Joe Root set to break Mohammad Yousuf's record: Key numbers
What's the story
Joe Root is one of the few batters who have looked comfortable in the ongoing Ashes. Despite missing his 23rd Test ton in Adelaide, the England skipper attained a historic feat. He joined an elite club by getting past 1,600 Test runs in a calendar year. Root is now vying to break Mohammad Yousuf's record of scoring 1,788 Test runs in a year.
Context
Why does it matter?
Root is regarded as England's most prolific batter of all time across formats. He is the leading run-scorer in Test cricket among active players. The English captain has been in sublime form of late, having shattered numerous records. Root is the leading run-scorer in Tests this year. In fact, he is the only batter to have smashed over 1,000 Test runs in 2021.
Feat
Root requires 159 more runs to break Yousuf's record
So far, Root has racked up 1,630 runs from 14 Tests at an incredible average of 62.69 in 2021. Mohammad Yousuf (1,788 in 2006), Sir Vivian Richards (1,710 in 1976), and Graeme Smith (1,656 in 2008) are the other three players to score 1,600 Test runs in a calendar year. Root requires 159 more runs to get past Yousuf's mark.
Record
Root earlier broke this record of Michael Vaughan
In the first Test match at the Gabba, Root scripted a monumental record on Day 3. Root raced to the most Test runs by an England batter in a calendar year. He broke the record of former England captain Michael Vaughan, who amassed 1,481 runs in 2002. Root also eclipsed his previous best tally of 1,477 runs (2016).
Information
Most Test runs in 2021
Root is the highest run-scorer in Test cricket in the ongoing year. The English captain is followed by Rohit Sharma (906), Dimuth Karunaratne (902), Rishabh Pant (706), and Abid Ali (695) in terms of Test runs (2021).
Centuries
Root can emulate Vivian Richards and Sachin Tendulkar
Root has slammed six Test tons in 2021. He is only behind Ponting on the list of most Test centuries by a captain in a calendar year (7). No other English captain had struck more than four Test centuries in a single year before Root did so. By scoring one more ton, Root will equal Vivian Richards and Sachin Tendulkar (seven each).