Head boy Joe hands India six of the best

JOE ROOT made a record-equalling sixth century of the year as England continued their domination of the third Test against India.

The captain matched the feats of Denis Compton in 1947 and Michael Vaughan in 2002 as he made it six of the best in front of his home crowd at Headingley, reeling off a high-class 121 to help open up a colossal 345-run lead.

Root has long been seen as the standard bearer for a generation of English batsmen but has ascended to a whole new level in 2021, scoring 1,398 in 11 Tests at a staggering average of 69.90. He now has 23 Test centuries in all, topped and tailed by homecoming hundreds in front of his Yorkshire faithful.

By stumps on day two, England were 423 for eight, with the recalled Dawid Malan offering an accomplished 70 in his first Test innings since 2018.

England arrived at the ground hot on the heels of a near perfect first day, during which they dismissed the tourists for 78 after losing the toss and reached stumps on 120 without loss.

Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed both boasted unbeaten half-centuries overnight but were unable to kick on. Burns, on his 31st birthday, dragged Mohammed Shami into his stumps for 61 and Hameed added eight runs before he was removed by Ravindra Jadeja.

With 135 on the board, it was a lowstress situation for Malan’s arrival, his first four scoring shots were all boundaries as he taught Shami and Mohammed Siraj all about his strength through the covers and on the cut.

Root sparked before lunch with a pair of early fours that lifted the lead into three figures and never looked back. The afternoon session became a walkover as the third-wicket pair piled on a stand of 139.

For almost two hours India had nothing to show for their toil, but Malan fell to the final ball before tea, tickling Siraj down leg. Root still had work to do, though, making 80 by the interval then getting back to business. He moved to three figures in 124 balls with a balanced on-drive for four off the creaking Ishant Sharma, haring through the crease in a now familiar celebration.

India rallied gamely despite the hosts being 350 for three, taking four for 33. Bairstow (29) edged Shami, Jos Buttler picked out short midwicket and Moeen Ali holed out against Jadeja.

Root finally gave in after treatment for cramp, with Jasprit Bumrah at last summoning a delivery worthy of breaching his defences.

Sam Curran (15) and Craig Overton (24no) added a few late blows before India retreated to the pavilion.