Joe Root becomes second batter after Virat Kohli to achieve huge landmark on Day 4 of 1st PAK vs ENG 2024 Test
Seasoned England batter Joe Root notched up a brilliant double hundred on Day 4 of the first Test against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Thursday, October 10. Resuming his innings on his overnight score of 176, the right-handed batter smashed 262 off 375 balls, hitting 17 fours. Harry Brook scored 317 off 322 balls as England declared their first innings on 823-7.
While Brook went on to overshadow Root with this maiden triple hundred, the latter did achieve a huge landmark of his own en route to his sixth double hundred. The 33-year-old went past the 20,000-run mark in international cricket. Among active cricketers, only Virat Kohli has achieved the feat.
Kohli is the leading run-getter in international cricket among active cricketers. In 535 matches (595 innings), he has amassed 27,041 runs at an average of 53.23, with 80 hundreds and 140 half-centuries. Following his knock against Multan on Thursday, Root has 20,079 runs to his name from 350 matches (458 innings) at an average of 49.21, with 51 hundreds and 108 fifties.
Among active cricketers, India's Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma is third on the list. In 485 matches (513 innings), he has amassed 19,276 runs at an average of 43.02, with 48 hundreds and 106 half-centuries. Rohit is followed by Kane Williamson (18,266 runs) and Steve Smith (16,362 runs).
Joe Root is 5th on the list of batters with the most runs in Test cricket
Former England captain Root is fifth on the list of batters to have scored the most runs in Test cricket. Following his heroics in the first innings of the Multan Test, he has 12,664 runs from 268 innings at an average of 51.47, with 35 centuries and 64 half-centuries.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is the all-time leading run-scorer in the Test format. In 200 Tests, he amassed 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78, with 51 tons and 68 fifties. A few experts like Michael Vaughan have backed Root to surpass Tendulkar's all-time Test tally.
Apart from Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289) and Rahul Dravid (13,288) are above the England cricketer on the illustrious list of batters with most runs in the Test format.