Why Joe Root won't break Sachin Tendulkar's record of Test runs

England batsman Joe Root went past his rivals among Fab Four, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith, in the list of century makers as he scored his 33rd Test century with a 143 against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.

The right-handed batsman is now in 10th place in the list of century-makers alongside his former England teammate and captain Alastair Cook. Both Williamson and Smith have 32 Test tons each.

Root, who will turn 34 in December, is also seventh in the list of top run-getters with 12,274 runs.

As of August 30, he is 3,647 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar who leads the tally with 15,921 runs. Tendulkar has 51 Test hundreds.

While the former India batsman’s record of Test tons may not be under threat, Root has a chance to better his Test tally. His current Test runs tally is 12,274 runs.

Assuming he plays for the next three years, about 30 Tests and 50 innings, and scores at his current average of 50, he will get 2,500 more runs which will take him to about 1,000 runs less than Tendulkar’s mark.

It is unlikely that he will retain such consistent form and score at 50.

Only if he extends his career for four more years from now will he be able to match Tendulkar. But knowing how England players don’t chase individual records – remember James Anderson retiring this season just four wickets short of Shane Warne’s mark of 708 – it is unlikely that Root will cross Tendulkar’s mark.

Jacques Kallis quit just 2,632 runs and six centuries short of Tendulkar’s marks although he could have still stretched his Test career by a year and at least given it a shot.

Joe Root, Cricket, England, Sri Lanka, Sachin Tendulkar, Lord's