Joe Root Becomes Fastest to 13,000 Test Runs — Closes In on Sachin Tendulkar’s All-Time Record
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The English great keeps rewriting history books — now just inches away from cricket immortality.
In a landmark moment for cricket fans around the globe, Joe Root etched his name even deeper into cricketing folklore by becoming the fastest player ever to reach 13,000 runs in Test cricket. The milestone came during the first innings of England’s four-day Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. With this achievement, Root joins a league of legendary batters and inches closer to overtaking the all-time record held by the one and only Sachin Tendulkar.
Quick Read: Key Highlights
Joe Root becomes the fastest player to score 13,000 Test runs — reaching the milestone in just 279 innings.
Only the fifth cricketer in history to enter the 13,000-run club.
First and only English batter to cross the 13k mark in Test cricket.
Now within reach of Ricky Ponting’s second-highest tally (13,378 runs).
Root is just 2,915 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record for most Test runs (15,921).
At age 34, Root is well on track to potentially surpass both Tendulkar’s runs and Test appearances (200 matches).
Joe Root just keeps getting better. On a chilly Thursday morning at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Root’s calm and collected 34-run knock against Zimbabwe didn’t just add to England’s total — it rewrote the record books.
Coming into the game with 12,972 runs, he needed just 28 runs to hit the iconic 13,000 mark in Test cricket. Root reached it smoothly, becoming only the fifth player in history to do so, and more impressively, the fastest — getting there in only 279 innings across 153 matches. That’s quicker than any of the greats before him, including Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid.
Root’s achievement isn’t just about numbers — it’s about consistency, class, and sheer determination. At 34, with his form showing no signs of decline, he’s on a direct course to challenge Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 15,921 runs in 200 Tests.
Let’s break it down. Sachin, known as the “God of Cricket,” reached his mountain of runs over 200 Test matches. Root, who’s played 47 fewer Tests, now sits just 2,915 runs behind. With England likely to play a steady stream of Test cricket in the coming years and Root still very much a mainstay in the squad, the possibility of him surpassing Tendulkar is more than just a dream — it’s now a real and approaching reality.
Elite Company
Joining the 13k club isn’t easy. Before Root, only these legends managed it:
Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 15,921 runs in 200 Tests
Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 13,378 runs in 168 Tests
Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 13,289 runs in 166 Tests
Rahul Dravid (India) – 13,288 runs in 164 Tests
And now, Joe Root (England) – 13,006 runs in 153* Tests.
Yes, he’s already passed Dravid and Kallis, and just 372 runs shy of Ponting, who holds the No. 2 spot.
Root also boasts 36 Test centuries, which ties him for the fifth-most hundreds in Test history. And when you look at just English batters, no one comes close. Former skipper Alastair Cook is second with 12,472 runs from 161 Tests — a mark Root overtook with ease.
Top 5 Test Run-Scorers for England
| Player | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Root | 13,006 | 153 |
| Alastair Cook | 12,472 | 161 |
| Graham Gooch | 8,900 | 118 |
| Alec Stewart | 8,463 | 133 |
| David Gower | 8,231 | 117 |
Why Root’s Chase Matters
Beyond the records, Root’s chase of Tendulkar’s legacy is symbolic of a new era in English cricket. While players like Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow have brought flair and fire, Root remains the steadying presence — a classic batter in an age of aggression.
He’s been the cornerstone of England’s batting for over a decade, and with his form holding up and fitness intact, cricket fans could very well witness history being rewritten in the next couple of years.
Root is poised to move past Ponting in the next few months. But the big question is — can he catch up with Sachin?
Given his current average of around 50.8 and an expected 10-15 more Tests over the next two years, it’s not just a possibility — it’s a realistic target. And if Root keeps churning out runs the way he has, Tendulkar’s crown as the highest scorer in Test cricket could be up for grabs by 2026.
Joe Root isn’t just piling up runs — he’s carving out a legacy. With every innings, he edges closer to the summit of Test cricket. And while comparisons to Sachin Tendulkar might seem lofty, Root is proving every day that he belongs in the conversation.
He’s not just England’s best — he’s one of the game’s greatest.
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