Sachin Tendulkar, who is considered to be one of the greatest batters, if not the greatest, in cricket history, has scored close to 16000 runs in Test cricket.
Recently, the second highest run scorer in Test cricket history and former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting suggested that England's Joe Root has very good chances of beating the India legend's run tally.
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"He could potentially do that [of breaking Sachin’s Test record]. He is 33 years of age and 3000 runs behind. It depends on how many Test matches they play, but if they're playing 10 to 14 Test matches a year, and if you're scoring 800 to 1000 runs a year, then that sort of says he's only three or four years of getting there. So that will take him to 37 [years of age]. If his hunger is still there, then there's every chance that he could do it," Ponting had said on The ICC Review.
In this article, The Sporting News takes a closer and detailed look at England batter Joe Root's potential chances of breaking Sachin Tendulkar's run tally in Test cricket.
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Can Joe Root break Sachin Tendulkar's runs record in Test cricket?
Ricky Ponting in his interview about Joe Root's potential chances of breaking Sachin Tendulkar's runs tally in Test cricket had mentioned two main factors that would be needed for things to work out in the England batter's favour, namely:
- Number of Test cricket matches England play
- Joe Root's motivation and fitness (age)
Below, we take a look at these two factors and conclude about Root's actual chances of beating Tendulkar's Test record.
What is Joe Root's current record in Test cricket compared to Sachin Tendulkar?
England's Joe Root, with 12069 runs in Test cricket, is 3852 runs short of matching Sachin Tendulkar's runs tally, as the Indian legend has amassed 15921 runs in the format.
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 200 | 329 | 15921 | 53.78 | 68 | 51 |
| Joe Root | 144* | 262 | 12069 | 50.07 | 63 | 32 |
MORE: Who is the highest run-scorer in Tests? Complete list of batsmen with 10000 runs in Test cricket
What is England's Test cricket schedule until 2027?
In total, between August 2024 and February 2027, England will play a total of 29 Test matches, including 13 matches at home.
| Months & Year | Number of Matches | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| September 2024 | 2 | Sri Lanka (Home) |
| October 2024 | 3 | Pakistan (Away) |
| November-December 2024 | 3 | New Zealand (Away) |
| June-August 2025 | 5 | India (Home) |
| November 2025 - January 2026 | 5 | Australia (Away) |
| June 2026 | 3 | New Zealand (Home) |
| August-September 2026 | 3 | Pakistan (Home) |
| December 2026 - February 2027 | 3 | South Africa (Away) |
| February 2027 | 2 | Bangladesh (Away) |
| TOTAL | 29 Tests |
Looking at Joe Root's Test career, he has performed slightly better at Home (54.09 average in 131 innings) compared to Away matches (45.78 average in 124 innings) in Tests.
Moreover, apart from Bangladesh, whom he toured just once, back in 2016, he has a good record against almost every other team in recent years. Against Bangladesh, he had scored just 98 runs at an average of 24.50 in 4 innings.
Among the remaining Test series scheduled from the next couple of years, his biggest challenge is going to be the five-match Test series while touring Australia, where England have traditionally not done very well.
While there is also a five Test India tour in June next year, Root will be relieved that it is a series at home, and not in facing India's quality spinners on the turning tracks in the subcontinent.
To beat Tendulkar's record, Root needs to score 3894 runs, which is an average of 134.27 runs in each of the 29 Test matches until 2027. In his career so far, he has scored at a rate of 84.1 runs per Test match.
Joe Root's age factor and fitness
England batter Joe Root will turn 34 at the end of this 2024, in December.
With respect to his fitness, his workload is expected to be managed well as he is not a part of current T20 team and is expected to feature only in Test and One Day fixtures.
Moreover, Root had declared ahead of the ODI World Cup in 2023 that he had no plans to retire any time soon from the 50-over format, hinting that he aims to stay fit and play the World Cup in 2027.
"I'd love to still be playing in four years' time. The landscape is forever changing, but I can't see myself not being there unless I'm not good enough," Root had said.
Unlike former England captain Alaistar Cook, who is currently 39, retired back in 2018 as England's highest run scorer in Tests with 12472 runs, Root plans to play both the red-ball and One Day cricket until the age of 38 at least.
Conclusion: The road is tough and uncertain, but Joe Root stands the best chance of breaking Sachin Tendulkar's Test record
While it is true that Root has plenty of matches to catch up to the Indian legendary batter's Test landmark, factors such as his longevity and consistent selection in the Test team are not guaranteed.
It will largely depend on the management, selectors at the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and his fitness, that is, being away from injuries for the remainder of his career, especially when he enters his late 30s.
With England confirmed to play 29 Tests by the start of 2027, and assuming Root plays all the 29 matches (potentially 58 innings) at his current average of 50.11, he will score just 2906 runs, which is almost 900 runs short of Sachin's run tally.
Therefore, not only does the England batter need to take his performances up a notch and maintain his consistency, but he should remain fit until 2027 and beyond, to overtake the highest runs tally in Test cricket.
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