LONDON: England cricket fans were briefly left surprised after a Root announced his retirement from professional cricket at the end of the 2026 season. However, the player in question is not England star batter Joe Root, but his younger brother, Billy Root.
Billy Root, who will be retiring at 34 years of age after a career of 14 years in county cricket, is about 16 months younger than his brother, Joe Root, who continues to play for England.
England’s Joe Root recently surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 68 Test fifties by getting his 69th fifty in international cricket.
The England cricketer has become the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to reach 23,000 runs in international cricket in just 521 innings, one ahead of the Indian great.
Billy Root played for Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan clubs during his career in county cricket. Billy Root scored 4,107 runs in 83 matches of first class cricket, seven centuries, with his best score being 229.
Billy Root played a vital role in four winning campaigns for his team which included Glamorgan’s win in One Day Cup in 2024.
With limited opportunities during the ongoing season, Billy Root has featured in only two County Championship matches.
While Joe Root remains an important part of England’s international setup, his younger brother will bring his professional county career to a close at the end of the 2026 season.
