A closer look as Joe Root moves ahead of Brian Lara on Test run-scorers list
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Joe Root advanced beyond Brian Lara to the seventh position on the historical Test runs chart following his score of 87 in the third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston.
In this section, the PA news agency examines his similarities and differences.
Advancing Past Lara
West Indies legend Lara achieved a total of 11,953 runs in 131 Test matches, while Root surpassed this milestone by reaching 12,027 runs in 143 games following his performance at Edgbaston.
Lara set a new record in Test cricket by scoring 400 runs without being dismissed against England in 2004. This was one of his 34 Test centuries, and he maintained an average of 52.89 throughout his career. In a single match for an ICC World XI, he scored five and 36 runs, but the majority of his impressive records were achieved while playing for the West Indies team.
Root's batting average is lower than Lara's by two runs, even though Root has played 21 not-out innings compared to Lara's six. Root has scored 32 centuries, which is only two less than Lara, but he has more half-centuries with 63 compared to Lara's 48.
Lara scored his runs quickly with a strike rate of 60.51. Root, who has faced more than 21,000 deliveries in Test cricket, has also increased his strike rate in recent years during England's successful era to 56.71. This puts him behind only Lara and Ricky Ponting among the top 10 Test run scorers.
Lara hit 1,559 fours and 88 sixes, which is twice as many sixes as Root, who has 44 sixes and 1,306 fours.
On Track For England Record
In the list of top run scorers, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara is ahead of Root with 12,400 runs. However, he may be tempted to aim for another 72 runs to surpass that mark.
Sir Alastair Cook, who was the captain before Root, is the only player who has scored more Test runs for England. His total of 12,472 runs puts him in fifth place on the all-time Test list, and Root is quickly approaching this milestone.
Cook forecasted in the beginning of 2021 that Root would surpass his total number of matches played. With three Test series still to come this year against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand, Root should break the record unless he suffers a serious injury.
Rahul Dravid from India has scored 13,288 runs, placing him just one run behind Jacques Kallis from South Africa, who is in third place.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is in second place overall with 13,378 runs, while the top spot belongs to Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921 runs at an average of 53.79. Tendulkar's 200 Tests and 51 centuries also stand as records in the cricket world.
