Joe Root's new milestone also elevates him to fifth on the all-time list of Test cricket’s leading run-scorers.
Joe Root has cemented his place in history as England’s all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket, overtaking the legendary Alastair Cook during the third morning of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan. Root achieved the milestone with a classic straight drive for four off Aamer Jamal, reaching 71 to surpass Cook’s career total of 12,472 runs.
Acknowledging the achievement with a modest wave of his hand and bat, Root was met with applause from his teammates and coaching staff, who watched from the dressing room balcony. Having entered the match just 70 runs shy of Cook’s record, Root wasted little time in reaching the historic mark, continuing his prolific form at the crease.
The 33-year-old Yorkshireman had already overtaken Cook in one aspect last month, surpassing him for the most Test centuries by an Englishman, with twin hundreds against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. Now, with 34 Test centuries to his name, Root has moved ahead of his former captain in total runs as well, taking his place among the legends of the game.
Root’s new milestone also elevates him to fifth on the all-time list of Test cricket’s leading run-scorers, though he remains over 800 runs behind India’s Rahul Dravid, who occupies the fourth spot. While Root still trails Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 15,921 runs by more than 3,000, Cook expressed confidence that Root has the potential to challenge even this monumental feat.
“I can see him overhauling Sachin Tendulkar’s record. When I retired, I thought my record would be broken, but Root’s hunger and the fact he’s no longer captain have allowed him to thrive,” Cook told BBC.
Root, who relinquished the England captaincy in 2022, has benefited from playing under Ben Stokes, a change that many believe has revitalized his game. Cook acknowledged that the demanding nature of captaincy could have drained Root’s energy and ambition, but now, without that burden, he seems primed for further success.
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Though Root downplayed the significance of his achievement ahead of the match, noting that the record was only on his mind because of external attention, he emphasized his commitment to Test cricket.
“I see myself playing Test cricket for a lot longer. “It’s not like I’m going to get to a certain mark or number and say, ‘Right, I’m done now.’ I just want to keep enjoying the game,” Root said.
Root’s historic knock came with England in a tight contest against Pakistan, as he combined with Zak Crawley and a recovering Ben Duckett for crucial century partnerships. He reached his 50th half-century by nudging Naseem Shah through square leg and, moments later, etched his name into the record books with a shot down the ground.
While challenges remain, including next year’s Ashes series, Joe Root’s hunger for runs and consistency at the crease suggest he may yet have more records in his sights.
