Former West Indies great Viv Richards endorsed England captain Joe Root to surpass Sachin Tendulkar as the leading run-scorer in Test cricket history.
Joe Root currently occupies second place on the all-time Test runs list with 14,208 runs, requiring 1,713 more runs to eclipse Sachin Tendulkar's record tally of 15,921 runs.
Richards noted that Root reaching the summit would decisively establish him over Sir Geoffrey Boycott as Yorkshire's finest batter.
Viv Richards said Joe Root can go past Sachin Tendulkar and become Test cricket’s leading run-scorer. The former West Indies great pointed to Root’s role as England captain as one reason the mark is within reach.
Root is England’s Test skipper at present and already sits second on the all-time list. Richards, one of Tendulkar’s idols, said there was no reason for Root not to chase the milestone as he closes in on the Indian great’s long-standing record.
Richards On Root
"Well, if he’s captain, why not? He is captain at present, so he is in a good place for that. Nothing is wrong with him trying to achieve that. It would be a milestone for him," Richards said.Richards also aimed a pointed remark at Geoffrey Boycott, one of England’s all-time greats, while backing Root’s push for the top spot.
Speaking on The Test Match Special, Richards said Root’s rise would settle the debate over Yorkshire’s finest batter.
"It (Root becoming the highest scorer) would certainly send a message to Sir Geoffrey Boycott that the best batter to come out of Yorkshire is not Sir Geoff. The baton would have been passed on to Joe Root," Richards said on The Test Match Special.
Chasing Record
The gap is not huge. Root has scored 14,208 Test runs and stands second on the all-time list. Tendulkar remains top with 15,921 runs from 200 Tests.
That leaves Root 1,713 runs short of overtaking Tendulkar and taking over as the format’s highest run-scorer.
Low In Form
Time is still on Root’s side. Root is 35 and has an impeccable home record, which keeps the chase firmly alive even if his numbers this year have dipped by his standards.
In 2026, Root has played seven Tests and scored 429 runs at an average of 36.58. It is the first time since 2022 that his year-on-year average has fallen below 50.
