Ricky Ponting believes that Joe Root has the potential to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record. The former Australian captain mentioned that Root has every opportunity to surpass Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in Test cricket.
Recently, Root completed 12,000 runs and is currently ranked seventh on the list of all-time Test run-scorers. He is less than 4,000 runs behind Tendulkar’s record of 15,921 runs. On the other hand, Root trails Ponting, who is second on the list with 13,378 runs, by 1,351 runs.
Ponting praised Root during a recent ICC Review show. When asked if Root could break Tendulkar’s record, Ponting said, “He absolutely can. He is 33 years old and just over 3,000 runs behind. It really depends on how many more Tests they (England) play.”
Ponting added, “If they play 10-14 Tests a year and Root scores between 800 to 1,000 runs annually, it would take him three to four years to reach that milestone, and he would be 37 years old by then.”
Ponting also said, “If he still has the hunger for runs at that age, then he will have every chance to break the record.”
Root recently scored his 32nd career century against the West Indies in Nottingham. Although Tendulkar still holds a significant lead in centuries with 51, Ponting noted that Root has recently been converting good starts into bigger innings more frequently.
Ponting views this change in Root’s game as significant, saying, “He is someone who has improved even more over the past few years. It is often said that batters reach their peak after 30, and he is definitely doing that.
The big thing is that he’s converting his fifties into hundreds. Four or five years ago, he was struggling to push on after reaching fifty, but now he’s going in the opposite direction. Almost every time he gets to 50 now, he goes on to make 100. This has really transformed his game.”
