Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Joe Root

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 16, 2026

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Joe Root made an impact.

Joe Root is a prolific English cricketer and one of the finest batters of his generation. As a former captain of the England Test team, he holds the record for the most runs scored by an Englishman in Test cricket history. Renowned for his exceptional technique, consistency, and mastery of the sweep shot, Root has been a cornerstone of England's batting lineup across all formats. His ability to score centuries consistently against elite bowling attacks has solidified his status as a modern-day great and a member of the 'Fab Four' of contemporary cricket. Beyond his individual batting milestones, his tactical acumen and leadership helped stabilize the England Test side during his tenure as captain. Root remains a central figure in international cricket, celebrated for his elegant stroke play, mental fortitude, and contributions to the sport's longevity and popularity.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1984: Historical Context of England's Test Series Success in India

During the fourth Test match, it was noted that England's victory in the 1984-85 series marked the last time they had achieved a Test series win on Indian soil prior to the modern achievement discussed.

July 2007: Early Career Breakthroughs for Joe Root

In July 2007, Joe Root experienced significant early career milestones, including making his debut for the Yorkshire second team on July 18, 2007, against Derbyshire. During this period, he also excelled with the Yorkshire Academy, earning player of the tournament honors during their ProARCH Trophy win in Abu Dhabi, and made his first-team debut for Yorkshire against Essex at Headingley, where he scored 63 runs.

2011: Joe Root's Professional Debut and Breakthrough

During 2011, Joe Root made his County Championship debut for Yorkshire against Worcestershire in April and represented the England Lions against Sri Lanka A. Later that year in August at Scarborough, he achieved a significant personal milestone by scoring his first-ever century in a County Championship match against Sussex.

2012: Test Cricket and T20 International Debut

In 2012, Joe Root made his official debut for the England Test team and simultaneously began his journey with the England Twenty20 International team.

2013: Joe Root's Breakthrough Performance Against New Zealand

During the summer of 2013, Joe Root had a standout series against New Zealand, starting with a 179-run performance while captaining the England Lions. Throughout the Test series, he scored his maiden Test century at Headingley—becoming the first Yorkshire player to achieve this feat at that ground—and finished as England's top run-scorer with 243 runs in a 2-0 series victory. Additionally, he participated in the ODI series, contributing scores of 30, 28, and 33 in 2013.

2013: ODI Cricket Debut

Joe Root reached a significant milestone in his international career by making his One Day International (ODI) debut for England in 2013.

2014: Joe Root's 2014 West Indies ODI Tour Performance

During the 2014 tour of the West Indies, Joe Root delivered a series of significant performances, including taking wickets and scoring his maiden ODI century of 107 runs in the third match. Throughout the series, he accumulated 167 runs and 4 wickets, earning him Man of the Match and Player of the Series honors. However, his 2014 season was impacted when he sustained a broken thumb in the final ODI, which subsequently ruled him out of participating in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20.

2014: Joe Root's performance in the 2014–15 ODI series against Sri Lanka

During the 2014–15 tour to Sri Lanka, Joe Root delivered consistent performances throughout the seven-game ODI series. In the 5th ODI in 2014, he scored an unbeaten 104 to secure a victory, followed by a score of 55 in the sixth match and a top-scoring 80 in the final game, though England ultimately lost the series 5–2.

2014: Yorkshire County Championship Title Win

In 2014, Joe Root served as captain for Yorkshire in a pivotal match that led to the team securing the County Championship title.

2014: Joe Root's Performance in the 2014 Sri Lanka ODI Series

Throughout the 2014 ODI series against Sri Lanka, Joe Root demonstrated varied performances, including scoring 45 runs and taking a catch in the first ODI victory, as well as scoring 43 runs during a loss in the fourth ODI. Ultimately, England lost the series 3–2, and Root concluded the tour with a total of 98 runs.

2014: Joe Root's 2014 Test Series Performance Against India

Throughout the 2014 Test series against India, Joe Root achieved significant career milestones, including scoring two Test centuries and several half-centuries. His performance, notably his unbeaten 154 at Trent Bridge and his 149 at the Oval, contributed to England's 3–1 series victory. By the end of 2014, he had accumulated 518 runs and was honored with a selection in the ICC World Test XI.

2015: Joe Root's 2015 Ashes Series Success

During the 2015 Ashes series, Joe Root achieved several significant career milestones, including being named England vice-captain, scoring multiple centuries, and reaching the number one position in the ICC Test batting rankings. By the end of the series in 2015, he had accumulated 460 runs and 4 wickets, earning him the Man of the Series award as England secured a 3–2 victory.

2015: Joe Root's 2015 Cricket World Cup Performance

During the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Joe Root experienced several notable moments, including scoring 46 runs against New Zealand and a century of 121 runs against Sri Lanka. By achieving this century in 2015, he became the youngest English player to ever record a century in a World Cup tournament.

2015: Joe Root's 2015 Test Series Performance against New Zealand

During the 2015 Test series against New Zealand, Joe Root delivered a strong performance in the first Test by scoring 98 and 84 across both innings and taking a wicket to secure a 124-run victory for England. In the second Test, he struggled with scores of one and zero, leading to an England loss and a drawn series; he concluded the series with a total of 183 runs and 1 wicket in 2015.

2015: Joe Root's 2015 Test and ODI Series Performance

Throughout the 2015 tour of the UAE against Pakistan, Joe Root achieved significant career milestones. During the Test series, he scored 287 runs, reaching his 3,000th Test run and briefly ascending to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Player Rankings. Later in the year, he returned to the ODI squad, contributing 145 runs across the series to help England secure a 3–1 victory.

February 2017: Appointment as England Test Captain

In February 2017, Joe Root began his tenure as the captain of the England Test cricket team, a role he would hold for several years.

2017: Commencement of Test Captaincy

In 2017, Joe Root assumed the role of captain for the England Test cricket team, marking a major turning point in his professional leadership career.

2019: Conclusion of T20 International Career

In 2019, Joe Root finished his period of representing the England Twenty20 International team, having been a part of the squad since 2012.

2019: Victory in the 2019 Cricket World Cup

In 2019, Joe Root was a pivotal member of the England team that won the Cricket World Cup, finishing the tournament as the highest run-scorer for his country.

April 2022: Retention by Trent Rockets

In April 2022, Joe Root was officially retained by the Trent Rockets franchise to compete in the 2022 season of the cricket tournament known as The Hundred.

April 2022: End of England Test Captaincy

Joe Root concluded his highly successful tenure as England's Test captain in April 2022, holding the record for the most matches played and won as captain.

June 2022: Achieving 10,000 Test Runs

In June 2022, Joe Root reached a major career milestone by becoming the second English batsman and the fourteenth player in history to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket matches.

December 2022: Acquisition by Rajasthan Royals

On 23 December 2022, Joe Root was purchased by the Rajasthan Royals during the auction held for the upcoming 2023 season of the Indian Premier League.

2022: Conclusion of Test Captaincy

The year 2022 marked the end of Joe Root's tenure as the captain of the England Test cricket team, a position he had held since 2017.

March 2026: Achievement of ICC Ranking Milestone

As of March 2026, Joe Root has reached the top spot in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen on ten separate occasions, cementing his legacy as a top-tier athlete.