Joe Root Can Break Sachin Tendulkar's Record For Most Runs In Test Cricket: Mark Taylor

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor believes Joe Root may overtake Sachin Tendulkar as the all-time highest run-scorer in Test cricket, despite the fact that the England batsman is still about 6,000 runs short of the Indian legend’s total.

Root, 31, became the 14th batsman in Test history to reach 10,000 runs when his unbeaten century helped England win against New Zealand by five wickets in the first Test at Lord’s on Sunday.

Tendulkar is cricket’s most prolific international run-scorer, with a total of 15,921 runs in the game’s longest format.

Joe Root Has A Minimum Of 5 Years Left In Him: Mark Taylor

“Root has a minimum of five years left in him, so I think Tendulkar’s record is very achievable,” Taylor told Sky Sports.

“Root is batting as well as I have ever seen him bat over the last 18 months to two years. He is in the prime of his career, so there are 15,000 runs-plus for him if he stays healthy.”

Root, who stepped down as England captain this year, became the second England player to surpass 10,000 test runs, behind former teammate Alastair Cook.

Harsha Bhogle, a cricket commentator also lavished praise on Root as he termed him one of the modern greats of the game.

“The two people who I thought could have challenged Sachin’s aggregate in test cricket because they had time on their side, were Graeme Smith and Alistair Cook. Now, the only one who might is Joe Root. Simply because I don’t see any other country playing that much test cricket.

Kallis was already 38. But Smith retired at 33. And Cook a little before he was 34. Williamson is 31 and too far away. If Root can be consistent and injury-free for another 75 tests, maybe… We’ll look at it in 2025, though I think that landmark, like Muralitharan’s, is safe,” Bhogle tweeted.

Kallis was already 38. But Smith retired at 33. And Cook a little before he was 34. Williamson is 31 and too far away. If Root can be consistent and injury free for another 75 tests, maybe…. We'll look at it in 2025, though I think that landmark, like Muralitharan's is safe.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 5, 2022

If Root remains fit, he can certainly come close to Sachin’s tally.

Also Read: For Us To Start Like This Under Ben Stokes’ Leadership, It’s Exciting Times – Joe Root