New Delhi [India], December 20: Former England cricketer James Foster believes that Joe Root has a strong chance of surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar to become the leading run-scorer in Test cricket.
Root has been in remarkable form in recent years, sparking discussions among fans and former cricketers about the possibility of him achieving a feat once considered untouchable. With his consistent performances, Root is now just 2,949 runs away from leveling Tendulkar’s record of 15,921 Test runs.
Foster, reflecting on Root’s impressive run, stated, “Joe is a world-class player. He keeps evolving his game and is still extremely hungry to perform. Given his ability, quality, and passion for the game, he certainly has a good chance of surpassing the record.”
In the recent Test series against New Zealand, Root accumulated 218 runs, averaging 43.60 over three matches, with a strike rate of 83.21. His performance saw him break Javed Miandad’s record for the most Test runs against New Zealand, surpassing Miandad’s tally of 1,919 with a total of 1,925 runs.
Root is also the highest run-scorer in Tests against India (2,846 runs) and the second player after Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara to be the leading run-scorer against two different nations. Additionally, he holds the record for the most half-centuries by a visiting player in New Zealand, with eight fifties.
With a career tally of 12,972 Test runs at an average of 50.87 from 152 matches, including 36 centuries and 65 fifties, Root’s pursuit of Tendulkar’s record is gathering momentum.