File image of Joe Root.© X (Twitter)
Joe Root is arguably the most in-form Test batter in the world. The England star notched up his 35th Test hundred in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, and extended his total as the active batter with the most Test runs. Root now stands just over 3,000 runs behind India icon Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record Test runs tally. Former England captain Michael Vaughan stated that he thinks Root can break Sachin's record, but only if he is able to fulfil one requirement.
"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 - 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," wrote Vaughan in his column for The Telegraph.
Root is currently playing his 147th Test match, while Tendulkar played a total of 200 during his 24-year-long career. Tendulkar made 15,291 runs, while Joe Root recently crossed the 12,500-run mark.
2024 has been a stupendous year for Root, with the 33-year-old scoring runs against India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and now Pakistan. He became the first batter to cross 1,000 Test runs in 2024.
Vaughan reserved more high praise for Root.
"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," wrote Vaughan.
Root also trails Tendulkar in another list. He has crossed 1,000 Test runs in five separate calendar years, while only Tendulkar is ahead of him, having crossed 1,000 Test runs in six calendar years.