For years, Sachin Tendulkar's records were sacrosanct. At 15,921 runs in 200 Tests, the "God of Cricket" remains at the summit of the red-ball mountain. But a storm in quietude is gathering in England. Joe Root, sometimes the most low-key member of the Fab Four, is now less than 2,400 runs behind overtaking the legend. And for the first time, Tendulkar has reacted.
In a Reddit AMA session, Tendulkar was questioned on how Root had emerged. His response was full of praise and a dash of perspicacity.
"When I first saw him in Nagpur in 2012 on his first Test, I informed my team fellows that the future England captain was sitting there. I was impressed by the manner in which he evaluated the wicket and shared the strike. At that moment, I was convinced he would be a big player," Tendulkar has exposed.
The statistics weigh heavy now, with Root plodding steadily towards the final milestone.
Root has reached 13,543 Test runs, second only to Tendulkar in the all-time listings. His run of the last three years has been nothing short of staggering, leaving his contemporaries Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson in his wake. At the young age of 34, with touch still on his side, Root seems set to re-write cricket's history books.
But the tension remains: can he continue at this pace long enough to overcome the formidable 2,378-run deficit?
This isn't the first time Root has been complimented by Tendulkar. In 2021, when India won famously at Lord's, Tendulkar mentioned that Root was the only English batter who could withstand India's firepower. At that time, he mentioned that Root possessed a grace and serenity absent from the rest of England's batting line-up.
That evaluation stood the test of time. Root has since stabilized England during transition, revamped himself under the "Bazball" times, and most recently led the run charts in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India, making 537 runs at 67.12, including three tons.
Still, there's an untold chapter. Root has yet to make a Test century in Australia a rare blot on what has otherwise been an incandescent career. With the Ashes in Australia later this year, cricketing attention will be focused intently. Might that be the platform upon which Root not only beats Australia but sets an astronomical stride towards Tendulkar's peak?
Root's chase of Tendulkar's record is not just about numbers it's a tale of consistency, resilience, and legacy. Tendulkar's dominance has reigned for over a decade post-retirement, but the tension now weighs heavily: will the Englishman topple the Master Blaster at last, or will the record last another generation?
For now, Sachin's own words ring louder than ever: "I knew at that very moment he would be a big player."
