India, July 25 -- Joe Root enjoyed a milestone-laden Day 3 in Manchester as he surged past three all-time greats - Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting - to rise to second on the list of highest run-scorers in Test cricket. The former England captain marked the occasion with his 38th Test hundred, punishing a wayward Indian bowling attack that struggled to find answers in Manchester.

Root has long established himself as a modern-day master, but this latest leap has firmly revived conversations of him chasing down Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record. While the Indian legend's tally of 15,921 runs still seems distant, Root is only 34 and showing no signs of slowing down, making a serious push for the top spot feel less like fanta...