Joe Root on Saturday left Indian cricketing legends namely Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar behind by becoming only the second English batsman after Alastair Cook to score 9,000 Test runs. Root, who’s been in a phenomenal form in the last 12 months, achieved the feat in eight years and 242 days.
It had taken Sachin Tendulkar 14 years and 48 days to score his first 9,000 runs in Test cricket. Gavaskar had taken 14 years 282 days to achieve this feat.
There are only 16 players, who’ve scored 9,000 or more runs in the history of Test cricket. Before Root reached this milestone against India at the Lord’s in the second Test of the series, Cook was the only English player in the list. Cook, also a former England captain, remains the top-scorer for England in Test cricket with 12,472 runs.
Incidentally, Cook was the fastest to reach 9,000 runs in terms of the number of years, before Root the coveted league on Saturday.
Root also surged past former England skipper Graham Gooch to become the second-highest scorer for his country in Test. Gooch made 8,900 runs after representing England in 118 Test matches.
Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara remains the fastest to score 9,000 runs in terms of the number of innings. The former Sri Lankan player took just 172 innings to reach this milestone. This number stood at 196 for Root, who’s currently leading his side against India in the Test series.
Meanwhile, England were all out for 391 in their first innings, taking a lead of 27 runs. Root remained unbeaten at 180 and was unlucky to not have reached the double-century mark. Jonny Bairstow made 57, while Rory Burns missed out on his half-century by just one run.
Mohammed Siraj was the most effective bowler for India as he finished with a figure of 4-94 in 30 overs. Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami picked up three and two wickets respectively.