Joe Root is representing England in the four-day Test match against Zimbabwe ongoing at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham, and in the third session of the play in the opening day, he inscribed his name in the records book by becoming the world’s quickest batter to have scored 13,000 runs in Test cricket. The ongoing Nottingham match is Root’s 153rd Test match for England.
Joe Root Breaks Kallis’ Record
Joe Root required 28 runs against Zimbabwe to reach 13,000 Test runs, and he succeeded in the target by scoring a single from the opening ball of the 80th over of England’s first innings bowled by Victor Nyauchi on Thursday (May 22). Root shattered Jacques Kallis’ record, who, throughout his career, reached 13,000 Test runs in his 159th match.
Fastest to 13,000 Runs in Tests (Matches)
- Joe Root (England) – 153*
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 159
- Rahul Dravid (India) – 160
- Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 162
- Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 163
But in innings taken, Root is the slowest of all batters.
Fastest to 13,000 Runs in Tests (Innings)
- Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 266
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 269
- Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 275
- Rahul Dravid (India) – 277
- Joe Root (England) – 279*
Root’s Historic Career in Perspective
Root became the first English and fifth overall batter globally to reach 13,000 runs in Test cricket. England’s former Test captain played his red-ball debut against India in Nagpur on December 13, 2012, and in the past 13 years has emerged as one of the greatest batters in history.
Root has accumulated over 2000 runs in Test cricket against India and Australia and also has over 1000 runs against South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Test Record of Joe Root Against Top Opponents
Joe Root has built an outstanding Test career with strong performances across opponents. He has excelled against India, scoring 2,846 runs at an average of 58.08 with 10 centuries. His records against New Zealand (1,925 runs at 53.47), Pakistan (1,487 at 53.10), and Sri Lanka (1,376 at 62.54) also stand out.
Against Australia, Root has 2,428 runs in 34 matches, while he averages over 46 against South Africa and West Indies. Though less prolific against Bangladesh, Ireland, and Zimbabwe, Root’s consistency across formats cements his place among modern Test greats.
What Lies Ahead for Joe Root
Root, who holds the record of top run scorer in the World Test Championship (WTC) history, will be a major player for England over the coming months. His batting form will be a major contributor to England’s home five-match series against India from June 20 in Leeds.
During the series against India, Root will get an opportunity to be the second highest run-scorer in Test cricket and first batsman to reach 7000 runs in WTC.
