England's veteran batter Joe Root has been touted to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs and most centuries in Tests. While Root still has to walk a long road ahead in this regard, the 33-year-old has managed to break Tendulkar's record for most runs in fourth innings of Test cricket.
Root grabbed the top spot with an unbeaten cameo of 15-ball 23 in the run chase of 104 against New Zealand in the first Test of the series at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Root is now on top with 1,630 runs from 49 innings in the longest format of the game. He has an average of 41.79 and two centuries, eight half-centuries to his name. Legendary Indian batter Tendulkar was on top since 11 years with 1,625 runs from 60 innings at an average of 36.93 including three centuries and seven half-centuries.
Before the Test against New Zealand, Alastair Cook held the record for England. The former opener has 1,611 runs from 53 innings at an average of 35.80 including two centuries and nine half-centuries.
With two more Tests to go in the series, Root will be targetting to breach the 13,000-run mark in Test cricket and become fifth batter to do so. He needs 223 more runs to reach the milestone.
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Root's duck tales on 150th Test appearance
Earlier, in the first innings, Root was knocked over by debutant Nathan Smith for a four-ball duck. He became the third batter in Test cricket history to get out for a duck in his 150th Test appearance. He joined the elite list of batters featuring former Australia captains Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Waugh bagged a duck in his 150th Test against Pakistan in Sharjah in 2002. Eight years later, Ponting departed without troubling the scorers against England at Adelaide Oval.
Big win for England
England took a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series with an eight-wicket win. Harry Brook scored 171 in the first innings but pacer Byrdon Carse was named 'Player of the match' for taking 10 wickets including a six-wicket haul in the second innings. Carse's six-fer helped the tourists bowl out the Kiwis for 254 and then chase down the target of 104 in just 12.4 overs with eight wickets in hand.
