 at 53.50	8765 at 50.66
Joe Root	7653 runs at 50.01	14,114 at 50.58

The Challenge Ahead for Root

Can Joe Root Do What Virat Kohli Missed Out On?

Root now faces the challenge of maintaining his average above 50 in both formats throughout his career, a feat that eluded Virat Kohli. Kohli, who boasts an ODI average of 58.5, concluded his Test career with a lower average of 46.44, which had peaked at 55.10 in October 2019. Kohli maintained an average above 50 from 2017 until March 2022, but his performance dipped thereafter. Notably, Kohli's T20I average of 48.69 is the highest among full-member nations, despite a decline in his final T20 World Cup campaign.

T20I Averages of Root and de Villiers

Root, de Villiers Far Behind Kohli In T20Is

In the T20 format, both Root and de Villiers trail significantly behind Kohli. Root has an average of 35.72 from 32 matches, with his last game played in 2019. De Villiers, despite his legendary status, averaged only 26.12 across 78 T20I matches for South Africa.