Joe Root cemented his legacy as one of cricket’s best by surpassing his former captain Alastair Cook to be England‘s all-time leading Test run scorer. Root reached this milestone during England’s first series against Pakistan and needs just 71 runs to surpass Cook’s record of 12,472 runs. In a moment of pure class, Root nailed it Day 3 with a nice timed straight drive.
Joe Root’s rise to the top of English cricket
Kok entered the Pakistan series in blistering form, scoring 666 runs in England’s 2024 summer. During this time he broke another of Cook’s records by becoming England’s leading Test centurion thanks to his twin hundreds. Sri Lanka in his Lord. Root’s rise to the top was inevitable and when Ollie Pope In England’s first innings at Multan, he was dismissed early, the scene was set. Kok, who was on the 3rd place, showed impeccable concentration and fought Zach Crawley arriving half a century before the lunch break on the third day.
It came shortly after Root hit his 71st run – a stylish knock that left Pakistan behind. Amer Jamal – officially surpasses Cook’s total and cements his name in English cricket history. Root’s record-breaking run is a testament to his extraordinary longevity, skill and determination over the years.
Here’s how the fans reacted:
In the midst of a very frustrating and slightly overwhelming feeling of English cricket, Joe Root continues to be a beacon of light that gives me a sense of joy. Every year for the last decade it is a privilege to see the greatest English cricketer in his prime.
— Michael English (@mikeenglishcfc) October 9, 2024
HISTORY IS WRITTEN! 🙌
We witness greatness.
🐐 Congratulations, Rooty! 👏#EnglandCricket | @root66 pic.twitter.com/rSAXb3LKEo
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 9, 2024
1️⃣ Joe Root
⬇️ Sir Alastair Cook@root66 officially has more runs than any other England player in Test cricket 🐐The biggest. Undoubtedly. pic.twitter.com/WUJH8zD2TX
— The Barmy Army of England 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) October 9, 2024
Joe Root is England’s all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket, overtaking Sir Alastair Cook, who scored 12,472 runs.
Goat 🏏 🐐 in test cricket #JoeRoot #PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/ScETyxtAvb
— Nawaz 🇵🇰 (@Rnawaz31888) October 9, 2024
A brilliant way for Joe Root to break Alastair Cook’s record for most Test runs in England: a perfectly timed four-man drive.
12 years into his international career, Root is batting better than ever
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) October 9, 2024
On September 10, 2018, I was at the Oval when Alastair Cook cut Jadeja for a single to bring up his 12,472nd and final run. Even then, it was clear that Joe Root, who was not at 124* at the other end, would surpass that one day. The best England cricketer of my life. 👏
— Adam Sutherland (@AdamSants_) October 9, 2024
Sir Alastair Cook has been knighted for “services to cricket” after retiring as England’s leading Test run scorer.
He must now be stripped of his knighthood so that it can be given to Joe Root. It is the right thing to do.
– Outside Cricket (@OutsideCricket) October 9, 2024
Fat surpasses Sir Alastair Cook. Highest run-scorer for England in Test cricket. Only a month ago, it surpassed Cook’s hundreds of accounts. #PAKvENG
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) October 9, 2024
Joe Root must be trending. He has just become England’s highest Test run-scorer of all time. A world class player who does it with a smile on his face. A true legend of the game and a national hero.
— Matthew Stadlen (@MatthewStadlen) October 9, 2024
come out @sachin_rt
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) October 9, 2024
Joe Root has scored more runs in Test Cricket than his days of survival.
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) October 9, 2024
Humiliated celebration from Joe Root, who became England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer in Multan: a reluctant wave – first his hand, then his bat – to admit to a standing ovation on the dressing-room balcony
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) October 9, 2024
Also READ: PAK vs ENG: Here, England pacer Olly Stone will return home after the first Test
Alastair Cook’s record-breaking legacy
Cook, who retired in 2018, held the England Test runs record for nearly a decade. Cook surpassed it in 2015 to claim the title Graham Gooch‘s 8,900 runs cemented his position as the greatest English batsman of all time. His career was decorated with numerous achievements, including becoming the first England player to cross the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket. Cook’s final tally of 12,472 runs in 161 matches was considered a long-standing record until Root’s incredible run spree.
It’s moving up the global testing charts
Root’s achievement is not just a milestone for English cricket. His 12,473 runs ranks him fifth on the global all-time Test runs list. Only four legends – Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289) and Rahul Dravid (13,288) – Scored more runs than Root. Given his current form and hunger for runs, Root could soon surpass Dravid, Kallis and Ponting and set Tendulkar’s world record as his ultimate target. If Root continues his prolific form, he can challenge the Indian icon’s staggering record of 15,921 runs.
Dominating the World Test Championship
Root’s dominance goes beyond individual milestones as he also leads the charts. World Test Championship (WTC). He became the first player to score 5000 runs in WTC matches, demonstrating his consistency in this elite competition. Root holds the records for most wickets, most wickets and most runs in WTC history – an unparalleled feat that cemented his position as one of the greatest Test cricketers of his generation.
Chasing new records
Apart from becoming England’s leading run-scorer, Root is on the verge of another prestigious milestone: joining the elite club of batsmen with 35 or more Test centuries. Root’s next century will take him above the majors Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene and Younis Khanfurther strengthening his cricketing credentials.
Tendulkar, who holds the record with 51 centuries, remains the latest target. But with Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41) and Rahul Dravid With (36) all within striking distance, Root is well placed to chase down some of the game’s greatest records in the coming years.
At 33, Root shows no signs of slowing down. Since the start of 2023, he has scored an astonishing 61 in Test cricket, a sign of his continued excellence. His elegant batting combined with his insatiable appetite for runs suggests that Root is far from rewriting the record books. His journey from his Test debut in 2012 to now at the top of the England rankings is nothing short of extraordinary.
