"With or without Bazball... Joe Root is just an amazing player" - Fans erupt as Root smashes first ton of 2023 Ashes

England senior batter Joe Root starred with the bat against Australia on Day 1 of the ongoing Edgbaston Test, i.e., the 2023 Ashes opener, on Friday, June 16. The right-handed batter smashed his 30th Test ton, fourth against the Aussies.

The former England captain reached the landmark off 145 balls, comprising two sixes and three fours. He shared a 121-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow for the sixth wicket as England continued to dominate Australia after opting to bat on Day 1.

With the ton, Root is now only behind Steve Smith (31) in the Fab 4 for most Test tons. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and India’s Virat Kohli have scored 28 tons each.

The Yorkshire batter has eclipsed David Warner (45) for most tons among active players in international cricket. Kohli is on top of the ladder with 75 tons.

Fans on Twitter hailed Joe Root for his sensational knock of 118* against Australia in the 2023 Ashes opener. One user tweeted:

For the uninitiated, Root has risen from strength to strength since 2021. He finished 2021 and 2022 with more than a thousand Test runs, scoring 1708 and 1098, respectively. In 2023, he has, so far, scored 493 runs in just six innings, including two centuries.

Joe Root scores 118* as England declares at 393/8

A clinical batting performance from Joe Root helped England declare for 393/8 after 78 overs on Day 1. It came after captain Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bowl first against WTC 2023 Champions Australia.

Root scored an unbeaten 118 off 152, including four sixes and seven boundaries. Jonny Bairstow also looked good for his run-a-ball 78. Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, and Ollie Pope also chipped in with scores of 61, 32, and 31, respectively.

For Australia, Nathan Lyon starred with the ball, returning with figures of 4/149, while Josh Hazlewood scalped a couple of wickets. Scott Boland and Cameron Green took one apiece.

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