During his sublime knock of exactly 150 in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, Root rose from fifth to second on the all-time Test run-scorers list, surpassing Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis along the way.
Photo: IANS
Hours after England batter Joe Root overtook him to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he is convinced there is “absolutely no reason” why the talismanic Englishman cannot surpass India’s Sachin Tendulkar to become the all-time leading run-scorer.
During his sublime knock of exactly 150 in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, Root rose from fifth to second on the all-time Test run-scorers list, surpassing Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis along the way.
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On another landmark day, the 34-year-old Root brought up his 38th Test century, equalling Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara in fourth place on the all-time hundreds list. He then surpassed Ponting’s tally of 13,378 runs upon reaching 120, receiving a rousing standing ovation from the packed Old Trafford crowd.
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By the time he was eventually dismissed, Root had extended his tally to 13,409 runs in what was his 157th Test match. While Tendulkar still leads the charts with 15,921 runs, Ponting believes Root’s hunger remains strong—highlighting the remarkable 25 centuries Root has scored since turning 30 as evidence of his enduring appetite.
“Congratulations, Joe Root,” Ponting told Sky Sports. “A magnificent moment in history. Second on the table. Just one more to go now.
“He’s about two-and-a-half thousand runs behind, but considering how his career has progressed over the last four or five years, there’s absolutely no reason why he can’t be number one.”
Ponting also praised Root’s “mental capacity,” with the 50-year-old adding, “He still has that hunger and desire to continue improving. Trust me, that doesn’t get easier as you get older.”
Root’s latest century powered England—who currently lead the five-match series 2-1—to a commanding 544 for 7 at stumps on Day 3, giving them a first-innings lead of 186.
Ollie Pope, who scored 71 and shared a 144-run third-wicket stand with Root, echoed Ponting’s confidence in Root’s chances of breaking Tendulkar’s record.
“He loves playing Test cricket for England more than anything. So if his body holds up, I’m sure he’ll be driven to reach the top,” Pope said.
England’s vice-captain also expects Root to maintain his excellent form in both next week’s series finale at The Oval and the upcoming Ashes in Australia—where, notably, Root has yet to score a Test century.
“It’s a ridiculous number of hundreds since he turned 30, and I’m sure he’s hungry for many more—especially over the next six games,” Pope added.
Root’s largely classical batting style stands in contrast to the aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach England have embraced under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. But Pope believes England’s performance in the India series proves they can adapt their game when needed.
“I think if we hadn’t played with our brains, we wouldn’t be 2-1 up in the series right now,” he said.
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