Islamabad, May 24, 2025: England’s top-order batsman Joe Root on Thursday became the fastest batter to reach 13,000 runs in Test cricket. The milestone was achieved during the ongoing one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.
Root achieved the landmark when he completed the 28-runs in the 80th over on Day 1. He needed exactly 28 runs before stepping onto the pitch to claim the historic win.
He is now the fifth player overall and the first Englishman to breach the 13,000-run milestone in Test cricket. Sachin Tendulkar still leads the all-time list with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.
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Fastest to 13,000 Test Runs (Matches):
- Joe Root (England) – 153
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 159
- Rahul Dravid (India) – 160
- Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 162
- Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 163
Root, who made his debut in 2012 against India, has emerged as one of the most dependable batters in red-ball cricket.
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Root’s feat was the highlight of the outstanding opening day, which marked the beginning of the English summer.
England’s dominance was evident as they made a total of 498 for 3 in just 88 overs. Ben Duckett (140) and Zak Crawley (124) laid a solid foundation with a 231-run opening stand. Ollie Pope’s unbeaten 169 and Harry Brook (9) ensured England closed the day firmly on top.
