Joe Root. It is not a name that comes to mind when one thinks of the modern cricketing greats. That place will go to players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Steve Smith. And with good reason. These are players who have made it big on the international stage, particularly in limited-overs cricket. However, one name that has quietly been creeping up the list of some of the best test batsmen of our time, and possibly ever is the English batsman Joe Root.
Following his critical contributions in the home test series against the West Indies, the right-hander now finds himself in exceptional company. In notching up a match-winning score of 87 in the final test against the Windies, Joe Root went past 12,000 runs in the longest format of the game. In the process, surpassing the great Brian Lara. Joe Root has become one of the best batsmen in the game and one of the best ever that England has produced.
Joe Root Surpasses Brian Lara
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It was a long time coming, but when it happened, not many were surprised. Joe Root, the former England captain, has gone past one of the legends of the game, and by the looks of things, he still has a few more runs left in the bag. At only 33, Joe Root has been the rock at the heart of England’s batting following their disastrous first-round exit from the 2015 ODI World Cup. Given his age, if he manages his fitness levels, he may have a good four to five years in which he looks likely to challenge the top run scorers in the history of the game.
It is only a matter of time before he goes past Kumar Sangakkara, who is on 12400 runs, and fellow Englishman Alistair Cook, who is on 12472 runs. And then it will be Ricky Ponting’s test career total of 13378. However, if Root really wants to place his mark on the history of Test cricket, then it would be Sachin Tendulkar’s score of 15921 that he must overcome. This could happen if the Englishman chooses to follow James Anderson’s example and continue for a few more years.
The Mainstay of English Batting
When one speaks of the top batsman in the English batting lineup, it is easy to point to the power of Ben Stokes, or the brilliance of Jos Butler. But Joe Root is something else. A keyword that one would associate with this player is consistency. With Root, you can pretty much expect a solid performance, particularly in the longest format of the game.
What defines Root’s strength as a batsman is his solid defense, good timing, and the ability to read the game and construct his innings accordingly. Whilst it may sound simple enough, executing on this requires skill and temperament. And that is arguably Root’s greatest strength—his ability to focus his mind for the long game and then to deliver. Now with the West Indies in the past, the question is: how will Root continue in the next 18 months, which will be a crucial time in his test career?
Joe Root – The No. 01 Ranking Batsman in the World
He has been on a purple patch as far as test cricket is concerned. A very long purple patch. Going back to around 2019, when he emerged as one of the premier batters in world cricket, Root has basically maintained his form and heaped a lot of runs. Being the top run scorer in the recently concluded series against the West Indies, Joe Root has now eclipsed Kane Williamson to become the top batsman in test cricket. A position that he rightly deserves.
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