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Whenever the list of most Test run scorers comes forward, it looks quite impossible for someone to break the record of the living legend of the game- Sachin Tendulkar. However, with England playing so many Test matches every year, the only possible name that comes to mind is Joe Root, who has moved closer to the elite list.

There was a point of time during the 2019 to 2021 period when the former England captain was quickly dismissed after reaching his fifty. Once he stepped down from the captaincy position, the pressure was released from his shoulders and runs started to come with ease.

During the second Test of the three-match series between tourist West Indies and England, Joe Root went past the former legend of the Caribbean side Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the list of most runs in the longest format of the game.

Joe Root aims for around 4000 more Test runs to overtake Sachin Tendulkar

During the third and the final Test of the ongoing series at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England found themselves struggling at 54/5 in their first innings, after the visitors put on 282 runs in their first innings and smelt a heavy lead in the contest.

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Joe Root came late on the first day, and put on a vital match-saving partnership of 115-run for the sixth wicket with the captain of the side- Ben Stokes to carry them to a safe position. The Yorkshire batter missed out on his 33rd Test century after being adjusted ‘leg before the stumps’ against left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.

In this process, Root went past the former West Indies captain and a fine left-handed batter of the game- Brian Lara’s tally of 11953 runs in 131 games at an average of 52.88.

Joe Root is now the seventh highest run-getter of the longest format, with 12027 runs in 261 innings, at an average of 50.11, besides celebrating 32 hundred and 63 half-centuries, with a best of 254-run knock. He aims towards the master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar who sits at the peak of the mountain with 15921 runs in 200 games at an average of 53.78, with 68 fifties and 51 Test centuries.

The Mumbai-born is followed by the former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who finished with 13378 runs in 168 Tests at an average of nearly 52, while the legendary pace bowling all-rounder of South Africa, Jacques Kallis is at number three with 13289 runs in 166 Tests, at an average of over 55.

If the 33-year-old England batter continues his prime touch in the format for the next four to five years, he could register his name at the top of the list. The former England captain Michael Vaughan expects him to do the same.

‘Joe Root will become England’s leading run-scorer in the next few months and is so special that he really could overtake Sachin Tendulkar eventually.’ The former England captain wrote in his column in Telegraph.

Root’s next target will be the former Sri Lanka wicket-keeper batter Kumar Sangakkara, who has 12400 runs in 134 Tests, and with England playing nine Tests for the rest of the year, he could go past Sir Alastair Cook to be England’s highest Test run-scorer.

Also Read: Joe Root Equals Rohit Sharma In This New Record; Remains Only Behind Virat Kohli

They will face Sri Lanka for three Tests in the home summer, before making a trip to Pakistan and New Zealand for two three-match series.

List of most Test runs

Player	Mat	Runs	Ave	100s	50s	HS
S Tendulkar	200	15921	53.78	51	68	248*
R Ponting	168	13378	51.85	41	62	257
J Kallis	166	13289	55.37	45	58	224
R Dravid	164	13288	52.31	36	63	270
A Cook	161	12472	45.35	33	57	294
K Sangakkara	134	12400	57.40	38	52	319
J Root*	143	12027	50.11	32	63	254
B Lara	131	11953	52.88	34	48	400*