"We are watching a genius": Cook reacts to Root's record-breaking 34th Test century for England

London [UK], August 31 : Former England skipper Alastair Cook lauded compatriot Joe Root after he surpassed his record of most Test centuries for England, saying that it is a pleasure to watch "a craftsman at work".
Root surpassed the legendary cook to register the most centuries by an English batter in the longest format. Root reached this new height in Test cricket during the second Test against Sri Lanka at the iconic Lord's Stadium.
Root scored 103 runs in just 121 balls, with 10 boundaries. His runs came at a strike rate of 85.12. With his 34th Test century, Root has now surpassed Cook's tally of 33 centuries and is now the most successful England batter in terms of centuries.
Speaking for the BBC Test Match Special on commentary, Cook said, "He is quite simply England's greatest, and it is absolutely right that he should have this record, on his own. Take it in, Joe. We are watching a genius."
He further added that he called it earlier in the innings that Root was going to get a century.
"I do not think there is a batsman that I can remember watching play [who shares] the sense of inevitability about scoring runs that Joe Root gives off. I called it when he was on about 6 today, that he was going to get 100. I know he is in great form, but it is just a pleasure to watch a master, a craftsman at work," said Cook.
Cook was in Essex's side when Root made his List A debut with Yorkshire back in 2009 as an 18-year-old and the batting great revealed that he did not actually see him as a "great player" back then.
"He could not get the ball off the square," Cook recalled. "Everyone said, 'he's a good player', but I did not see that," he added. Root scored 63 off 95 balls on his debut in List A format.
Three years later, it was Cook who was England's captain during Root's international debut in the final Test match of their 2-1 series win in India at Nagpur, scoring 73 and 20* in a drawn Test.
Cook said that he saw in Root, a player mentally ready to play Tests.
"The only check was when he walked out to bat for the first time, how he would handle it. The game was in the balance and he walked out to bat with his England cap on, looking 13, massive smile on his face. I watched his first few balls, and I was like, 'This bloke is here to stay.' I honestly said, 'He's scoring 10,000 runs.' I don't know who I said it to, but I know that I said it," he concluded.
Now in 145 Tests, Root has scored 12,377 runs at an average of 50.93, with 34 centuries and 64 fifties in 265 innings. His best score is 254.
This is also Root's 50th international century, making him the ninth player to do so. Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar has scored 100 international tons, the most by any player. Root joins the elite company of legends like Virat Kohli (80), Ricky Ponting (71), Kumar Sangakkara (63), Jacques Kallis (62), Hashim Amla (55), Mahela Jayawardene (54) and Brian Lara (53).
Among the currently active players, Root is only the second player besides Virat to have 50 international centuries. At number three is Indian skipper Rohit Sharma (48).
Coming to the match, Sri Lanka has been set a target of 483 runs to win the match and level the series 1-1.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field first. England scored 427 runs in the first innings, with Root (143 in 206 balls, with 18 fours) and Gus Atkinson (118 in 115 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes) slamming centuries to take England to a massive score.
Asitha Fernando (5/102) was the top bowler for Sri Lanka.
In their first innings, despite Kamindu Mendis's fighting 74 runs in 120 balls, with eight fours and three sixes, Sri Lanka could manage just 196 runs as the top-order let the team down again. Chris Woakes, Olly Stones, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts got two wickets each while Shoaib Bashir got one. England led by 231 runs.
Sri Lanka showcased much better control with the ball in England's second innings, bundling them out for 251 runs. After Root's 103, the second biggest contribution was delivered by Harry Brook (37 in 36 balls, with four boundaries and a six).
Asitha Fernando (3/52) and Lahiru Kumara (3/53) were the top wicket-takers for Sri Lanka.