Joe Root can break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most Test runs

Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting believes that England’s Joe Root has the potential to surpass the all-time Test run records held by both himself and the cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar. Root, who recently reached the 12,000-run milestone, currently ranks as the seventh-highest run-scorer in Test cricket and is closing in on two of the greatest batters in the sport’s history.

At 33 years old, Root is just 1,351 runs shy of Ponting’s total of 13,378 and less than 4,000 runs away from Tendulkar’s record of 15,921—the highest in Test cricket history. With England gearing up to face Sri Lanka in an ICC World Test Championship series later this month, Root has a prime opportunity to move closer to these remarkable achievements.

In a recent episode of The ICC Review, Ponting praised Root’s batting skills and emphasized that if the Englishman maintains his current form, he could indeed reach unprecedented heights. When asked if Root could surpass Tendulkar’s monumental run tally, Ponting commented, “He could potentially do that.” Root’s outstanding form has been evident, as he recently scored his 32nd Test century against the West Indies in Nottingham, marking his fourth century since the beginning of last year. This consistency highlights his ability to convert good starts into substantial scores.

Ponting pointed out that Root, currently 33 years old and more than 3,000 runs behind Tendulkar, could close the gap if England continues to play 10 to 14 Test matches annually. “If you’re scoring 800 to 1,000 runs a year, then that sort of says he’s only three or four years off getting there. So that’ll take him to 37 years of age. If his hunger’s still there, then there’s every chance that he could do it,” Ponting noted.