Joe Root becomes second-fastest batter to reach 23,000 international runs

Joe Root becomes second-fastest batter to reach 23,000 international runs – International – phpstack-1649576-6553255.cloudwaysapps.com

Root achieves the record during the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Durham

DURHAM: England batter Joe Root made history during the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Durham on Tuesday, becoming the second-fastest batter to reach 23,000 international runs.

Root reached the landmark in his 521st international innings, surpassing India great Sachin Tendulkar, who achieved the feat in 522 innings. India’s Virat Kohli remains the fastest to 23,000 international runs, having reached the milestone in 490 innings.

Needing just three runs to reach the landmark, Root completed it in style with a boundary. The 35-year-old became the eighth batter overall and the first Englishman to score 23,000 international runs.

Tendulkar, Kohli and Rahul Dravid of India, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Australia’s Ricky Ponting and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis are the other batters to have reached the milestone.

Most runs in international cricket

Sachin Tendulkar — 34,357 (782)

Virat Kohli — 28,359 (629)

Kumar Sangakkara — 28,016 (666)

Ricky Ponting — 27,483 (668)

Mahela Jayawardene — 25,957 (725)

Jacques Kallis — 25,534 (617)

Rahul Dravid — 24,208 (605)

Joe Root — 23,041 (521)

Root has already surpassed Tendulkar in several record books, particularly in Test cricket. He recently overtook the Indian legend’s record for the most Test half-centuries.

He is also closing in on Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs. Root currently has 14,278 Test runs, leaving him 1,643 runs short of Tendulkar’s tally of 15,921.

Root, who turns 36 in December, has continued to produce consistently at the highest level. He is also 31 Tests short of Tendulkar’s record for the most Test appearances, with the Indian legend having played 200 Tests.

While Root’s achievements in Test cricket are widely recognised, his ODI record has often received less attention. In fact, he currently averages more in ODIs than in Tests.

Before the first ODI against Sri Lanka, Root had scored 7,826 runs in 50-over cricket at an average of more than 51, including 20 centuries. He is already England’s leading run-scorer in ODI cricket.