Root Breaks Kohli’s Record; SKY’s Toss Mishap

England’s Joe Root has etched his name in cricket history by becoming the first player to score 1000+ runs in a home season five times across all formats, surpassing a record previously shared with Virat Kohli and David Warner. The 34-year-old achieved this milestone during England’s commanding 342-run victory over South Africa in the third ODI at Southampton, where he scored a brilliant century.

Root’s Historic Achievement

Root completed his fifth 1000-run home season with 1013 runs in 16 innings at an impressive average of 72.35, including five centuries. His previous four such seasons came in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019. The former England captain excelled across formats, scoring 571 runs in six Tests and 442 runs in six ODIs during the 2025 home season.

Meanwhile, the Asia Cup 2025 opener between India and UAE witnessed an amusing toss confusion involving India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. After winning the toss and deciding to bowl first, Suryakumar turned to presenter Sanjay Manjrekar to explain his reasoning before informing UAE captain Muhammad Waseem of the decision. This left Waseem confused, prompting him to walk over and directly ask about India’s choice.

India’s Dominant Start

Despite the lighthearted toss mishap, India maintained their focus and crushed UAE by nine wickets in their Asia Cup opener. The team featured Sanju Samson as wicketkeeper with Shubman Gill as vice-captain, alongside key players including Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav in their playing XI.