Joe Root equals Virender Sehwag`s world record of most number of fifty plus scores in a calendar year

Root has made 1372 runs at 62.36 in 2015 and has overtaken Cook as England`s top run-scorer this year.

New Delhi: England batsman Joe Root on Tuesday crossed yet another fifty-run mark in the year 2015, which came on the 3rd day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, to equal former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag's world record of most number of fifty plus scores in a single season.

This is the 13th occasion when mainstay of England batting line-up, Root, crossed the fifty-run mark in 2015 to match the record set by Sehwag in 2010.

In England's 2nd innings, Root played 73-run knock of 128 balls, laced with five boundaries and a six, before being caught by Stiaan van Zyl off Kyle Abbott.

According to ESPN Cricinfo, Root has made 1372 runs at 62.36 in 2015 and has overtaken Alastair Cook as England's top run-scorer this year.

Among England batsmen, only Michael Vaughan (1481 runs, 2002) and Dennis Amiss (1379, 1974) have scored more runs in a year.