Joe Root is going through a tough period with the bat in the ongoing England vs Pakistan Test series. However, West Indies legend Vivian Richards believes the England star can still reach one of the biggest milestones in Test cricket.
Richards has backed Root to break Sachin Tendulkar’s Test runs record. The former West Indies captain feels that becoming England’s captain again could give Root another reason to keep chasing the record.
Viv Richards Backed Joe Root to Break Sachin Tendulkar Test Runs Record
“Are you happy telling Sir Geoffrey that?” 🗣💬
Sir Viv Richards is ready for some banter with Sir Geoffrey Boycott 😅 pic.twitter.com/RZx5y6OjPX
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) September 9, 2026
Viv Richards feels Root’s return as captain could make his chase for Tendulkar’s record even more interesting. The West Indies great believes Root should have no reason to stop chasing the historic mark.
Speaking on The Test Match Special, Viv Richards explained why Root should target Tendulkar’s record, especially after returning to the England captaincy.
“Well, if he’s captain, why not? He is captain at present, so he is in a good place for that,” Vivian Richards said.
Richards also said that the record would mean much more than just another number for Root. He believes it would also have special meaning in Yorkshire cricket.
“Nothing is wrong with him trying to achieve that. It would be a milestone for him and would certainly send a message to Sir Geoffrey Boycott that the best batter to come out of Yorkshire is not Sir Geoff,” Richards continued. “The baton would have been passed on to Joe Root.”
The West Indies legend then made the comparison even bigger. He suggested that Root could one day take over the famous Yorkshire batting legacy linked with Geoffrey Boycott.
Joe Root still believes he can solve his LBW problem
Richards made these comments when Root’s batting has come under more pressure. The England batter has faced a worrying run of LBW dismissals, especially over the past year.
Since the 2025 Boxing Day Test, Root has been dismissed LBW 10 times in 13 innings. His latest dismissal came against Pakistan at Edgbaston. All four of his dismissals in the current series have also come through LBW.
This run has also created an unwanted record for Root. He became the fastest batter in Test cricket history to suffer 10 successive LBW dismissals.
Still, Root does not seem too worried about the problem. He has pointed to his long international career and believes he can find a solution, just as he has done before.
Speaking to the BBC, Root explained why the current problem has not affected his confidence or changed his approach.
“I’ve played this game a long time and I’ve always found ways of solving those problems and working it through,” Root said.
Root also pointed to his career numbers. He believes those numbers show that he can overcome another difficult period.
“I don’t see this as being any different. There’s a reason why I’ve got 14,000 runs and a reason why I’ve played the best part of 15 years at this level.”
The former England captain admitted that the repeated dismissals have frustrated him.
Root Talked About Some of the Umpires’ Decisions
Root also talked about some of the umpires’ decisions recently that went against him. He believes some decisions could have gone in his favour.
“Of course it’s frustrating that there’s sort of a trend. There are probably four umpires’ calls within that, which could have gone the other way…”
Root also believes the conditions have played a role. He feels the ball has moved more than usual. Even with these problems, he remains confident that he will solve the issue.
“You try and be realistic and understand where everything’s at, but also be aware of what you need to do to keep improving and keep getting better.”
Root ended his assessment by making it clear that he still has confidence in himself.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll get through the other side. I’m not too concerned about that.”
His confidence is something that drives him and motivates him to keep going.
Joe Root Becomes the 3rd Most Capped Player in Test Cricket
Root recently returned as England’s Test captain for a second time. He replaced Ben Stokes as the team’s leader. Root also reached another big milestone this week when he became the third-highest-capped player in Test history.
Root played his 169th Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston. With that game, he moved ahead of Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh for Test appearances. Only Tendulkar, who played 200 Tests, and James Anderson, who played 188, have played more matches than Root.
How close is Joe Root to Sachin Tendulkar?
Root’s chase for Sachin Tendulkar’s Test runs record has become one of the biggest statistical stories in modern Test cricket.
The England batter became only the second player to score more than 14,000 runs in Tests after Tendulkar. Since making his Test debut in 2012, Root has scored 14,216 Test runs in 308 innings, with an average of 50.23.
Tendulkar ended his famous 24-year Test career with 15,921 runs in 329 innings, at an average of 53.78.
Root now needs 1,705 runs to move past Tendulkar’s record. Root is 35 years old and will turn 36 in December. That makes his age and future Test career important factors in the record race.
The big question is whether Root can keep playing for enough years and score enough runs to close the gap.
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Root’s current Pakistan series has not gone to plan
Richards’ support has come at an important time because Joe Root’s current England vs Pakistan series has not gone well for the batter.
After three matches, Root has played four innings and scored only 102 runs at an average of 25.50. His four LBW dismissals have also increased the focus on his recent form.
However, Root’s own words show that he still believes in his ability to return to his best. Richards’ comments also show the level of respect Root has earned around the cricket world.
Breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s Test runs record would be a huge achievement for Root. Tendulkar’s 15,921 runs have remained the benchmark for more than a decade. Root now stands as the closest active player to that mark.
If Root can fix his current LBW problem, stay fit, and continue playing Test cricket for several more years, he could make the record race even more exciting. It could also become one of the biggest achievements of his career.
What do you think? Will Joe Root be able to break Sachin Tendulkar’s test runs record? Comment your predictions below.
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