<p>Skipper Joe Root hit a sparkling century in his 100th Test to help England start solidly in the opening Test against India on Friday.</p>.<p>Root took a single off spinner Washington Sundar to complete his 20th Test ton, and raised his bat to an applauding England dressing room in Chennai.</p>.<p>The in-form batsman -- who made his Test debut in India in 2012 and is playing after match-winning knocks of 228 and 186 in Sri Lanka -- swept the the Indian spinners around the stadium as he reached the landmark in 164 balls.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/england-skipper-joe-root-receives-special-cap-for-his-100th-test-from-ben-stokes-947727.html" target="_blank">England skipper Joe Root receives special cap for his 100th Test from Ben Stokes</a></strong></p>.<p>He joined England greats Colin Cowdrey and Alec Stewart in getting a hundred in their 100th Test.</p>.<p>Root, however, is the first to score a century in his 98th, 99th and 100th Test.</p>.<p>Root was batting alongside, Dom Sibley, on 83, as the duo put on an unbroken 164-run stand to steer England to 227 for two after batting first at the start of the four-match series.</p>.<p>The 30-year-old Root, who has scored over 8,000 runs at an average of over 49, is the 15th England player in 144 years of Test cricket to have appeared in a hundred matches.</p>
<p>Skipper Joe Root hit a sparkling century in his 100th Test to help England start solidly in the opening Test against India on Friday.</p>.<p>Root took a single off spinner Washington Sundar to complete his 20th Test ton, and raised his bat to an applauding England dressing room in Chennai.</p>.<p>The in-form batsman -- who made his Test debut in India in 2012 and is playing after match-winning knocks of 228 and 186 in Sri Lanka -- swept the the Indian spinners around the stadium as he reached the landmark in 164 balls.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/england-skipper-joe-root-receives-special-cap-for-his-100th-test-from-ben-stokes-947727.html" target="_blank">England skipper Joe Root receives special cap for his 100th Test from Ben Stokes</a></strong></p>.<p>He joined England greats Colin Cowdrey and Alec Stewart in getting a hundred in their 100th Test.</p>.<p>Root, however, is the first to score a century in his 98th, 99th and 100th Test.</p>.<p>Root was batting alongside, Dom Sibley, on 83, as the duo put on an unbroken 164-run stand to steer England to 227 for two after batting first at the start of the four-match series.</p>.<p>The 30-year-old Root, who has scored over 8,000 runs at an average of over 49, is the 15th England player in 144 years of Test cricket to have appeared in a hundred matches.</p>