Thorpe hails Root's work ethic ahead of 100th Test

Graham Thorpe saluted Joe Root's "work ethic" as the England captain prepared to join him in a select group of players who have played in 100 Tests for the Three Lions.

Root is set to reach the landmark when he leads England in the first of a four-match series against India in Chennai next week.

In the process he will become just the 15th Englishman in 144 years of Test cricket to have appeared in a hundred matches.

Fellow batsman Thorpe is one of the previous 14, having achieved the milestone in his final international outing, against Bangladesh in 2005.

Having seen his playing career just overlap with that of Root, former Surrey left-hander Thorpe now works with him in his role as an England batting coach.

The now 51-year-old Thorpe recalled his initial experience of watching Yorkshire batsman Root in action. 

Root heads into the India campaign in fine form following innings of 228 and 186 during England's 2-0 series clean sweep in Sri Lanka.

Those hundreds saw the 30-year old climb into the top five of the Test batting ranking.

Root has now scored 8,249 Test runs, including 19 centuries, at an impressive average of 49.39.