Michael Vaughan predicts Joe Root can shatter Sachin Tendulkar's world record in Test cricket

Former England captain and cricket pundit Michael Vaughan has made a bold prediction about Joe Root that has set the cricketing world abuzz, saying the Englishman can break Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in Test cricket history.

Root, the former England captain, showcased his incredible form by smashing his 32nd Test hundred during the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Sunday, July 21. His phenomenal innings saw the right-handed batter equal the Test century tally of modern-era greats Kane Williamson of New Zealand and Steve Smith of Australia.

Joe Root on the brink of becoming England's highest-ever run Test scorer

Additionally, Root surpassed West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul to become the eighth-highest run scorer in the history of Test cricket. With his latest century, the former England captain also came close to the illustrious 12,000-run mark, a milestone achieved by only six players in the history of the traditional format of the game.

Currently, Root has 11,940 runs from 260 innings at an impressive average of 49.95, including 32 centuries and 62 fifties to his name in Test cricket. Meanwhile, Root is on the brink of becoming England's highest run scorer in Test cricket, as he needs only 532 runs to overtake the legendary Sir Alastair Cook, who amassed 12,472 runs in 291 innings, to achieve the feat.

However, the 33-year-old Englishman needs 3,982 more runs to surpass Tendulkar’s monumental record of most runs in Test cricket history. Despite a long road to the historic feat, Vaughan stressed that Root is such a special batter and has the potential to break legendary Indian batter Tendulkar’s world record.

Michael Vaughan predicts Joe Root can break Sachin Tendulkar's Test record

Vaughan also praised Root's approach, particularly his daring use of the reverse scoop shot, which he executed with precision until reaching his hundred. Notably, Root's dazzling knock of 122 runs in the second inning, laced with 10 boundaries, helped England set a formidable target of 385 to win the game for the West Indies at Trent Bridge.

The England cricket team eventually won the second Test by 241 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match Test series against the West Indies on July 21, with the third and final Test set to be played from July 26 in Birmingham.

Michael Vaughan wrote in his column for The Daily Telegraph: “Joe Root will become England’s leading run-scorer in the next few months and is so special that he really could overtake Sachin Tendulkar eventually. With the bat generally they did not look reckless like they have in the past. They are scoring quickly, but it doesn’t look like their egos are taking over. They are just playing with good sense. As the rock, Root is obviously key to that, and I love that he kept the reverse-scoop in the locker until he was past 100 and England’s lead was massive.”

Michael Vaughan compares Harry Brook with Kevin Pietersen

Meanwhile, Vaughan compared Harry Brook, who played an impressive knock of 109 runs off 132 balls and formed a crucial 189-run partnership with Root for the fourth wicket in the second innings of the second Test against the West Indies, to former England star Kevin Pietersen.

He signed off by saying, “Then there’s Harry Brook, who is going to provide spectators so many 'I was there' moments in the next few years. He will play innings and shots that just make you go ‘wow’. I have seen players with time, but I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone with that much time to play aggressive shots looking very easy. Stillness, trigger, hands high, cocked wrist. There is a bit of Kevin Pietersen there, that ability to play jaw-dropping innings.”