Manchester, July 18: England’s star batter Joe Root is on the cusp of rewriting Test cricket history as he edges closer to surpassing some of the game’s greatest legends.
With the fourth Test against India underway at Old Trafford, Root needs just 120 more runs to leapfrog Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, trailing only the iconic Sachin Tendulkar.
Currently sitting fifth on the all-time list with 13,259 runs from 156 Tests, Root is well within reach of a historic milestone. A modest 30 runs in Manchester will see him overtake Indian great Rahul Dravid (13,288), while 120 more will take him past Kallis (13,289) and Ponting (13,378).
The next stop after that? The towering figure of Tendulkar, who sits unchallenged at the top with 15,921 runs in 200 Tests.
Root enters the match in strong form, having bounced back from a sluggish start to the series with a commanding century at Lord’s in the third Test. Across the three matches so far, he has amassed 253 runs at an average of 50.60, including a hundred and a fifty, proving once again why he remains England’s batting cornerstone.His record at Old Trafford will also inspire confidence in English fans. Root has scored 978 runs in 11 Tests at this venue, boasting a stellar average of 65.20, including one double century (254) and seven fifties, making him the highest run-getter at this ground.
Overall, Root’s illustrious Test career spans 285 innings, with an average of 50.80, featuring 37 centuries and 66 half-centuries. His best score remains 262.
With England leading the five-match series 2-1, the stakes are high—not just for the team, but also for Root’s personal legacy.
As the world watches, the question now looms large: Will Joe Root rise past the legends and claim his place as the second-greatest Test run-scorer of all time? (Agencies)
