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Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in Test cricket remains an unparalleled feat in the sport. With an incredible tally of 15,921 runs, Tendulkar’s career has set a gold standard for batting excellence. His consistency, technical prowess, and longevity in the game have made this record a formidable benchmark, standing as a testament to his remarkable skill and dedication.
Close contenders
Over the years, several legendary batters have come close to challenging Tendulkar’s record but have ultimately fallen short. Ricky Ponting himself amassed 27 Test centuries and 27,000 runs, but even his impressive career could not surpass Tendulkar’s towering achievement. Similarly, Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis, despite their extraordinary performances, couldn’t go past Tendulkar.
Ricky Ponting reveals who can overtake Sachin Tendulkar’s runs tally in the longest format
Ponting, who is considered as one of cricket’s all-time greats, has recently put forward a potential candidate to break Tendulkar’s record. In an interview with The ICC Review, Ponting highlighted Joe Root’s current form and career trajectory and reckoned the former England captain has the ability to go past Tendulkar.
Ponting estimated that if Root continues to play 10 to 14 Test matches annually and maintains a scoring rate of 800 to 1,000 runs per year, he could close the gap within three to four years. This would mean Root could potentially break the record by the time he is around 37 years old, provided he remains in form and injury-free during this period.
“He (Root) could potentially do that. He is 33 years of age…(more than) 3000 runs behind. It depends how many Test matches they play, but if they’re playing 10 to 14 Test matches a year and if you’re scoring 800 to 1,000 runs a year, then that sort of says he’s only three or four years off getting there. So that’ll take him to 37 (years of age),” said Ponting.
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Improvement and potential for breaking Tendulkar’s record
Ponting emphasized that Root has a strong chance of breaking Tendulkar’s Test run record if he maintains his current level of motivation and form. Ponting noted that Root has significantly improved over the past few years, particularly in converting fifties into centuries, a key aspect that has strengthened his game. Unlike earlier in his career, when Root often struggled to build on his starts, he now consistently converts his fifties into big hundreds, showcasing a crucial turnaround in his performance. This enhanced ability to score big innings suggests that Root could indeed reach Tendulkar’s record if he continues to play with the same hunger and consistency.
“If his hunger’s still there, then there’s every chance that he could do it. He is someone that in the last couple of years has got better and better. There’s always talk around batters reaching their prime in their early 30s and he’s certainly done that. It’s been his conversion rates being the big thing,” reckoned the Tasmanian.
“Four or five years ago, he was making a lot of 50s and struggling to go on and make hundreds and he’s gone the other way recently. Almost every time he gets to 50 now, he goes on and makes a big hundred. So that’s been the real turnaround for him,” he added.
Fans await the development
As Root continues to build his Test career, cricket fans are eagerly watching to see if he can achieve what many thought was insurmountable. With each innings, the excitement grows as Root nears Tendulkar’s legendary record. The cricketing world remains on edge, anticipating whether the English batter will rise to the occasion and etch his name alongside Tendulkar in the record books.
