England star Joe Root added another major milestone to his career by crossing 13,000 runs in Test cricket, becoming the first Englishman and fifth overall to do so. Root reached the mark during his 34-run knock in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
Although Root was the only top-order batter to miss a century on Day 1, his 44-ball innings featured three boundaries and etched his name in the record books. He achieved this milestone in 153 Test matches, surpassing Jacques Kallis (159), Rahul Dravid (160), Ricky Ponting (162), and even Sachin Tendulkar (163) in terms of quickest to the mark.
Root Now Just 2,915 Runs Away from Sachin Tendulkar
With 13,006 Test runs, Root now stands just 2,915 runs short of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 15,921 runs — the highest in Test history. Root remains fifth on the all-time run-scorers list, but only 283 runs behind Dravid and 373 behind Ponting, putting him within reach of the second spot if he performs well in the upcoming five-match Test series against India, starting June 20.
England Dominate as Crawley, Duckett, Pope Score Centuries
England’s batting display against Zimbabwe was dominant, ending Day 1 at 498/3.
- Ben Duckett smashed 140 off 134 balls, sharing a 231-run stand with Zak Crawley, who also made a century after two years.
- Ollie Pope continued the run fest with an unbeaten 169, building a 137-run partnership with Crawley.
- Harry Brook remained not out on 10 at stumps.
While Zimbabwe returned to English soil after 22 years, they struggled with a modest bowling attack, unable to contain the hosts’ aggressive top-order.
Joe Root may have missed a century, but his eyes are firmly set on Test cricket’s biggest batting crown — and Sachin’s record might soon be within touching distance.
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