Joe Root has officially surpassed Alastair Cook to become England’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket, reaching the milestone on the third morning of the England vs Pakistan Test in Multan. Root moved past Cook’s record of 12,472 Test runs when he struck a straight drive for four off Aamer Jamal, taking his total to 12,473 runs.
The 33-year-old Root acknowledged the achievement with a brief wave of his hand and a salute with his bat to the England players and coaching staff, who stood in appreciation on the balcony of the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Root began the tour of Pakistan 70 runs behind Cook’s aggregate but quickly moved ahead with his record-breaking shot. The milestone comes just weeks after Root surpassed Cook’s record for the most Test centuries by an Englishman, having already notched up 34 centuries. Root added to his tally with two centuries during England’s second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in August 2024.
Having now overtaken Cook’s total runs, Root moves up to fifth on the all-time list of leading Test run-scorers, with over 12,470 runs to his name. However, he remains over 800 runs behind India’s Rahul Dravid, who sits fourth on the list.
Root’s rise through the ranks has sparked conversations about the potential for him to challenge Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 15,921 Test runs. While Root still trails the legendary Indian batsman by more than 3,000 runs, former England captain Alastair Cook believes Root has a genuine chance of breaking the record. Cook commented to the BBC that although Tendulkar remains the favorite to retain the record, Root’s drive and ability to maintain his form could see him overtake the Indian maestro.
“I can see him overhauling Sachin Tendulkar’s record,” Cook said. “Root has been lucky with injuries, something that has benefited great players over time. There’s always uncertainty around the Ashes series, but if Root can stay fit and continue his hunger for the game, I would bet on him to do it.”
Root, who has consistently downplayed the significance of personal records, reaffirmed his desire to keep playing and enjoying the game for as long as possible. He stressed that his focus remains on contributing to England’s team success rather than chasing individual milestones.
“I’m not thinking about records,” Root said before the first Test against Pakistan. “I just want to keep playing and enjoying the game for as long as I can. If I keep enjoying it, I’ll keep playing.”
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