England’s cricketing stalwart Joe Root is poised to take the field in a thrilling three-match Test series against Pakistan, commencing on October 7 in Multan. The 33-year-old right-handed batter has been in sensational form, having dazzled fans and critics alike during the recent Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
As Root gears up for this challenging away tour, he has the opportunity to etch his name further into the annals of cricket history. With several significant records within reach, anticipation surrounds his performance in the upcoming matches.
Currently boasting 12,402 runs in 146 Tests, Root is just 71 runs away from surpassing Alastair Cook’s record of 12,472 runs—the most by an England player in Test history. Achieving this milestone would not only solidify Root’s legacy but also make him the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket overall.
In addition to breaking national records, Root is on the brink of a global achievement. He currently leads the all-time run tally in the World Test Championship (WTC) with 4,973 runs. A further 27 runs against Pakistan will make him the first player to reach the 5,000-run mark in WTC history, a testament to his consistency and skill in the longest format of the game.
Root's prowess isn't limited to batting alone; he has also established himself as one of the finest fielders in Test cricket. With 201 catches under his belt, he sits in third place in the all-time list. If he manages to complete 10 more catches during the series, he will eclipse Rahul Dravid’s record of 210 catches, becoming the most successful fielder in Test history.
Furthermore, Root is on the verge of another remarkable achievement. With 1,398 runs from 16 matches in the ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle, he can become the first player to accumulate at least 1,500 runs in all three editions of the WTC by scoring just 102 runs against Pakistan.