England batter Joe Root has equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most half-centuries in Test cricket, reaching his 68th fifty during the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley on Thursday.

Root scored 66 runs off 112 balls, hitting 10 boundaries, before being dismissed by Pakistan pacer Khurram Shahzad. His half-century moved him level with Tendulkar at the top of the all-time list for most Test fifties.

Root’s milestone came on an important day in his international career as he returned to the England Test captaincy following Ben Stokes’ retirement.

The former England captain shared a crucial partnership with Jordan Cox after England resumed their innings at 112/2. Cox scored 73, while the pair added more than 100 runs to put England in control and help them move past Pakistan’s first-innings total of 171.

Root was eventually trapped lbw by Shahzad after attempting to work an inswinging delivery. His dismissal ended another consistent innings but further strengthened his place among Test cricket’s greatest batters.

West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul is third on the list with 66 fifties, while Allan Border and Rahul Dravid have 63 each. Ricky Ponting follows with 62.

England had earlier bowled Pakistan out for just 171, with Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue taking five wickets apiece. Abdullah Shafique top-scored for Pakistan with 61.

Root now has an opportunity to move outright ahead of Tendulkar in his next Test innings, adding another chapter to his remarkable career.