Joe Root Becomes Fastest Player to Reach 13,000 Test Runs

Joe Root has added yet another feather to his already glittering cap — becoming just the fifth batter in Test cricket history to cross the 13,000-run mark. The former England skipper reached the milestone on Day 1 of the four-day Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, getting there with his 28th run of the innings.

Root now stands alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid — but what's remarkable is that he’s done it faster than anyone else in terms of matches played. Root got to the 13,000-run milestone in just his 153rd Test, beating the likes of Kallis (159 matches) and Tendulkar (163). However, if you look at it from an innings point of view, Root took 279 knocks to reach the landmark — a bit more than Dravid (266), Kallis (267), and Tendulkar (266). Still, the accomplishment is massive. He’s the first Englishman to get there and only the fifth overall in the game’s long history. 

Joe Root has now piled up 13,006 Test runs at an average of 50.80. He has also brought up 36 hundreds and 65 fifties along the way. In England, Root has been particularly dominant, amassing 6,792 runs from 79 Tests at an average just shy of 55. He’s held his own in overseas conditions too, with 5,927 runs in 71 matches at 46.66. Even on neutral grounds — in just three Tests — he’s managed a strong 287 runs at 57.40. 

When he reached the 13,000 milestone, England were already cruising at 368 for 2. Root came in and added 111 runs with Ollie Pope, helping the side maintain their grip on the game after centuries from Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. Pope added another hundred to the list before Root was eventually dismissed by Blessing Muzarabani for 34 off 44 balls. It may not have been a show-stopping innings, but it was enough to push Root into one of the most exclusive clubs in the history of Test cricket — and true to form, he got there with his usual calm, no-fuss approach. 

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