Root can break all-time record of Sachin Tendulkar: Geoffrey Boycott
What's the story
England recently defeated Sri Lanka in the second Test to win the two-Test series 2-0. Skipper Joe Root was adjudged the Player of the Match and Player of the Series for playing back-to-back marathon innings. Considering his incredible run, former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott, in his recent column for The Telegraph, wrote that Root can score more runs than the great Sachin Tendulkar.
Potential
Root has the potential to play 200 Tests: Boycott
Mentioning the same, Boycott wrote, "Joe Root has the potential to play 200 Tests and score more runs than even Sachin Tendulkar." "Root is only 30. He has played 99 Tests and scored 8,249 runs already. As long as he does not suffer serious injury there is no reason why he cannot beat Tendulkar's all-time record of 15,921."
Root
Root scripted history in Sri Lanka
Root was among runs as England clinched a 2-0 series victory in SL. His sturdy technique against spin completely stood out. In the first Test, Root scripted history by slamming his fourth double-ton (228). He followed it up with a 186-run innings (second Test). Root (8,243) has now become England's fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests, surpassing Boycott (8,114), Kevin Pietersen (8,181), and David Gower (8,231).
Information
Root averaged 106.50 in two Tests
Root finished the series with 426 runs from two Tests at an astronomical average of 106.50. Interestingly, this is now the most runs scored by a visiting captain in Sri Lanka. The previous best was 376 by former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming (2003).
Comparison
Boycott brushes aside any comparisons with Root's contemporaries
Boycott shrugged aside any comparisons with Root's counterparts Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson. "His contemporaries, such as Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, are wonderful players as well who could also score that many runs. We should enjoy Root and only judge him alongside those guys, not great names of the past because every player is a product of their environment."
Do you know?
Leading run-scorer among active cricketers
Root is now the leading run-scorer among active cricketers. At the moment, he (8,249) is far ahead of Smith (7540), Kohli (7,318) and Williamson (7,115) in terms of Test runs. However, he has the lowest average (49.39) among all the three players.
Analysis
Long way to go for Root!
Master Blaster Tendulkar is arguable the greatest batsman international cricket has seen. Over seven years after his retirement, he is still the leading run-scorer in Tests, having racked up 15,921 runs from 200 matches at an incredible average of 53.78. The standards set by Tendulkar aren't easy to overhaul. For emulating them, Root needs to play another 101 Tests in less than a decade.