Joe Root passes 10,000 Test runs landmark with match-winning century at Lord’s

Root reached the landmark at the same time he brought up his 26th Test century

(AFP via Getty Images)

England batter Joe Root moved past 10,000 Test runs with a match-winning 115 not out against New Zealand.

He is only the second Englishman to the landmark, following Alastair Cook, and here the PA news agency looks at Root’s record.

Chasing Cook

Root’s astonishing 2021, in which he scored 1,708 runs at an average of 61, lifted him from seventh to second in the list of all-time England Test run-scorers, passing Geoffrey Boycott, Kevin Pietersen, David Gower, Alec Stewart and finally Graham Gooch.

And while Cook’s final tally of 12,472 remains some way in the distance, Root’s progress to five figures provides a reminder that he is far from finished after handing over the captaincy to Ben Stokes.

His 26 centuries also rank second behind Cook (33) while Root’s average hovers around the 50 mark achieved by only eight England Test batters – Herbert Sutcliffe, Eddie Paynter, Ken Barrington, Wally Hammond, Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Len Hutton, Ernest Tyldesley and Denis Compton. It is currently 49.57.

(PA Graphics)

Back in the ranks

Root captained England in a record 64 Tests, making 5,295 runs at 46.45 in 118 innings.

That included double hundreds against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and India and 14 centuries in all.

Before taking the captaincy, he had made 4,594 runs at 52.80 in 98 innings with 11 hundreds.

The new regime has restored Root to the number four position where he has scored over half of his Test runs, a record that now stands at 5,305.

Root led England in 64 Tests (Jason O’Brien/PA) (PA Archive)

Favourite opponents

India and Australia are Root’s most frequent Test opponents and account for a significant share of his runs, with a strong record against the former in particular.

He has 2,353 runs at 60.33 against India and another 2,016 against Australia – albeit at 38.77, his lowest average against any opponent he has faced more than twice.

His efforts in the current New Zealand series mean he has now passed 1,000 runs against every opponent bar Bangladesh and Ireland, against whom he has played just two and one Tests respectively.

In addition to India, he averages over 50 against Sri Lanka (58.88), Pakistan (56.11), the West Indies (53.13) and South Africa (52.91).