Root’s extended purple patch

Root has flourished after giving up the Test captaincy and smashed 24 centuries, the most by any batter in the world. From 2021 to 2025, Root has scored 5954 runs, with 23 centuries and 17 fifties. Within this timeframe, Root has never averaged less than 55. In fact, from 2022 to 2025, he averaged 63.76, 76.33, 63.38, and 57.70, respectively.

Australia’s maverick Steve Smith is second in line with 10 centuries in the same time span, but he’s nowhere close to the enviable standards set by Root. Australia was considered Root’s final frontier, where his record read abysmal. But such has been Root’s form that with two centuries, Root has eased the pain of England’s Ashes defeat.

His second Ashes century in Australia – 160 in the ongoing Test at the SCG, equalled Ricky Ponting (41 Test centuries), with only Tendulkar (49) and Jacques Kallis (45) ahead of him. However, it is worth mentioning that Root has already surpassed Ponting and Kallis to become the second-highest run-scorer in Tests. He trails Sachin by less than 2000 runs.

If the last two to three years are anything to go by, Root looks primed to breach the records that were once termed unbreakable. Considering the current trend and run-scoring spree, the only thing standing between Root and Sachin’s records is the former’s will and hunger.

Root has scored runs across the globe — in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand and now Australia. His game has shown the occasional vulnerability against bowlers of the calibre of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Jasprit Bumrah, but which batter in the world can truly claim to have mastered all three? Root’s form over the last few months has been so exceptional that he has firmly pulled ahead in the Fab Three race in Tests, making the threat to Tendulkar’s record very real.

Root’s fitness

Besides scoring runs and taking wickets, longevity in sport ultimately hinges on fitness. Root ticks that box emphatically. In fact, Root’s fitness criminally flies under the radar. It’s unfair how it isn’t spoken about as much as his batting because, since his Test debut in 2012, the former England captain has rarely been troubled by injuries and has consistently maintained high fitness standards. The 35-year-old doesn’t often speak about it, but in 2023, he offered insight into how he treats his body like a temple.

Root may not be a gym enthusiast, yet he knows exactly how to keep himself in peak shape, ensuring that quick singles and doubles don’t leave him gasping during a game. It’s another area where he excels — and the second key reason why he could beat Tendulkar and pull well clear.

In an interview with Men’s Fitness, Root said, “When I started out, I saw cricket as very much a skill-based game, especially as a batter. I used to spend the majority of my time just trying to ensure my skills were sound. But as the years have gone by, I’ve played more cricket, and the schedule has become more gruelling, I’ve had to be smarter about the physical side of things.”

“I don’t like spending hours in the gym; I go for 30-40 minutes of really hard work. That often means a lot of stuff around speed and power. I was always a little bit wary of squatting and lifting heavy, just because I had a few back issues when I was younger. I didn’t really trust my technique well enough. But by building things up slowly and taking my ego out of the equation, lowering weights and then building things back up again, I feel really confident with it. I’m feeling the benefits from it physically and am in a really good place heading into a crucial six to eight months,” he added.

England’s love for Test cricket

It is no secret that England place Test cricket on the highest pedestal, and it therefore comes as little surprise that they play more Tests than any other nation each year. Since 2021, England have featured in 66 Tests, with six more scheduled at home against New Zealand and Pakistan in 2026.

With pitches in the UK increasingly batter-friendly, piling up centuries should not pose a major challenge for Root going forward. At 35, he realistically has two to three years of top-level cricket left. Factoring in the 2027–29 World Test Championship cycle, Root could target an extended run until at least 2029, driven by the ambition of helping England win their maiden WTC title. The 2027 Ashes at home will also be a major focus, and with opportunities aplenty, the prospect of him pushing towards the 16,000-run mark in Test cricket is achievable.

Root ahead of Sachin at 35

By the time he turned 35, Tendulkar had scored 11,366 runs in 143 Tests, while Root is already closing in on the 14,000-run mark. It is worth noting, however, that Root has played 20 more matches than Tendulkar at the same age. Post 35, Tendulkar added 4,555 runs across 57 Tests to finish with an unmatched tally of 15,921 runs. Root, for now, stands at 13,937. On the current trajectory, all signs point towards him eventually overtaking Sachin and pushing the great man into second place on the all-time Test run charts.

That said, age offers no guarantees. Form can taper off unexpectedly, and Kohli is a recent reminder of that reality. Once seemingly destined to surge past the 10,000-run mark well ahead of Root, Williamson and Smith, Kohli’s returns dipped sharply from 2020 onwards, leaving him fourth in the Fab Four race today.

History also suggests that English and Australian players rarely extend their careers solely to chase personal milestones. Alastair Cook, once tipped to threaten Tendulkar’s record, retired abruptly in 2018, ending with 12,472 runs from 161 Tests. Ultimately, it will come down to Root’s motivation to keep pushing the boundaries. If the desire remains intact, very little stands in his way.