Joe Root had another red-letter day in his extraordinary career, leaping from fifth to second among the all-time Test run-scorers with a majestic 150 as England ran roughshod over India.

Root put Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis in his rear-view mirror before following up a 38th Test ton by reaching 120 to eclipse Ricky Ponting’s tally of 13,378 runs on day three of the fourth Rothesay Test.

Only Sachin Tendulkar’s near-sacred haul of 15,921 runs is in front of Root, who closed to within 2,512 after an innings that formed the backbone of England’s 544 for seven and a significant lead of 186.

Ben Stokes retiring hurt after going to his first fifty of 2025 may have put a dampener on proceedings at Emirates Old Trafford but he re-emerged before the close, having dealt with cramp in his left leg.

Root therefore kept top billing, sharing stands of 144 alongside Ollie Pope, who contributed 71, and 142 with Stokes, who went to stumps on 77 not out, to build on the foundations laid by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett the day before.

England are firm favourites to claim an unassailable 3-1 series lead this weekend and not even a late cluster of wickets could disguise a bad day for the tourists.

It might have turned out differently had Ravindra Jadeja thrown down the stumps from backward point when Root was on 22 after England resumed on 225 for two in response to India’s 358.

Some miscommunication with Pope left Root haring to get to the non-striker’s end after a push into the off-side but he was not in the frame as the ball whizzed harmlessly by.

Pope and Root were otherwise in sync running between the wickets, which drove India to distraction, Indeed Root’s nudges in front of and behind point took him to 30 then 31, going past Dravid and Kallis.

A 104th 50-plus Test score – only Tendulkar has more – followed, by which time Pope also had a half-century. He was put down on 48 by substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, standing up to the stumps as he attempted to combat England’s number three from advancing to Anshul Kamboj.

With India short of ideas, Washington Sundar was belatedly introduced in the 69th over and he made the breakthrough after lunch, finding a hint of drift which Pope pushed at and edged to a lone slip.

India elected against taking the second new ball when it was due after 80 overs and had another breakthrough immediately when Harry Brook was drawn out of his crease by Sundar and stumped for three.

But Root, regarded as one of the world’s best players of spin, was unflustered by Sundar and Jadeja twirling away and he was in the 90s and England in the lead when India took the new ball after 90.2 overs.

Mohammed Siraj hit Root’s pad on 98 and the ball dribbled past leg stump, before the former England captain moved joint fourth on the list of Test centurions, equalling Kumar Sangakkara, when glancing fine for his 12th four off Kamboj, operating at the other end with Jasprit Bumrah off the field.

After reaching his 25th Test hundred since turning 30 four-and-a-half years ago, Root opened his blade and ran the popgun Kamboj into the offside for a single to go past Ponting on the stroke of the tea interval.

England’s lead stretched into three figures and beyond after the break with Root totally at ease although Stokes appeared increasingly discomforted, furiously stretching his left leg before walking off the field on 66.

He did not appear to be limping as he headed towards the pavilion and England confirmed it was nothing more substantial than cramp.

Root’s excellent knock ended when he overbalanced attempting to defend against Jadeja and was undone by drift and turn past the edge, with Jurel whipping off the bails for a second stumping.

Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes came and went without much fanfare, prompting Stokes to re-enter the fray.

He did not appear unduly untroubled as he and Liam Dawson, who went to the close on 21 not out in his first Test innings in eight years to add ballast to the lower order, negotiated the final few overs.