OTD: Joe Root, James Anderson create history by registering the highest Test 10th-wicket partnership

More than a decade has passed since Joe Root and James Anderson combined to forge a 198-run partnership for the 10th wicket in the first Test of the five-match series between England and India. The pair’s phenomenal effort spilled over to the fourth day of the match.

India had amassed 457 in the first innings of the game. England, who had put on 125 for the second wicket, were reduced to 298/9. As Anderson walked out to the middle, it seemed as if England would get rolled over easily. The ninth wicket to fall was in the same over in which Root had got to his half-century.

England did really well to survive the remainder of the 14 overs of the third day. Anderson had struck five boundaries by then. Root was two short of entering the 80s. A couple of boundaries on the final two deliveries of the seventh over of Day 4 marked a stunning century from Root. 

A few overs later, Anderson got to his maiden Test fifty. For the remainder of the session, Anderson was the aggressor of the two. The first session completely went in the favour of the hosts who, with 133 runs in 34 overs, had miraculously surpassed India’s first innings total. 

Root, who was seven short of his 150, brought about the landmark on the first ball of the second over of resumption itself. A few overs later, Anderson wicket on 81 off 130 meant the 198-run partnership was finally broken. As of July 10, 2025, it remains the highest 10th-wicket stand in the history of Test cricket. 

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