Joe Root makes history! He becomes the first English batsman to cross the 8,000-run mark in ODIs

Joe Root on Thursday etched his name into the record books by becoming the first England batsman to cross 8,000 runs in One-Day Internationals during Pakistan’s ODI Tri-Series clash with Sri Lanka.The experienced right-hander reached the milestone with a smooth knock of 69 off 66 deliveries and hit eight fours. He achieved this in his 186th ODI innings, further underscoring his consistency in the 50-over format.Root’s last innings took his career to 8,005 runs in 197 matches at an average of 50.66 and a strike rate of 87.83. His record also includes 20 centuries and 49 half-centuries, with a highest score of 166.

Root leads England’s ODI scoring charts

Root’s achievement puts him comfortably ahead of the other leading run-scorers in England’s ODI history. Former captain Eoin Morgan finished second with 6,957 runs from 225 matches, leaving a gap of 1,048 runs between them.Jos Buttler follows with 5,678 runs, while Ian Bell (5,416) and Paul Collingwood (5,092) complete the top five. Root also leads the group in career average and centuries, reflecting his ability to make substantial contributions at various stages of his career.Since his ODI debut against India in Rajkot in 2013, Root has established himself as one of England’s most reliable batsmen. His ability to combine consistency with the ability to build long innings has made him a key figure in the batting line-up.

A consistent run rater across formats

Root’s productivity has extended far beyond ODIs. In 2015 and 2016, he set back-to-back records for the most runs scored by an English player across all formats in a calendar year, scoring 2,228 and 2,570 runs respectively.In 2016, he also came within five runs of Michael Vaughan’s England record of 1,481 Test runs in a calendar year, set in 2002.Root was appointed England’s Test captain in 2017 following the resignation of Alastair Cook. He continued to contribute significantly in ODIs during the latter half of the decade, scoring over 900 runs in each of three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019.He left the 50-over format in 2020 but returned in 2023 ahead of the ODI World Cup in India. Although England endured a disappointing campaign, Root contributed three half-centuries.His latest milestone adds another chapter to an international career built on consistency and adaptability, making him the first England batsman to reach the 8,000-run mark in ODIs.