Joe Root has etched his name in the history books as the first England cricketer to surpass 13,000 runs in Test cricket. The former England captain reached this remarkable milestone on Day 1 of the four-day Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, held on Thursday, May 22.
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl first. Root, batting in England’s first innings, was dismissed for 34 runs. Despite the modest score, it was enough for him to achieve the historic feat.
Joe Root reached the 13,000-run mark in his 279th Test innings, becoming part of an elite group of players to have crossed this landmark in the longest format of the game.
Joe Root Becomes Fifth Batter to Reach 13,000 Test Runs
Joe Root has become the fifth batter in the history of Test cricket to cross the 13,000-run mark. He joins an elite list that includes Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, and South African great Jacques Kallis.
Tendulkar leads the all-time Test run-scorers with an unmatched total of 15,921 runs. While Joe Root t still has a considerable gap to bridge to catch Tendulkar, he has now drawn close to the tallies of Dravid, Ponting, and Kallis.
Batsmen with 13,000+ Runs in Test Cricket
| Player | Runs | Matches | Average | 100s | 50s | Double 100s | Highest Score | Debut Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 15,921 | 200 | 53.78 | 51 | 68 | 6 | 248* | 1989 |
| Ricky Ponting | 13,378 | 168 | 51.85 | 41 | 62 | 6 | 257 | 1995 |
| Jacques Kallis | 13,289 | 166 | 55.37 | 45 | 58 | 2 | 224 | 1995 |
| Rahul Dravid | 13,288 | 164 | 52.31 | 36 | 63 | 5 | 270 | 1996 |
| Joe Root | 13,006 | 153 | 50.80 | 36 | 65 | 6 | 262 | 2012 |
Meanwhile, England have taken a commanding position in the Test match against Zimbabwe. At the close of Day 1, the hosts posted a formidable 498/3 on the scoreboard. Openers Zak Crawley (124) and Ben Duckett (140) both notched impressive centuries, while Ollie Pope remains unbeaten at the crease with a brilliant 169*.