England veteran Joe Root becomes the third-highest run-getter in Tests during the fourth Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at OId Trafford Stadium in Manchester. Root surpassed South Africa great Jacques Kallis to reach the milestone. Root now has 13,290 Test runs, edging closer to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who sits in second place with 13,378 runs.
Root is in the form of his life in the ongoing five-Test match series against India, scoring more third 250 runs, including a ton and a half century. During his latest knock, he also became the first batter in history to score 1,000 Test runs at the venue of Old Trafford.
Most runs in Test cricket
15921 - Sachin Tendulkar
13378 - Ricky Ponting
13290* - Joe Root
13289 - Jacques Kallis
13288 - Rahul Dravid
With this feat, Root joined an elite group, becoming only the third England batter to register 1,000-plus Test runs at two different venues. He previously scored 2,166 runs at Lord’s, and now joins Alastair Cook and Graham Gooch, who achieved this milestone at both Lord’s and The Oval.
Root entered the innings on 13,259 Test runs, needing just 30 runs to leapfrog Kallis (13,289) and Dravid (13,288). He crossed both milestones with characteristic poise, finishing the day with 13,290 runs*, placing him behind only Ricky Ponting (13,378) and the all-time leader, Sachin Tendulkar (15,921).
The 34-year-old batter is already England's highest-ever Test run-getter, continues to define his era with consistent brilliance. Root reached the 13,000-run mark earlier this year, becoming the fastest player in terms of matches played to do so, achieving the feat in just 153 Tests.