England’s Test skipper Joe Root continues to impress with his sublime batting, moving closer to overtaking iconic Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most runs in the longest format of the game. According to ex-England captain Michael Vaughan, Root has what it takes to surpass Tendulkar’s mammoth tally of 15,921 Test runs, but for that the Yorkshireman needs to maintain his excellence over a long career.
Root is enjoying a rich run of form, having notched up his 35th Test century during England’s recent tour of Pakistan. He has exemplified consistency, scoring over 1,000 runs in a calendar year five times already. Currently at 12,530 runs, Root is fewer than 3,000 short of Tendulkar’s all-time record. However, breaking the record would require Root to play well into his late thirties as the legendary Indian opener did.
Vaughan believes Root has the dedication and skill to emulate cricketers like James Anderson who have enjoyed long, productive careers. If he can maintain his physical and technical resources over the next 5-10 years, surpassing Tendulkar’s mark is well within Root’s reach. The England skipper’s passion for the game suggests he may chase runs and records deep into his forties like Anderson has with bowling.
Having cemented his status as one of England’s all-time greats already, Root will look to pile on further runs and move closer to the summit of Test run-scoring. However, sustaining excellence over a 150-plus match career like Tendulkar took plenty out of even the most dedicated professionals. Root’s ongoing love affair with batting will determine if he can indeed conquer the final frontier and leave Tendulkar’s record behind.
