NEW DELHI: England's star batter Joe Root achieved a remarkable milestone on Sunday, surpassing Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most fourth-innings runs in Test cricket.
Root's unbeaten 23 during England's successful chase against New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch pushed his fourth-innings tally to 1630 runs, eclipsing Tendulkar's record of 1625.
The feat is even more impressive as Root accomplished it in just 49 fourth-innings appearances, compared to Tendulkar's 60.
Former England batter Alastair Cook (1611 in 53 innings), South Africa’s Graeme Smith (1611 in 41 innings) and the West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul (1580 in 49 innings) complete the top five batters in the list.
The 33-year-old reached the milestone during his 150th Test, adding another accolade to his illustrious career. Root now has 12,777 Test runs, cementing his place as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the format's history.
Most runs in 4th innings in Test cricket
1630 - Joe Root1625 - Sachin Tendulkar1611 - Alastair Cook1611 - Graeme Smith1580 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul
The list of all-time Test run-scorers is still led by Tendulkar, with 15,921 runs from 200 Tests. Root trails other legends, including Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289), and Rahul Dravid (13,288), but remains active in his pursuit of climbing the ranks.
Despite his historic achievement, Root's match was not without a blemish. He was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, joining an exclusive yet unwanted club of batters who recorded ducks in their 150th Test. Australian greats Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting suffered similar fates during their milestone matches, against Pakistan in 2002 and England in 2010, respectively.
Root's performance underscores his consistency and adaptability, particularly in high-pressure fourth-innings scenarios. As England's leading run-scorer in Test cricket, his contributions continue to enhance his legacy as one of the modern era's finest batters.
