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Joe Root climbs to 2nd on Test run-scorers list with a classy ton vs India. With over 13,350 runs, he eyes Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921. His form and consistency make him a genuine contender to surpass the Master Blaster.
England's former captain and star batter Joe Root has further strengthened his reputation as one of the greatest Test batters by moving to the second spot on the all-time run-scorers chart in the ongoing fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday, July 25.
Root added another feather to his illustrious Test career when he completed his second century of the ongoing home red-ball series on Day 2 of the Manchester Test, overtaking the likes of Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, and Jacques Kallis to climb to the second spot on the all-time leading run-scorers list in the history of Test cricket, with Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him.
Joe Root has already attained legendary status in English cricket, surpassing former captain Alastair Cook’s all-time England record of 12472 in Test Cricket, achieving this feat in October 2024, and now, he has set his eyes on chasing Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15921 runs.
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Joe Root: England’s run-machine on quest to surpass Master Blaster
Joe Root made his Test debut for England against India in December 2012. Since then, the 21-year-old Yorkshire cricketer has evolved into one of the most consistent and prolific performers with the bat, not just for England but also in the history of Test cricket.
Root made his debut in red-ball cricket at the international level under the captaincy of Alastair Cook, but the right-handed batter eventually became a perfect successor to Cook, not just in leadership but also a linchpin of England’s batting line-up, leading from the front across generations and against all opponents.
Back in June 2022, Joe Root achieved what other legendary batters, including Sachin Tendulkar, could not, completing 10,000 Test runs in a record time. He was the first player in the history of Test cricket to reach the milestone in fewer than 10 years, underlining his extraordinary consistency and hunger for runs.
Though Joe Root attained success in Test Cricket early in his career, little did the cricketing world know that the England star batter would go on to redefine modern-day batting in the longest format.
Joe Root entered the ongoing Test series against India with 13006 runs, including 36 centuries, at an average of 50.80, and was 372 runs away from overtaking Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, and Jacques Kallis to move to the spot on the all-time chart in Test run-scorers. The moment came when he was batting on 119 and took a single off Anshul Kamboj's delivery, surpassing the legendary trio and etching his name firmly in the second spot on the all-time Test run-scorers list.
Joe Root's jump to the second spot on the all-time Test run-scorers list is a testimony to his unwavering dedication, endurance, and consistency for over a decade.
Now, Joe Root has officially emerged as a serious threat to Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 15,921 Test runs. Since Tendulkar’s retirement in 2013, no batter has managed to inch closer to breaking the legendary Indian batter’s record in the history of Test Cricket.
Can Root break Tendulkar’s Test record?
As Joe Root continues to churn out runs with remarkable consistency and fitness on his side, the England star batter looks like a serious threat to Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time Test record. Tendulkar amassed 15921 runs, including 51 centuries and 68 fifties, at an average of 53.78 in 200 matches.
Tendulkar made it to the top of the all-time chart during his 24-year-long illustrious career, a golden standard of excellence. However, Root has been playing Test cricket for 13 years and has already accumulated over 13350 runs, including 38 centuries and 66 fifties, at an average of over 50 in 157 matches, putting him firmly on track to surpass India’s batting legend’s all-time record in Tests.
Joe Root, who is now 34, has a few more years of cricket left in him, unless he faces a sudden dip in form or fitness, making him a strong prospect of eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s monumental record increasingly realistic with each passing series. Since 2021, Joe Root has amassed over 5100 runs, which means he has averaged more than 1000 runs per year over the last five years and has been operating at a batting average of almost 56.
Root’s remarkable consistency in Test Cricket, especially after quitting captaincy duties in 2022, has put him firmly on the path to potentially surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record, a feat that seemed untouchable in the modern era of cricket.
A record-breaking outing for Joe Root in Manchester
As Joe Root completed his 38th Test century, he equalled former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara’s tally to become joint-fourth on the list of most centuries in Test cricket, behind only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), and Ricky Ponting (41).
Moreover, Root achieved the feat of becoming the first batter to amass 1000 Test runs at Old Trafford. He became the third England batter after Alastair Cook and Graham Gooch to amass 1000 Test runs at two different venues, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest batters in the history of English cricket.
Additionally, Joe Root became the first batter to register 20 centuries in the World Test Championship. He already holds the distinction of being the leading run-getter with over 5900 runs and the most centuries in WTC.