England’s Joe Root has etched his name in the record books once again, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar to become the all-time leading run-scorer in the fourth innings of Test cricket.
Root reached this milestone during England’s eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand in the first Test of the series at Hagley Oval, where he scored an unbeaten 22 runs.
Below is a breakdown of Joe Root’s latest achievement:
| Player | Runs | Innings | Centuries | Half-Centuries | Winning Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Root (England) | 1630* | 49 | 2 | 8 | 620 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (India) | 1625 | 60 | 3 | 8 | 526 |
| Graeme Smith (SA) | 1611 | 41 | 4 | 7 | 1050 |
| Alastair Cook (England) | 1611 | 53 | 3 | 7 | 536 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 1580 | 49 | 2 | 9 | 530 |
Note: Joe Root’s total is subject to change as he is still active in Test cricket.
Among these elite players, Graeme Smith stands out as the only batter with over 1,000 fourth-innings runs contributing to victories.
While excelling in the fourth innings, Root is also closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s monumental record as the all-time highest run-scorer in Test cricket. Root currently ranks fifth on the list:
| Player | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar (India) | 15,921 | 200 |
| Ricky Ponting (Australia) | 13,378 | 168 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 13,289 | 166 |
| Rahul Dravid (India) | 13,288 | 164 |
| Joe Root (England) | 12,777 | 132* |
Joe Root needs 3,144 runs to surpass Tendulkar and claim the top spot. With his remarkable form and consistency, this target seems achievable if the 33-year-old continues playing at the highest level for a few more years.