Joe Root became the second-highest run-scorer in Test history in the fourth match of the five-game series against India at Old Trafford on Friday.
The former England skipper passed retired Australian great Ricky Ponting when he reached 120, having overtaken India's Rahul Dravid and South Africa's Jacques Kallis earlier in the day.
The 34-year-old, appearing in his 157th Test, went past Ponting's tally of 13,378 runs with a single on the offside as the crowd stood to applaud him and chanted "Roooot".
Minutes later, England reached tea on the third day at 433-4 in reply to India's first-innings score of 358.
India's Sachin Tendulkar is safe in top spot for now, having scored a mammoth 15,921 runs in 200 Tests, but Root has time on his side.
England are 2-1 up in the series, with the final Test at the Oval starting next week.