Will Joe Root become the highest Test run-scorer of all time?

England’s Joe Root continues to break all kinds of records and the Yorkshireman is getting ever closer to Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921 runs in Test matches. He has already become his country's highest Test run scorer, overtaking Sir Alastair Cook on October 9th 2024.

In the table of all-time leading runscorers in Test history, Root is among some of the greatest batsmen ever to have played the game and Australia’s Steve Smith is also on that list. Those being the only two active players.

*Last updated on 11/12/2024

One of the most impressive things about Root is that he has scored big runs against the best teams. Naturally, in an era where England, Australia and India play significantly more tests than the other nations, it is no surprise to see him scoring plenty against those two other nations.

However, his average of 40.46 against Australia and 58.08 versus India shows he is scoring heavily against such quality outfits. A total of 10 hundreds and 11 fifties against India so far, along with four tons and 18 fifties against Australia emphasises that point.

Root overtook Sir Alastair Cook to break into the top five all-time Test runscorers in the same innings that saw him record his all-time highest individual Test score of 262.

Given how prolific Root has been since making his debut in 2012, it is no surprise to see him having been involved in so many huge partnerships over the years.

There are some quality batsmen featuring in that list but one perhaps would not have expected to see Jimmy Anderson on the top ten list!

Staggeringly, Root has been involved in an incredible 78 partnerships of 100 runs or more during his Test career. This includes England's highest-ever Test partnership when him and fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook put on a mammoth 454 runs against Pakistan in Multan.

Among his favourite partners, former colleague and one of his best friends, Jonny Bairstow, tops the chart with Root.

Excitingly for England supporters, Harry Brook and Root have already put on partnerships combining for 1779 runs and that number is sure to rocket up even further in the coming years when considering how gifted Root's Yorkshire teammate is.

It has taken the very best bowlers in the world to get him out also! The list of top ten players to dismiss Root features some of the best bowlers ever to play the game.

The question on everyone's lips at this point, is whether Joe Root will end his career having eclipsed the legendary Tendulkar and his record that has for so long looked unbreakable.

Based on his numbers so far, if Root was to maintain the same volume of run-scoring we've seen from him in Test cricket over the past few years and continue to play up to his forties, then there's a strong chance that the 33-year-old will indeed achieve what would be one of the most remarkable feats to ever be accomplished in world cricket.