Joe Root will overtake Sachin Tendulkar if..: Michael Vaughan talks about England star potentially becoming highest Test run-scorer

Joe Root, the former England captain, has established himself as one of the best Test batters in the world in the last couple of years with his incredible batting form. The 33-year-old became the highest Test run-getter for England, surpassing Alastair Cook’s previous record of 12,472 runs during the first Test of the three-match series against Pakistan. Root is now just over 3,000 runs away from breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time Test run-scoring record. Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Joe Root can achieve this feat if he continues playing for several more years.

Notably, Joe Root has scored 12,664 runs in 146 Tests, while Sachin Tendulkar holds the record of being the highest run-getter in Test cricket with 15,291 runs in 200 matches. The right-handed batter has been consistently performing in the longest format of the game in 2024, scoring over 1,000 runs in the year, and such run of results over the next three years could put him within touching distance of the Indian legend.

I see Joe going into his forties, like Anderson has: Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan, in his column for The Telegraph, shared his thoughts on Root’s future in Test cricket, and said, “Joe’s love of the game means he will not be like Alastair Cook. Cook retired six years ago, at almost exactly the same age of 33 that Joe is now. But I see Joe going into his forties, like Anderson has. If he plays as long as I am sure he will, he will overtake Sachin Tendulkar and be the leading Test run-scorer.” 

Additionally, Vaughan praised Root, stating, “Root is already cricketing royalty, and there is no doubt in my eyes that he has become England’s greatest batsman already. No one has played the different forms of the game better than him, and he has got the runs to show for it.”

Root is already considered one of England’s greatest batters. He has scored over 1,000 Test runs in five separate calendar years. Only Tendulkar is ahead of him, having done it in six years. If Root continues to play like this, there is a real chance he could one day become the highest run-scorer in Test cricket history, surpassing the legendary Tendulkar.

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