July 25, 2025

MANCHESTER – England’s batting maestro Joe Root etched his name deeper into cricketing history on Friday, becoming the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket during the third day of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford.

The 34-year-old surpassed former Australian captain Ricky Ponting’s tally of 13,378 Test runs with a single through the off side, eventually reaching a commanding 150 before being dismissed. His career total now stands at 13,409 runs, placing him behind only India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who tops the all-time list with 15,921 runs.

Root achieved the milestone in his 157th Test, edging past the likes of Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid, and Ponting during a fluent innings that thrilled the Manchester crowd. The home fans rose in applause as Root walked off, acknowledging his incredible feat.

Former players were full of praise. “Magnificent from Root — a great moment in cricket history,” said Ponting on Sky Sports. “At this rate, there’s no reason he can’t surpass Tendulkar.”

Former England captain Michael Atherton added, “It’s been a privilege to witness his journey and the way he keeps setting new standards.”

Root’s knock marked his 38th Test century, drawing him level with Kumar Sangakkara in fourth place for most Test hundreds. Only Ponting (41), Kallis (45), and Tendulkar (51) are ahead of him in that elite club.

Walking in with England on 197/2, Root anchored the innings with trademark elegance, guiding his team into a dominant position. In the span of a few overs, he overtook multiple legends—Dravid, Kallis, and finally Ponting—before reaching his milestone in the 101st over.

He also crossed 1,000 Test runs at Old Trafford, further underlining his stature at one of England’s historic venues.

Root’s prolific run-scoring form, especially since 2021, has seen him convert more fifties into centuries at a remarkable rate. After scoring only 17 centuries in his first 97 Tests, he has since added 21 more hundreds in just 60 matches.

England lead the five-match series 2-1, with the final Test set to begin next week at The Oval.