Can Joe Root match Sachin Tendulkar's record in Test cricket?
What's the story
Veteran England batter Joe Root hammered a scintillating century against Sri Lanka on Day 1 of the 2nd Test at Lord's. Root came to the crease when England were 42/2 after the dismissal of Ollie Pope. He departed for 143 with England scoring 358/7 at stumps. Root, who smashed a record-equaling 33rd Test century, is closing in on legend Sachin Tendulkar's runs tally.
Tons
Joint-most Test tons for England
Root now owns the joint-most hundreds for England in Tests. He equaled former England skipper Alastair Cook, having slammed his 33rd Test ton for the Three Lions. Root slammed his sixth Test ton at Lord's, now the joint-most by a batter at this venue, as per ESPNcricinfo. Former England stalwarts Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan hit six tons each at the Home of Cricket.
Runs
Root likely to surpass Tendulkar
With over 12,000 runs, Root is already among the legends in Test cricket. He recently surpassed Brian Lara's record of 11,953 runs. The English batter is currently the seventh-highest Test run-scorer, only behind Tendulkar (15,921), Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289), Rahul Dravid (13,288), Cook (12,472), and Kumar Sangakkara (12,400). At 33, Root has already set his sights on Tendulkar's long-standing record.
Information
Second-fastest to 12,000 Test runs
Root reached another landmark during the 3rd Test against the West Indies in July this year. He became the second-fastest to Test 12,000 runs, taking just 143 matches. The England stalwart is only behind Sangakkara, who reached 12,000 Test runs in 130 matches.
Numbers
A look at Root's Test numbers
Root has been England' best performer in Test cricket for a while now. In a career that has spanned over a decade, Root also became England's most successful Test skipper before leaving the role. In 145 Tests, Root has smashed 12,274 runs at a remarkable average of 50.71 as of now. His tally includes 97 fifty-plus scores (33 tons).