Star England batter Joe Root is steadily closing in on the legendary record held by former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Root currently trails Tendulkar by 3,544 runs in Test cricket. Tendulkar, who played 200 Tests, retired with an astounding 15,921 runs. Root, with 145 Tests under his belt, has already amassed 12,377 runs in the longest format.
At 33 years old, Joe Root still has several years left in his career, giving him a realistic shot at surpassing Tendulkar’s monumental record. Root’s current form is exceptional, consistently churning out centuries, with two recent tons against Sri Lanka underscoring his potential to challenge Tendulkar’s mark.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan is confident that Root will eventually break Tendulkar’s record. He even speculated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might not be too pleased if an Englishman tops the Test run-scoring charts, traditionally dominated by Indian legends.
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“I think he’s trailing by three and a half thousand runs. He’s got at least three more years in him. Unless something unexpected happens, like an injury, he’s the most passionate about the game. He’s no longer burdened by the captaincy and understands his game better than ever before. I’d be amazed if he doesn’t break the record. He’s playing beautifully,” Vaughan remarked in an interview with the Hindustan Times.
Michael Vaughan further added, “Even if he does break it, I think he’ll keep playing. If Joe surpasses Sachin, it would be monumental for cricket. The BCCI would likely prefer an Indian to hold that top spot, which would ensure that Test cricket remains a major focus for future generations, as breaking that record would take ages.”
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In today’s cricketing landscape, few batters seem capable of approaching Root’s and Tendulkar’s records. One notable name is Virat Kohli, who has scored 8,848 runs in 113 Tests. However, Kohli remains quite far behind both Root and Tendulkar in the race for the top spot.
