England’s batting master Joe Root has paid a wonderful tribute to the Indian cricket icon. Sachin Tendulkar Talking about the possibility of surpassing the legendary batsman’s all-time Test runs record in the futureWidely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in Test cricket with 15,921 runs to his name. The Indian legend achieved this milestone during an extraordinary international career that spanned 24 years from 1989 to 2013.Speaking to The Athletic, Joe Root, who is currently the second highest run-scorer in Tests with 13,943, admitted that the talk of breaking Tendulkar’s record has become impossible to ignore.“Well, I’ve been asked enough times now that I really couldn’t ignore it even if I tried,” Root said.The former England captain lauded Tendulkar for his incredible longevity and achievements across all formats.“It’s remarkable what Sachin Tendulkar has achieved in the game. You have to believe me when I say that even being in conversation with him is enough for me. The guy made his Test debut before I was born and played in his Test debut! His longevity is remarkable in itself and then you look at the runs he scored in Test cricket… but not only that, he also added 49 ODIs”. Despite approaching one of cricket’s most iconic milestones, Root insisted his focus is on continuous improvement rather than statistical achievements.“I always try to improve, try and add things to my batting.”“To make sure I feel as compact and as technically strong as I can be so that when the real games come around I can think strategically and play what’s in front of me instead of worrying about the technical stuff or anything else in the middle. It sounds very simple but when I’m at the crease I just want to play the game,” he concluded. Among active cricketers, Joe Root is currently the strongest contender to challenge this monumental record. In the longest format, especially since 2020, Root’s sensational consistency has put him second on the all-time Test run charts. The England star is currently just 1,978 runs away from surpassing Tendulkar’s historic tally.
