'A role model for next generation' - Ollie Pope hails 'annoyingly good bloke' Joe Root after record-breaking century puts England in control

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England vice-captain Ollie Pope hailed Joe Root as he scored a sublime 150 at Old Trafford to overtake Ricky Ponting as the second-highest Test run scorer of all time and put England in complete control of both the Test and series. Root's 38th Test century puts him behind only the great Sachin Tendulkar on that list.

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England vice-captain Ollie Pope heaped praise on Joe Root after he overtook Ricky Ponting to rise to second on the all-time Test runs leader board and give the hosts a commanding lead of 186 runs over India in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

England’s former captain hit a wonderfully constructed 150 on a day of records at Old Trafford that saw him move to 13,409 Test runs, picking off Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and then eventually the onlooking Ponting, meaning only Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) has more runs in the history of Test cricket.

Eventually stumped by Dhruv Jurel off Ravi Jadeja, Root walked off the field to a spine-tingling ovation, having put England in total control of both the Test match and series.

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Root’s two partnerships, with vice-captain Pope and captain Ben Stokes of 144 and 142 respectively, ensured the work done by openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett the day before was built on, as five of England’s top six passed the 50 mark.

Pope explained after close of play how inspiring it is to play alongside a batter of Root’s calibre.

"I think it is just his hunger and his drive, it is remarkable, I think you look at all the batters in the changing room and everybody has picked up something from Joe," he told Sky Sports.

"Not necessarily technique-wise, but more the way he goes about his cricket in the changing room and the way he goes about his training.

Joe Root and Ollie Pope combined for a 144-run partnership

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"It is great to watch and his hunger for it is just awesome.

"He is an annoyingly good bloke as well, in the way he is with the fans, in the way he is as a role model for the next generation coming through is awesome, so there is a lot we can learn and like about him as well.

"He knows the records he is breaking, but again it is not necessarily the kind of bloke he is. He will be happier if we can get this game won."

England began the day on 225-2, with the morning session in Manchester pivotal to who would lift the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy.

It was a session that completely belonged to England, who scored 107 runs without loss, with both Root and Pope reaching their 50s and India’s lead at just 26.

Pope was dropped on 48 by substitute keeper Jurel to further add insult to injury for India, on a morning where Root became the first player to reach 1,000 runs at Old Trafford.

India did hit back early after lunch when Pope nicked Washington Sundar’s delivery to KL Rahul at first slip on 71 and Sundar struck again four overs later to remove Harry Brook for just three after he ran down the wicket and got stumped.

Any hope of India completely flipping the match on its head were quickly ended by Root and Stokes however, who again combined brilliantly to build England’s lead.

Root took three overs to move from 98 to 100 but unlike the three batters ahead of him in the order, he was eventually able to convert to three figures, for the 38th time in Test cricket, drawing level with Kumar Sangakarra.

He needed to hit 120 runs to overtake Ponting and he did that with a single, sparking the Old Trafford crowd into life again so soon after celebrating his century.

After tea, Stokes reached his 50 but retired himself hurt when on 66 due to an ongoing cramp issue in his calf.

Root, Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes fell in quick succession with England’s lead over 100, with Stokes then walking back out.

He moved to 77 not out, as England eye a lead of 200 in what is set to be an intriguing fourth day in Manchester.

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