England batting great Joe Root brought out his special pinky finger celebration after scoring his 32nd Test century in the second Test against the West Indies. After trailing by 41 runs in the second innings, Root partnered with Ben Duckett, Harry Brook and the rest of the batters to help the Three Lions post a massive total in their second innings.
Starting with a cautious approach, Joe Root focused on running between the wickets as Duckett and then Brook batted aggressively. But after losing the front batters, Root took up scoring responsibilities and reached his 32nd Test ton in 159 balls.
He brought up the three-figure mark with a glorious square drive and then performed his special celebration. Root took off his helmet and his right glove to bring out the ‘pinky finger celebration’. This is said to be inspired by the biopic of popular American singing sensation Elvis Presley, starring Austin Butler. Root was eventually dismissed at 122 in 178 with 10 fours.
Joe Root to play for Paarl Royals in SA20 2025 season
Amidst the 2nd Test between England and West Indies, news broke about Joe Root signing for SA20 side Paarl Royals for the 2025 season. Speaking about the new signing, Royals’ Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, said, “We all know what a phenomenal player Joe Root is, and to have him back at the Royals is a great feeling. He has been a great contributor to all the teams he has represented over the years and has also proven to be a valuable all-rounder with his bowling and fielding attributes.
“As we saw during IPL 2023 and have also seen over the years, he is also a great team man and has the ability to help his teammates develop both on and off the field. We are looking forward to using his expertise, his personality, his brains, and also his performances on the field to strive towards a successful SA20 season in 2025.”