New Delhi: England Test captain Ben Stokes has expressed confidence in Joe Root's potential to challenge Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most runs in Test cricket.
Root recently surpassed Alastair Cook to become England's highest run-scorer in Tests during the third day of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan.
He reached this milestone with a classic on-drive, overtaking Cook's tally of 12,472 runs by lunchtime in Multan.
In a pre-recorded video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board, Stokes discussed Root's accomplishments and was asked whether Root could eventually break Tendulkar's record of 15,921 runs. Stokes suggested that Root, if he continues playing until around the age of 39, could at least come close to Tendulkar's record, if not surpass it.
"Look, he is 33. He has played some 100 games in a row. I don't know. He can easily go until he is 37, 38, or even 39. If he plays all the Test matches from now until then, I don't see why not. He is too good a player to not at least get close. I personally will be backing him to go past it," said Stokes, as quoted by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Sachin Tendulkar played 200 matches, scored 15,921 runs, hit 51 centuries, and had an average of 53.78, leading the batting charts for the most runs in Test cricket. Next is former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who played 168 matches, scored 13,378 runs, hit 41 centuries, and had an average of 51.85. Jacques Kallis played 166 matches, scored 13,289 runs, hit 45 centuries, and had an average of 55.37. Rahul Dravid played 164 matches, scored 13,288 runs, hit 36 centuries, and had an average of 52.31. Joe Root has played 147 matches, scored 12,473 runs, hit 34 centuries, and has an average of 50.91. Alastair Cook played 161 matches, scored 12,472 runs, hit 33 centuries, and had an average of 45.35.
Stokes highlighted Root's selflessness as one of his defining qualities, emphasizing how Root always puts the team first. According to Stokes, it will be a long time before any player breaks Root's new record for England.
"To score that many runs, you have to think that there has to be a bit of selfishness about the player. But everything he has done with the bat in his hand has always been about the team. I remember a couple of years ago, he was getting stick for not converting his fifties into hundreds. I just couldn't get my head around it," England's red-ball captain said.
"From my point of view, when I looked at how many hundreds Joe scored and how many games we have won, that's what I focus on," he added.
"The selflessness he has is an incredible attribute. He always puts the team first. It's going to take a long, long time for someone to come in and break that record," concluded Stokes.
Root has shown remarkable consistency, having scored over 1,000 runs in Test cricket in 2024.
