'Why Not?': Viv Richards Backs Joe Root's Chase of Sachin Tendulkar's Test Record (WATCH)

Joe Root is closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s 15,921 Test runs, turning the long-standing record into a realistic target. Backed by Viv Richards, Root’s form and consistency have fueled hopes that he could become Test cricket’s leading run-scorer.

Joe Root chasing SachinTendulkar's Test record

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Joe Root and Sachin Tendulkar played against each other only once during their international careers, a solitary Test match during England’s tour of India in December 2012 in Nagpur, which marked Root’s debut. However, the two are now linked by a remarkable statistical storyline, with Root closing in on Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs.

Sachin Tendulkar has piled up 15921 runs, including 51 centuries and 68 fifties, at an average of 53.78 across 200 Tests. For over a decade since his retirement from his illustrious career, that monumental summit seemed entirely out of reach. But Joe Root continues his relentless accumulation of runs, inching closer to the Indian batting legend’s all-time Test record.

England Test captain is the only second batter to amass 14,000 runs in the red-ball format at the international level, firmly positioning himself as the primary challenger to Tendulkar's crown.

Viv Richards Back Root to Break Tendulkar’s Test Record

Joe Root’s current Test tally stands at 14216 runs, including 41 centuries and 68 fifties, an average of 50.23 in 168 matches, needing fewer than 1,720 more runs to capture the ultimate prize in Test cricket.

Speaking on BBC’s Test Match Special, West Indies legend Viv Richards backed Joe Root to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s Test-run record. Richards also cheekily suggested that if Root achieves the feat as captain, it could settle the debate over Yorkshire’s greatest batter with Sir Geoffrey Boycott.

“Well, if he’s captain, why not? He is captain at present, so he is in a good place for that. Nothing is wrong with him trying to achieve that. It would be a milestone for him,” the former West Indies captain said.

“I would certainly send a message to Sir Geoffrey Boycott that the best batter to come out of Yorkshire is not Sir Geoff. The baton would have been passed on to Joe Root,” he added.

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Sir Geoffrey Boycott is widely regarded as one of England’s finest and most obstinate opening batters, having played 108 Test matches and amassed 8,114 runs at an average of 47.72. He was Yorkshire’s favourite son, amassing 29,485 runs between 1962 and 1986, but Richards believes Root’s potential record-breaking career could see him inherit that mantle.

Can Joe Root Overtake Sachin Tendulkar’s Test Record?

In every England Test match, including the Edgbaston Test against Pakistan, Joe Root has been quietly chipping away at a mountain that once looked entirely unconquerable. Sachin Tendulkar’s colossal tally of 15,921 runs has stood for over a decade as the ultimate Everest of red-ball cricket.

However, the Indian batting legend’s Test record has transitioned from a distant museum piece into a live target. Root is now 1705 runs away from writing a completely new chapter in red-ball history, turning every time he walks to the crease into a must-watch event for cricket purists worldwide.

Since January 2021, Joe Root has aggregated 6,393 runs, including 24 centuries, at an average of 53.27 in 72 matches. This means that, on average, the England Test captain has aggregated roughly 1,120 runs per calendar year and 89 runs per match during his modern peak. In the ongoing calendar year, Root has scored 439 runs, including a century and 2 fifties, at an average of 36.58 in seven matches.

Over the next two years, England is expected to play roughly 23 Test matches, giving Root plenty of runway to track down Tendulkar’s legendary mark, provided his current vintage form holds strong.

In the next 23 Test matches, Root will have to score an average of roughly 74 runs per match to bridge the 1,705-run gap and overtake Tendulkar’s record, making his pursuit a realistic possibility if he maintains his remarkable consistency.