By surpassing Waugh’s tally of 168 matches, Root now sits behind only two players in the history of the format: Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record with 200 appearances, and James Anderson, who has featured in 188 Tests. The achievement underscores Root's sustained consistency and physical longevity at the highest level of the international game.
England Targets Series Sweep at Edgbaston
The milestone match began with Root winning the toss and electing to bowl first against Babar Azam’s Pakistan side. As the series concludes, England enters the fixture as the dominant force, having already secured victories at Headingley and Lord’s. The hosts claimed the opening match by an innings and 103 runs, followed by a 194-run win at Lord’s, with England’s pace attack proving particularly effective across both contests.
In a rare display of selection stability, England has fielded an unchanged playing XI for all three matches of this series. It marks the first time the team has maintained the same lineup throughout a three-Test series since 2010. For Pakistan, the fixture presents a difficult challenge as they look to secure their first-ever Test victory at Edgbaston, having recorded five losses and three draws in their eight previous visits to the venue.
The England XI for the final Test features Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, and Josh Tongue. Pakistan’s lineup includes Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Mohammad Abbas, and Mohammad Ali.
