Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes England’s Joe Root has a serious chance of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most runs in Test cricket, especially after a surprising new statistic emerged.
Joe Root’s Climb Towards History
Joe Root, currently 34 years old, is steadily making his way up the all-time Test run-scorers list. During the India vs England 4th Test, he was just 20 runs shy of surpassing legends Jacques Kallis (12,289) and Rahul Dravid (12,288).
Once he moves past them, only Ricky Ponting, with 13,378 runs from 167 Tests, will stand between Root and Sachin Tendulkar’s monumental 15,921 runs.
Shastri’s Bold Prediction
Ravi Shastri highlighted Root’s age and match count as key factors. “Look at his age. Look at the number of matches. He’s played 157,” Shastri noted, suggesting Root could quickly move past players above him.
He pointed out that Root, at 160 Tests, is still relatively young compared to Tendulkar’s 200 matches. Shastri estimated Root could have another four years of top-level cricket left, needing around 3,000 more runs to challenge Tendulkar.
The ‘Shocking’ Statistic
The conversation took a surprising turn when former England opener Michael Atherton shared a statistic from Sky Sports’ Benedict Bermange. According to Bermange, Joe Root has a 60.28% chance of overtaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
This precise probability, delivered during a live broadcast, left Shastri quite astonished, calling it “not music to the ears of the Indians.”
A Nation’s Reaction
Shastri jokingly commented on the potential backlash from Indian fans. “It’s just coming about to bedtime in India, and you’ve given us a stat — 60.28,” he quipped.
Atherton added to the lighthearted banter, suggesting that Root might be “cursed” by millions of Indian homes for even contemplating breaking the iconic record.
The Future of Test Records
Beyond the immediate possibility, Atherton also mused on the longevity of such a record. He believes that if Joe Root does manage to surpass Sachin Tendulkar, his achievement could stand for an exceptionally long time.
Atherton’s reasoning is rooted in the evolving landscape of cricket, where players are likely to participate in fewer Test matches in the future, making such high run tallies increasingly rare.
- Joe Root is within striking distance of becoming the third-highest Test run-scorer, behind only Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar.
- Ravi Shastri believes Root’s age (34) and current match count give him a strong chance to break Tendulkar’s record.
- A statistician claims Root has a 60.28% probability of surpassing Tendulkar’s 15,921 Test runs.
- Former England skipper Michael Atherton suggests that if Root breaks the record, it might be an unassailable feat due to the changing nature of Test cricket.
This ongoing debate highlights the immense respect for both legends and the excitement surrounding such significant milestones in cricket history.
