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Joe Root, the former England captain, has etched his name deeper into cricketing history by becoming the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket.

With this achievement, the England batter has now moved past three iconic names—Rahul Dravid (India), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), and Ricky Ponting (Australia)—in a single day of Test cricket, marking a historic moment in Old Trafford, Manchester.

Root scripts history

Root began the day trailing the likes of Dravid and Kallis, but his composed and fluent innings helped him leapfrog both legends.

Soon after, he went on to surpass Ricky Ponting's tally of 13,378 runs to claim the No. 2 spot in the all-time Test run charts. He now stands at 13,379* runs and counting, second only to India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record with a staggering 15,921 runs.

This milestone has further solidified Root’s legacy as one of the modern greats. The crowd at Old Trafford responded with a thunderous applause and chants of “Roooooot,” recognizing the significance of the moment.

In an era where the red-ball format often takes a back seat to shorter formats, Root’s consistency and hunger for big scores have stood out as a shining example of Test match excellence.

Sachin Tendulkar – 15,921 runs

Joe Root – 13,379* runs

Ricky Ponting – 13,378 runs

Jacques Kallis – 13,289 runs

Rahul Dravid – 13,288 runs

With Root still active and in fine form, there is growing speculation about whether he can eventually challenge Tendulkar’s long-standing record. While the gap remains substantial, Root’s current trajectory suggests he might just have a shot—if not at the total, then certainly at narrowing it significantly.