Joe Root Breaks WTC Record with 6,000 Runs [Image Source: AP]
Joe Root became the first cricketer to score over 6,000 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC), scripting history during England’s fifth Test against India at The Oval. He reached the landmark during a critical fourth-innings chase of 374. The 34-year-old not only cemented his top spot in WTC run charts but also equalled records for 50-plus scores against a single opponent in home Tests.
With 20 centuries and 23 fifties from 69 WTC appearances, Joe Root stands far ahead of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Stokes, and Travis Head. He now threatens to break all-time great Sachin Tendulkar’s Test run record and has tied Kumar Sangakkara for the fourth-most Test tons. Beyond the numbers, Root’s feat signals a turning point in the Test cricket legacy debate, as the game navigates a new era of multi-format excellence.
England’s talisman stepped onto the Oval pitch with composure and intent. He frustrated the Indian seamers, even without the presence of regular tormentor Jasprit Bumrah. Pushing the ball towards deep backwards square leg, Joe Root brought up his fifty and quietly acknowledged the England dressing room with a raised bat. The crowd, wrapped in London’s overcast weather, erupted.
He eventually surpassed the 6,000-run mark in the World Test Championship, becoming the first ever to do so. With 20 hundreds and 23 half-centuries in the format, Joe Root leads the run tally comfortably. His closest rivals—Smith (4,278), Labuschagne (4,225), Stokes (3,616), and Head (3,300)—trail by a considerable margin.
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Joe Root’s excellence against India continues to shine. With this innings, he levelled South Africa’s Herbie Taylor for the most 50-plus scores against one opponent in home Tests—16 in total. Only Don Bradman ranks above them, with 17 such scores against England.
Root has consistently delivered under pressure, especially on home turf, making India his favourite opposition in familiar conditions.
This WTC milestone is not an isolated achievement. Root’s overall run tally in Test cricket has now moved him past Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid, placing him second on the all-time list. He’s closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s 15,921-run mark.
Joe Root has also joined Kumar Sangakkara with 38 centuries, tying for the fourth-most Test centuries. Only Ponting (41), Kallis (45), and Tendulkar (51) remain ahead.
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Joe Root’s record-breaking spree signals more than personal brilliance—it reflects a modern legacy race taking shape among active Test icons. As cricket balances three formats, Root has quietly constructed a case for himself as the most consistent Test batter of the generation.
Some players regularly switch between the IPL and ODIs, but Root's commitment is helping him achieve unparalleled long-format success. As a result, longevity and success in the longest format—rather than merely exceptional T20 hits—are now more important factors in determining a player's brilliance in cricket.
Root appears poised to set more records now that his form is at its peak. He is not just chasing Tendulkar’s tally but redefining how modern batters approach Test cricket.
If the WTC is the future of red-ball cricket, Joe Root is already its past, present, and template for the future.