Race to World Best Test Batsman: Joe Root undisputed World No 1? The answer is short and simple ‘yes’. That he has scored over 1500 runs in 2021 and is head and shoulder above his nearest opponent Rohit Sharma with 906 runs clearly tells you the dominance the England captain has had in the calendar year. With another classy unbeaten 86 against Australia, he is closing in on his 7th century of 2021. Amongst the ‘Fab 4’, three others — Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli — have had a horrible 2021 plagued with injuries and poor form. Follow Ashes 2021 Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
In the ongoing Ashes, 1st Test, Joe Root smashed an unbeaten 86 in the second innings to steady England as has been the case in the entire 2021. There is no other English batsman in the top 10. The English skipper has anchored England’s innings in Sri Lanka, in India, at home against India and New Zealand. He did the rescue act once again, playing a patient 158-ball 86 runs.
Race to World Best Test Batsman: Joe Root undisputed World No 1 in 2021 after yet another classy knock, Check who are in race
Joe Root in 2021:
Matches: 13
Innings: 25
Runs: 1,541
HS: 228
Avg: 67.00
50/100: 6/2
Amongst his nearest rivals in terms of total runs in 2021, India’s newest Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma is at the second spot with 906 runs, followed by Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne with 904 runs. Rohit Sharma has just one match left while Sri Lanka aren’t playing any Tests in 2021 and Root’s lead seems unassailable.
Joe Root’s 2021 with the bat has been as good as…
(via @btsportcricket) pic.twitter.com/LfLok3wA1f
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 10, 2021
Race to World Best Test Batsman: Joe Root undisputed World No 1 in 2021 after yet another classy knock, Check who are in race
As for three others in the ‘Fab 4’ — Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson — all three have struggled. India’s Test skipper Virat Kohli has had a terrible run in 2021 with 483 runs in 10 matches at an average of 28.41 with no centuries. Kane Williamson and Steve Smith both have had injury struggles.
New Zealand skipper has scored 395 runs at an average of 65.83 in just four matches he has played. Had he not been bogged by a persistent elbow injury, he could have scored more runs. Smith too has struggled with injuries. In 2021, he has played just three matches, scoring 315 runs in three matches.
Race to World Best Test Batsman: Joe Root undisputed World No 1 in 2021 after yet another classy knock, Check who are in race
| Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 | |
| 1 | JE Root (ENG) | 13* | 25 | 1541 | 228 | 67.00 | 6 | 2 |
| 2 | RG Sharma (INDIA) | 11 | 21 | 906 | 161 | 47.68 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Dimuth Karunaratne (SL) | 7 | 13 | 902 | 244 | 69.38 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | Rishabh Pant (INDIA) | 11 | 19 | 706 | 101 | 41.52 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Abid Ali (PAK) | 9 | 15 | 695 | 215* | 49.64 | 2 | 2 |
Race to World Best Test Batsman: Joe Root undisputed World No 1 in 2021 after yet another classy knock, Check who are in race
ICC Test Rankings as of writing:
| Rank | Name | Country | Rating |
| 1 | Joe Root | ENG | 903 |
| 2 | Steve Smith | AUS | 891 |
| 3 | Kane Williamson | NZ | 879 |
| 4 | Marcus Labuschagne | AUS | 878 |
| 5 | Rohit Sharma | IND | 797 |
