Joe Root's heartwarming gesture for lone spectator after scoring double ton against Sri Lanka trends on Twitter
Joe Root, who got to his double century with a boundary, acknowledged the applause from his teammates but won hearts of millions of cricket fans by waving his bat to the only spectator present in the ground.
England captain Joe Root was all over the internet on Saturday. While the principle reason behind that was obviously his fourth double hundred in Test cricket which he scored against in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle but the other one was his gesture after reaching the milestone.
Root, who got to his double century with a boundary, acknowledged the applause from his teammates but won hearts of millions of cricket fans by waving his bat to the only spectator present in the ground.
He was no ordinary fan. He was Rob Lewis, who had waited for 10 months to watch the England team in action. Lewis had decided to stay in Sri Lanka after the original tour was aborted over the coronavirus last March.
Lewis too reacted on Twitter and thanked England captain Root for his wonderful gesture.
After Lewis was ordered off the historic ramparts of Galle Fort on Day 1, was finally allowed to watch the match after Sri Lanka Cricket Board granted special permission on Day 2.
Root, who was finally dismissed for 228, also became the second fastest to 8000 Test runs.
Root surpassed former opener, Alastair Cook, to achieve the feat in 178 innings. Former cricketer Kevin Pietersen (176) is still the fastest English batsman to reach 8,000 Test runs.
Root, who became the seventh England batsman to achieve the feat, is also the first batsman from his country to hit a double century in Sri Lanka.
Prior to this knock, Pietersen had hit 151 in Sri Lanka in 2012 and that knock was the highest score by an England batsman in Sri Lanka until the skipper scored a double ton to rewrite the record books.
Sri Lanka openers fought back after England declared with a massive lead of 286 runs. Sri Lanka reached 90-0 at tea on the third day.
The steady first wicket stand has cut England's lead to 196 on a wicket where spinners are getting appreciable turn and bounce.
(With agency inputs)