Across his 99 Test matches for England, Joe Root has achieved a plethora of different accomplishments.
Most of all; becoming a true pantheon of English cricket across all formats.
However, at just 30, the English Test skipper faces a milestone that is distant, yet oh so near.
From his 99 matches, Root has accumulated 8249 runs and is currently placed fourth in his nation’s all-time Test run-scorer rankings.
With four Tests against India in India; two against New Zealand and five against India – both of which on home soil – then an Ashes series in Australia to round out the calendar year, Root is destined to leap to second, ahead of the great Graham Gooch at 8900 in 2021 alone.
Leaving only one man in his sights.
The greatest English cricketer of all-time and arguably the best opening batsman of the modern era sits atop a prestigious list – for now.
Sir Alastair Cook nudged his way into English hearts for his famous century on debut in Asia, ability to see off the new ball, his textbook technique and his appetite to make huge scores – all with a beaming smile draped across his face.
Across his illustrious career, he worked away 12,427 runs, with 57 half-centuries and 33 triple-figure scores in his 161 Test matches.
Cook was strong in all conditions and is well-deserving of his gap of almost 4000 Test runs to second, however, his days as the leading-scorer may be limited.
Often criticised for his inability to convert after making getting to the half-ton look so elementary, Root still averages an impressive 49.39, the most of anyone in the English top ten all-time run scorers.
Joe Root (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
With 99 matches under his belt so far, if he is to continue the current form of runs per Test and play the same amount of Tests as Cook, he will accumulate over 13,000 runs.
With two monster centuries in his first two Test matches of 2021, Root heads to India in similar conditions where he has started the calendar year so well.
Then heading home for a mammoth summer on home soil; it is perfect time for the top order bat to be in form.
Considering he will stride to the crease this year a further 22 times, at the least – calculating for wash outs at home and the common innings victory – multiplied by his average of a touch under 50, if form would continue, that would result in Root making big inroads into the 9000s before turning 31.
As one would assume, if Root makes his way to the magical age of 36/37, where most of the greats play until, it leaves the right-hander plenty of time to minimise the gap between he and the title of England’s all-time Test run scorer.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Cheers.
Gee
Roar Rookie
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/old-gold-422353 . I think that is the article in question from 2009, to 31 December 2008 Anderson had 102 wickets at 35 according to cricinfo. I read somewhere else that Anderson has taken 400+ wickets at 24 during the 2010s so he would probably make it now.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Regarding Keith Miller, you can't select a player averaging 36.9 coming in at number 6 in the Australia's greatest test team of all time. Who are you going to leave out? Border, Chappell?? Yes the Stats show he was a superstar, but there are plenty of them that would miss out in being included in this team. With a bowling attack of Lillee, Davidson, Warne & McGrath, there isn't even a hint that a fifth bowler would be needed in this line-up. No need for an all-rounder when your top 7 batsmen all average 48+ with one averaging 99.94. 12th man selection would probably be justified.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
I find it hard to fathom Jimmy Anderson's not being selected in that English side. A test bowler who has taken over 600 test wickets in a very strong era of cricket. There a quite a few factors need to be reviewed to determine how great a player is/was. But one of the most is important longevity.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
And the top Pom wouldn’t get selected at 3 or 4 for Australia right now. He’d be the answer at 5 but not as good as Labs or Smith by a long way.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Anderson is no longer a man to be considered favoured by English conditions. In his last 14 overseas tests Anderson has averaged 24. To adapt his technique at such a late stage in his career to me shows greatness. But, the article is about Root, who is playing as a great. Cook's average suffered when he hit an extended terrible run of form a few years before his retirement, and only his record kept him selected. I feel Root is a better captain.
Fox
Roar Guru
Any double ton or hundred takes some getting at any level of cricket. Credit where credit is due.
Andrew Cowley
Roar Rookie
He needs a big series in Australia next summer to be even considered as England’s best all time batsman.big hundreds similar to Vaughn 02/03
Redders Sredder
Guest
Hobbs, Cook, Hammond, Hutton , Gower, Botham, Knott, Underwood, Statham, Trueman and Sydney Barnes. Typhoon carries drink .
Redders Sredder
Guest
I will have Bill Ponsford, Arthur Morris, DG Bradman, RN Harvey, KD Walters, KR Miller, IR Healy, Clarrie Grimmett , P Cummins, SK Warne, DK Lillee . McGrath/Warnie interchangeable
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Total test runs (or wickets for that matter) is a metric I struggle with. Modern players play so much more test cricket compared to prior eras. The England team plays more than anyone else. On the other hand to amass a huge total run tally you need to perform consistently over the long run, probably whilst avoiding injury For me Root is an above average player but I don't consider him one of the greats. As an Australian fan, he doesn't exactly strike fear into the heart
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
A couple of big scores against a mediocre Sri Lanka and the articles are flowing. Let's see if he can back it up against India
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I define the modern era as post 1970. Standards rose, more teams entered the test fray and test summers became an annual occurrence rather than a big event 3 or 4 times a decade.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I never said don't have him in the squad. 12th man is fine by me.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
He can be a walk up starter in the one dayers. Last minute emergency replacement for any bowler who treads on a golf ball minutes before the toss in a test.
Mark
Guest
I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this as well Bernie. Miller is the best allrounder Australia has ever had (beating Giffen, Noble, Armstrong, Benaud, Davidson and others) and I think he was good enough at both batting and bowling to make this team. He'd be a pretty impressive 2nd change bowler! Even if we make him 12th man, he'd still be useful as the team's social organiser - he was an inveterate partier and was rumoured to have had an affair with Princess Margaret.
matth
Roar Guru
What Miller gives you is a bowler who averaged around 22, that’s around Cummins level (albeit with a higher strike rate), which then allows you to play O’Reilly or Grimmett, who are easily in out top 5 all time bowlers. And he still averages a neat 36 and was much higher at Shield level. If the pitch is such that only Warne is required, then Thommo or Cummins can come in and you still have a fifth bowler to take the pressure off who is a genuine strike bowler and not just a trundler. Plus, you know, legend, war hero, charismatic lover of royalty and all that. I’d want to have him on tour!
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
For Miller to be in contention he will need to be one of the best 6 batsman and one of the best 5 bowlers. In his own era he was but not in the all time scheme of things. Besides with Lillee McGrath Cummins and Warne we'll hardly need a 5th bowler and one or two of the 6 batsman we pick will be handy change bowlers in any case.
matth
Roar Guru
And assuming Lillee, McGrath and Warne are locks, you only get one more bowler out of Grimmett, O’Reilly, Spofforth, Lindwall, Davidson, Thomson, McKenzie and Cummins.
Mark
Guest
Agreed, some greats left out. No Rhodes, Verity or Lohmann in the bowlers either! Try picking an all-time Aussie team and see who is left out. If you pick Keith Miller at 6 and Gilchrist at 7, you can only pick 5 other batsmen. Bradman goes in without saying - so now it's 4 from Trumper, Hill, Macartney, Ponsford, McCabe, Harvey, Morris, Lawry, G Chappell, Border, Boon, Ponting, Clarke and Smith!!