Top-ranked Test batsman Joe Root will play for England against Sri Lanka in a three-game Test series beginning on Wednesday, August 21. The ex-England Test captain is currently in excellent form. Having topped the run charts in the recent three-game Test series against the West Indies, he aims to perform strongly against Sri Lanka too. In this home Test series, Root has the opportunity to set several batting records.
The 33-year-old right-handed batsman, who reached 12,000 Test runs during the last West Indies Test, is just 290 runs away from surpassing former England captain Alastair Cook’s record and becoming England’s highest run scorer against Sri Lanka in Test matches.
Joe Root, who first played for England in a Test match against India in Nagpur on December 13, 2012, has scored 1001 runs in 10 matches. On the other hand, Alastair Cook ended his career with 1290 runs in 16 Test matches.
Most runs in ENG-SL Tests
Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 2212
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 1568
Alastair Cook (England) – 1290
Joe Root (England) – 1001
Angelo Matthews – 970
The highest number of runs scored in Test matches between England and Sri Lanka belongs to former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, who scored a total of 2212 runs in 23 matches.
Additionally, Root has the opportunity to surpass Cook’s record and become England’s top run scorer in Test matches. Cook ended his career with 12,472 runs in 161 Tests, while Root has scored 12,027 runs in 143 matches so far. Root needs 446 more runs to overtake Cook.
Most runs in Tests for England
Alastair Cook – 12,472
Joe Root – 12,027
Graham Gooch – 8900
Alec Stewart – 8463
David Gower – 8231
If he scores 446 runs in the next three Test matches, he will be the fifth player with the most runs in Test history.
Also, Root could become the first player ever to score 5,000 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC).
Most runs in WTC:
Joe Root (England) – 4598
Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) – 3904
Steve Smith (Australia) – 3486
Ben Stokes (England) – 3101
Usman Khawaja (Australia) – 2686
The player from Yorkshire has made 4598 runs in 100 innings during 55 matches of the World Test Championship. He needs 402 more runs to reach 5000 runs. He is the top run scorer in the WTC and also has the most 100s and 50s in the tournament’s history.
![Former KKR Teammates Mitchell Starc and Harshit Rana Engaged in Onfield Banter During Perth Test [WATCH]](https://i0.wp.com/cricxtasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Former-KKR-Teammates-Mitchell-Starc-and-Harshit-Rana-Engaged-in-Onfield-Banter-During-Perth-Test-WATCH.jpg?w=380&resize=380,220&ssl=1 "Former KKR Teammates Mitchell Starc and Harshit Rana Engaged in Onfield Banter During Perth Test [WATCH]")
