Joe Root surpasses legends to achieve major Test cricket milestone

England batter Joe Root became only the seventh player in Test history to score 12,000 runs, reaching this landmark during the third Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Root achieved the milestone when he reached 62 runs with a four off Alzarri Joseph on the first ball after Lunch on Day 2.

The former skipper teamed up with current captain Ben Stokes to rebuild England’s innings with a hundred-plus partnership for the sixth wicket. The hosts had been reduced to 54 for five within 12 overs in pursuit of the West Indies’ first-innings total of 282.

Root recorded his 95th Test fifty-plus score during the innings, the sixth highest among all betters

Interestingly, Root is the second youngest batter behind compatriot Alastair Cook to reach 12,000 Test runs, completing the feat aged 33 years and 210 days. Former India captain Rahul Dravid was the oldest batter to cross the mark at 37 years 339 days. Root also eclipsed West Indies batting legend Brian Lara’s tally of 11,953 runs during his knock.

Youngest players to 12,000 Test runs

33y 13d – Alastair Cook

33y 210d – Joe Root

35y 176d – Sachin Tendulkar

35y 214d – Ricky Ponting

36y 32d – Jacques Kallis

37y 68d – Kumar Sangakkara

37y 339d – Rahul Dravid

However, Root is not the quickest to the landmark; instead, he finds himself towards the bottom of the list with only Cook behind him in the club. While Cook took 275 innings to reach the milestone, Root achieved it in his 261st innings. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara was the quickest (in terms of innings) to reach 12,000 runs, doing so in 224 innings. Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting are second, both securing their 12,000th run in their 247th innings.

Fastest players in terms of innings to reach 12,000 Test runs

224 – Kumar Sangakkara

247 – Ricky Ponting

247 – Sachin Tendulkar

249 – Jacques Kallis

255 – Rahul Dravid

261 – Joe Root

275 – Alastair Cook