England's stand-in skipper Joe Root carved his name further into cricketing history on June 20 at The Oval by becoming only the second batter in the world to surpass the monumental 14,000-run milestone in Test cricket. Entering the second innings of the clash against New Zealand with the hosts facing a steep uphill battle, the legendary batter required just two runs to cross the threshold. He calmly secured the record with a single off Kiwi pacer Matt Henry in the seventh over, joining the elite company of Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar.
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Joe Root notches up 14,000 Test runs
While Root's achievement is nothing short of extraordinary, he reached the landmark slightly slower than Tendulkar in terms of total outings. The Englishman unlocked the 14,000-run club in his 302nd Test innings during his 165th match, whereas Tendulkar achieved the same feat in just 279 innings across 171 Test appearances.
The master blaster had held sole possession of the 14,000-run peak for nearly 16 years, ever since crossing it against Australia in Bengaluru back in October 2010. Root now trails Tendulkar's all-time aggregate record of 15,921 runs by exactly 1,921 runs, a gap that the prolific 35-year-old could narrow significantly before the conclusion of the ongoing London Test.
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Projecting when Root might officially eclipse Tendulkar's ultimate tally hinges heavily on his future form and physical longevity. Needing 1,922 runs to set a new world record, Root would theoretically require roughly 38 additional innings, or roughly 19 matches, to get the job done, assuming he maintains his career average of 50.72. Given England's packed schedule of 10 to 12 Tests annually, he is realistically on course to claim the throne by mid-2028, though potential age-related dips in form as he enters his late thirties could alter that timeline.
Root becomes first player to amass 2000 Test runs vs NZ
Root added another spectacular feather to his cap by becoming the first player in cricketing history to amass 2,000 Test runs against New Zealand. The prolific English batsman reached this unprecedented milestone in his 44th innings against the Black Caps, maintaining an exceptional average of well over 50. His sustained dominance against the Kiwis is further highlighted by a phenomenal track record that already includes six centuries and nine half-centuries.
With this achievement, Root surpassed the long-standing record held by Pakistan batting legend Javed Miandad, who was previously the highest run-scorer against New Zealand with 1,919 runs from just 29 innings.