NEW DELHI: England batter Joe Root is on the verge of matching Sachin Tendulkar‘s record for most calendar years with 1000-plus Test runs.
Root achieved this milestone during England’s first innings against Pakistan, who had posted a formidable 556-run total in the first Test match between the two cricket-loving nations.
Pakistan’s innings was bolstered by centuries from Salman Ali Agha (104 not out), Abdullah Shafique (102), and captain Shan Masood (151).
Chasing a mammoth 556 runs, England faced early setbacks, with stand-in skipper Ollie Pope dismissed by Naseem Shah.
Root then steadied the innings, finishing the day unbeaten with 32 runs off 54 balls. The English batter focused on rotating the strike and hit two boundaries during his cautious knock.
Most calendar years with 1000+ Test runs
- 6: Sachin Tendulkar
- 5: Joe Root*
- 5: Alastair Cook
- 5:
Brian Lara - 5: Ricky Ponting
- 5: Matthew Hayden
- 5: Jacques Kallis
- 5: K Sangakkara
Root crossed 1000 Test runs for the fifth time in his career in 2024, putting him just one calendar year short of Tendulkar’s record. Tendulkar holds the record with six years of 1000-plus Test runs.
Root’s feat brings him level with other cricket greats like Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, and Alastair Cook, all of whom have achieved 1000-plus Test runs in five calendar years.
On the same day, Zak Crawley played aggressively, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 64 balls with 11 fours. His partnership with Root yielded an unbeaten 92-run stand, helping England reach 96/1 by the end of the day, trailing Pakistan by 460 runs.
England will resume their innings hoping to reduce the deficit and build a solid response to Pakistan’s imposing total.
