Joe Root has added another remarkable chapter to his already extraordinary international career. The England batter reached the massive landmark of 23,000 international runs during the first ODI against Sri Lanka at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Tuesday, September 22.
The milestone makes Root only the eighth batter in men’s international cricket history to cross 23,000 runs. More importantly, he achieved the feat in his 521st innings, moving past India’s legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who needed 522 innings to reach the same mark. Only Virat Kohli has reached 23,000 international runs faster, doing so in 490 innings.
Root needed only three runs to complete the landmark in England’s first ODI against Sri Lanka. He eventually made 44 runs from 52 deliveries, including five boundaries, before being dismissed. His contribution came during an England innings in which Harry Brook top-scored with 67 and Will Jacks provided a late boost. England were eventually bowled out for 265.
The 23,000-run milestone is particularly significant because Root has now joined a batting club that includes some of the greatest names in cricket history. The list is headed by Sachin Tendulkar, followed by Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara, Ricky Ponting, Mahela Jayawardene, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid and now Root.
Root moves past Tendulkar in fastest 23,000-run race
Sachin Tendulkar’s records have been a benchmark for generations of cricketers, so going past one of his milestones remains a major achievement.
Root reached 23,000 international runs in 521 innings, one innings quicker than Tendulkar. Kohli remains the fastest, having reached the mark in only 490 innings.
That statistic also highlights the remarkable consistency required to score at this level across Test cricket, ODIs and T20 internationals. Root’s achievement is even more notable because his career has been heavily built around Test cricket, where he has become England’s most prolific run-scorer.
The England batter also became the first Englishman to reach 23,000 international runs, adding another national record to his career. He had already established himself as England’s leading international run-scorer, comfortably ahead of former captain Alastair Cook.
A remarkable international career
Root’s journey to 23,000 runs has been built on longevity as well as consistency.
Since making his England debut, he has developed into one of the most dependable batters of his generation. Unlike players who have specialised in one format, Root has accumulated runs across international cricket over a career spanning more than a decade.
His Test numbers have been particularly impressive. Root is already second on the all-time Test run-scoring list behind Tendulkar. The England star has continued to close the gap on the Indian batting legend, who finished his Test career with 15,921 runs from 200 matches.
Root’s Test tally has also recently passed another important mark. He became the leading Test batter for half-centuries when he moved to 69 fifties, going beyond Tendulkar’s 68. Reports from September put Root on 14,278 Test runs after 169 matches, leaving him 1,643 runs behind Tendulkar’s record.
That makes the race for the Test run record one of the most interesting individual statistical battles in modern cricket.
Can Joe Root break Sachin’s Test run record?
The next major question surrounding Root is whether he can eventually surpass Tendulkar’s 15,921 Test runs.
The gap currently stands at 1,643 runs based on Root’s latest reported Test tally of 14,278. Root is 35 years old, and the question is therefore not simply about his ability to score runs but also about how long he continues playing Test cricket.
Tendulkar played 200 Tests during his legendary career, while Root has already reached 169. The England batter has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to maintain a high level of production deep into his career.
However, breaking the record cannot be treated as a certainty. It would require Root to remain available, maintain his form and play enough Test cricket to accumulate the remaining runs.
For now, Tendulkar’s 15,921 remains the highest Test run tally in history, while Root continues his pursuit from second place.
Root closing in on Rahul Dravid
The 23,000-run landmark is not the only major milestone Root is chasing.
He is also closing in on former India batter Rahul Dravid in the overall international run-scoring chart. Dravid finished his international career with 24,208 runs, leaving Root around 1,200 runs away from moving into seventh position on the all-time list. India Today reported Root was 1,167 runs behind Dravid immediately after reaching 23,000.
That means Root could soon have another opportunity to climb the all-time rankings.
The players ahead of him include Tendulkar, Kohli, Sangakkara, Ponting, Jayawardene, Kallis and Dravid. Simply entering this group puts Root alongside players who defined international batting across different generations.
The bigger picture for England
Root’s latest achievement comes at an important stage of England’s white-ball preparations.
England entered the ODI series against Sri Lanka after winning the preceding T20I series 3-0. The team is also looking ahead to the next global cycle, with former England star Kevin Pietersen recently brought in to help the white-ball squads, particularly against spin. England captain Harry Brook has spoken about the value of learning from experienced players such as Pietersen, Root and Marcus Trescothick.
For Root, however, the focus remains on contributing with the bat.
At 35, every major milestone adds to a career that already includes numerous records and achievements. His ability to continue producing runs across formats has kept him among the most productive batters of his generation.
Reaching 23,000 international runs is therefore more than another number on a scorecard. It is evidence of the extraordinary consistency and longevity Root has maintained throughout his England career.
And with the 24,000-run mark now within sight, Root’s next target is already visible.
For cricket fans, the bigger question will be how much further he can climb before his international career eventually comes to an end.
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