Joe Root only 28 runs shy of becoming first player in the world to script this historic record

Joe Root has been in exceptional form in Test cricket. The English batting mainstay has displayed remarkable consistency since the beginning of World Test Championship (WTC). His prolific run-scoring includes a staggering 5543 runs, highlighted by 18 centuries.

Joe Root is now within striking distance of Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record for most Test runs. He needs 2949 more runs to surpass Tendulkar's milestone. With a few more productive years, Root has a realistic chance of breaking this long-standing record.

Joe Root will be a crucial player for England in the upcoming five-match Test series against India, commencing on June 20th. As preparation for this significant series, Root is scheduled to play in a four-day Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, starting on May 22. This prior Test will provide him with valuable match practice.

Joe Root stands on the verge of breaking a massive record in the upcoming Test match. Currently possessing 12972 runs in 152 Test appearances, if he manages to score just 28 more runs, Root will become the fastest player in history to reach the 13000-run milestone in Test cricket, achieving it in fewer than 155 matches. The current record holder is Jacques Kallis, who reached the 13000-run mark in 159 Test matches.

When considering the fewest innings played to reach 13000 Test runs, Sachin Tendulkar leads the way, having achieved this milestone in just 266 innings. Should Joe Root score the required runs in his first innings of the upcoming Test, he would become the slowest to reach this landmark, taking 279 innings. In comparison, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, and Rahul Dravid reached the 13000-run mark in 269, 275, and 277 innings, respectively.

Although Joe Root has a realistic opportunity to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most runs in Test cricket, breaking Master Blaster's record for the most centuries in the format appears to be a more formidable challenge. Root currently has 36 Test centuries to his name and would need to score another 16 to overtake Tendulkar.