Joe Root becomes England’s highest match point scorer, surpassing Sir Alastair Cook. Joe Root has overtaken Sir Alastair Cook as England’s leading run-scorer in Test matches.
The 33-year-old surpassed Cook’s tally of 12,472 runs on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan.
The Yorkshireman came to the spot needing 71 runs to take the top spot and achieved it in his first innings.
Root took the lead with a four-run check against Aamer Jamal, moving him fifth on the all-time list in his 147th Test match appearance – 14 before Cook’s retirement in 2018. The moment was recorded discreetly, unnoticed by the home fans, and was celebrated with a touch of the gloves to his strike partner Ben Duckett and a pat on the shoulder.
He was much needed as he entered the match against England with four for one in reply to Pakistan’s incredible score of 556.
Their position looked much healthier as they went into the lunch break on 232 for two, Root unbeaten on 72, Duckett chasing 80 not out in just 67 balls and Zak Crawley returning to the pavilion for 78.
There is still a long way to go for England to fully consolidate their position, but regardless of how the match plays out, Root’s efforts will stand the test of time.
In August he achieved another of Cook’s proudest feats, equaling and then surpassing his record of 33 Test centuries with consecutive hundreds against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. Root, from Sheffield, will now look to break the world record, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289) and Rahul Dravid (13,288).
His achievement was praised by current England captain Stokes, who is away in Pakistan but missed the first Test through injury.
“The commitment he shows is an incredible asset for him,” Stokes said in a video posted by the England and Wales Cricket Board on social networking site X.
“He always puts the team first and the fact that he has scored so many points is just a bonus for us. He is an outstanding player. “It will take a long time for someone to come and beat this record. He is a big boy. And it is a remarkable achievement to score so many points.
“But the selflessness that he shows is something that I think sets him apart from all the other players who have been playing for England for a long time.”
