Sachin Tendulkar's Most Test Runs record labelled irrelevant for Joe Root

Former England cricketer Ian Bell believes that star batter Joe Root will be remembered as England's greatest batsman in Test cricket.

Ian Bell stated that Joe Root will be remembered as great whether he surpasses Sachin Tendulkar's records in the longer format of international cricket.

Joe Root has been in remarkable form and is consistently breaking records. The batter recently surpassed several legendary players in Test cricket.

The 33-year-old batter is currently sixth on the all-time list, just 70 runs behind former England captain Sir Alastair Cook for a spot in the top five.

Root, the England batter, scored 12,402 runs in 146 Tests at an average of 50.62, including 34 centuries and 64 fifties.

Sachin Tendulkar is the all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket with 15,921 runs. Root needs 3,519 runs to break Tendulkar's record and become the all-time leading Test run-getter.

Joe Root Has Played Incredibly Well - Ian Bell

In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket in Jodhpur, Ian Bell labeled Joe Root as "England's greatest batsman," regardless of whether he surpasses Sachin Tendulkar's Test records.

Bell emphasized that Root is focused on the present rather than dwelling on the future. The former batter acknowledged the significance of Root approaching Tendulkar’s remarkable achievement.

“He’s played incredibly well in the last 12 months. I don’t think he’s overthinking too much what’s ahead. He’s just sort of living in the moment as we are," said Bell, as quoted by TOI.

"To think that he can even get close to someone like Sachin, a real great of the game, someone that we've all admired growing up, as a hero to not just people and fans in India, but around the world.

"To think that Joe could get close is an amazing achievement on his behalf. He'll go down as England's greatest batsman. There's no doubt whether he does get to Sachin or not," he added.

The 33-year-old is seen by many experts as a strong contender to surpass Sachin Tendulkar as the leading run-scorer in Test cricket. He currently holds the record for the most centuries by an England player. Root has smashed 34 centuries in Tests and is still 17 behind Tendulkar's total of 51.

The champion batter has showcased incredible form in England's home Test summer. The right-handed batter scored 666 runs in six Tests at an average of 74.00, including three centuries and three half-centuries. England whitewashed the West Indies and won 2-1 against Sri Lanka at home.

Root will next be seen in action during the three-match Test series against Pakistan in away conditions. The first Test between Pakistan and England will commence on October 7 in Multan. The second and third Tests of the upcoming series will be played in Multan and Rawalpindi, respectively.

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