ENG vs PAK 3rd Test: Joe Root closes in on another Sachin Tendulkar record

ByTech Word News

Joe Root climbed to third place in the list of players with the most runs in Test cricket after starting for England in the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston. With this, Root broke the three-way tie he shared with former Australian captains Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh and edged closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s other record. The three had previously played 168 Tests but Root’s latest outing moved him ahead of the Australian greats and into sole possession of the third spot.

ENG VS PAK DAY 1 TEST 3 UPDATE

The milestone adds to an extraordinary Test career that has already placed Root among the best batsmen in the format. In the Edgbaston Test, the England star amassed 14,208 runs from 168 matches at an average of 50.38. His record includes 41 centuries and 68 half-centuries, while his highest score is 262.

Root is already there second in the all-time list of leading Test run-scorers and he has only India’s Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him. Apart from his batting exploits, Root also took 74 wickets through part-time bowling.

Root is currently in his second stint as England captain, having previously led the team from 2017 to 2022 before returning to the role in 2026. He scored one fifty in the opening two Tests against Pakistan and was yet to reach three figures in the series before arriving at Edgbaston.

Tendulkar remains comfortably at the top of the list for most Test appearances, representing India in a record 200 matches during his international career from 1989 to 2013. No other cricketer has crossed the 200 Test mark.

Former England great James Anderson is second with 188 starts when he retires in 2024. Root, meanwhile, now occupies the third spot, having avoided Ponting and Waugh, and continues to extend his remarkable legacy in Tests.

MOST APPEARANCES IN TESTS

  • Sachin Tendulkar – India – 200 Tests – Retired (1989–2013)
  • James Anderson – England – 188 Tests – Retired (2024)
  • Joe Root – England – 169 Tests – Active (from September 2026)
  • Ricky Ponting – Australia – 168 Tests – Retired (1995–2012)
  • Steve Waugh – Australia – 168 Tests – Retired (1985–2004)

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Published on:

09 Sep 2026 17:21 IST