India pacer Prasidh Krishna said he was surprised at Joe Root losing his cool so easily to a mild taunt on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test between India and England on Friday and revealed that it was not a coincidence but part of the team’s plan against England’s run machine.

Joe Root has insisted helping England win games rather than surpassing Sachin Tendulkar as Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer remains his primary motivation after moving into second place in the standings.

Ricky Ponting is convinced there is "absolutely no reason" why Joe Root cannot surpass India's Sachin Tendulkar as Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer after the England star leapfrogged the Australian into second place on Friday.

Ben Stokes' lengthy bowling spells against India in the third Test shows the England all-rounder has full confidence in his body after coming through injury layoffs, batter Joe Root said.

The Old Trafford Test starts on July 23.

Joe Root's unbeaten 99 checked India's progress on Thursday's opening day of the third Test against England at Lord's.

The 34-year-old batting maestro is set for a busy and high-profile six months in England whites, with the India series at home followed by a much-anticipated Ashes tour Down Under.

England vice-captain Ollie Pope has retained his place at number three for the first Test against India, meaning rising star Jacob Bethell must wait for his return to red-ball internationals.

England thrashed the West Indies by seven wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method in the third one-day international at the Oval on Tuesday as they completed a 3-0 series clean sweep.

Joe Root hit his highest one-day international score, making 166 not out as England beat the West Indies by three wickets in Cardiff on Sunday.

Joe Root has thrown his support behind white-ball captain Jos Buttler despite England's shaky start to the ICC Champions Trophy, describing him as a "brilliant leader" who has the support of the entire dressing room.

England’s marathon run-scoring duo, Australia’s swashbuckling left-hander and India’s pace-bowling icon made for a stellar list of nominees for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

Former England captain Joe Root begins his 10th reign at the top of the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings after the third and final match of their ICC World Test Championship series against New Zealand, edging compatriot Harry Brook, who spent just one week as number one.

England notched up their highest total in 86 years thanks to Harry Brook's triple century and Joe Root's double ton, declaring on 823-7 before Pakistan collapsed to a perilous position on the fourth day of the first Test on Thursday.

Joe Root's hunger and consistency can help him become the top run-scorer in Test cricket, fellow Englishman Alastair Cook said after being surpassed by him as the country's most successful batsman in the format on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old overhauled Cook's aggregate of 12,472 runs and became the fifth-highest scorer of all time after he drove seamer Aamer Jamal for a straight boundary to reach 71 just before lunch.

Joe Root broke Alastair Cook's England Test record of 12,472 runs on the third day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Multan on Wednesday.

England finished the second day of the first Test in Multan on a solid 96-1 on Tuesday in reply to Pakistan's mammoth 556 that was boosted by a fiery century from Agha Salman.

The 33-year-old needs just 71 more to overhaul Cook's 12,472, and if his run spree continues he may become the new record-holder in the match starting on Monday in Multan.

Opener Zak Crawley said on Friday that England's young pace attack will face a "test of character" in their upcoming Test series in Pakistan where a pitch baked by searing temperatures and surging smog levels await.