For two decades, Sachin Tendulkar’s 15,921 Test runs have stood as cricket’s Everest — a number that felt less like a record and more like a permanent fixture of the sport’s record books. Joe Root is now the man closest to reaching the summit.
In the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy clash between England and India in 2025, Root passed Ricky Ponting’s 13,378 runs to move into outright second place on Test cricket’s all-time run-scoring list. He had already gone past Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, Alastair Cook, and Rahul Dravid on his way there. Only Tendulkar remains ahead of him now — and the gap, for the first time in cricket history, looks bridgeable.
How Far Does Root Have to Go?
As of August 2025, Root needs roughly 2,500 more runs to draw level with Tendulkar. To put that number in context: it’s almost exactly what he scored across his last two and a half years of Test cricket. If he sustains anything close to that output, the record would fall around the end of 2027 — by which point Root would be 37 years old.
The Case For Root
Root’s Test average sits in the high 50s (around 57), a mark he has maintained deep into his thirties rather than the mid-career peak most batters experience. At that average, reaching 2,500 runs would take somewhere in the region of 45 innings — roughly 22 to 25 Test matches.
England’s schedule works in his favor. The national side typically plays between 9 and 15 Tests a year, meaning Root should have the volume of cricket he needs within his projected two-and-a-half-year window, provided fitness and form hold. Two more home summers, played on pitches where Root has historically thrived, only strengthen the case.
Former players have taken notice. Brad Hogg and Michael Vaughan have both publicly backed Root to eventually pass Tendulkar — a notable vote of confidence from two figures who’ve watched the modern game closely from the commentary box.
The Case Against
Age is the obvious variable. Root will be 37 by the time he’s projected to reach the record, an age at which reflexes, fitness, and hunger for the five-day game typically start to fade — even for elite players. Fast bowling attacks are only getting sharper, and a single injury-hit season or loss of form could push the timeline well past 2027.
There’s also the matter of opportunity. Root’s projection assumes England keeps picking him, keeps playing 9-15 Tests annually, and keeps giving him the top- or middle-order role he needs to accumulate runs at pace. Any shift in England’s format priorities — more focus on white-ball cricket, a younger batting rebuild — could slow him down.
Our Verdict
Barring serious injury or a sudden loss of form, the trajectory favors Root. He has the average, the volume of cricket ahead of him, and — perhaps most importantly — the temperament to keep grinding out runs in the format that matters most to him. We’re backing Joe Root to eventually pass Sachin Tendulkar’s Test run record.
FAQ: Root vs Tendulkar’s Record
How many Test runs does Sachin Tendulkar have?
Tendulkar retired with 15,921 Test runs, a record that has stood since 2013.
How many runs has Joe Root scored in Tests?
As of August 2025, Root sits in outright second place on the all-time list, having passed Ricky Ponting’s 13,378 runs.
When could Joe Root break the record?
Based on his recent scoring rate, Root is on pace to reach Tendulkar’s total by around the end of 2027, when he would be 37.
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