• Source:JND

England Test captain Joe Root entered the record books after becoming the highest run-scorer in home Tests. Root, who is the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, needed just 13 runs in the ongoing second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s to go past Ricky Ponting’s record of 7,578 runs. He scored four runs in the first innings on Thursday before making 24 off 37 balls in the second innings on Friday.

The ongoing England-Pakistan Test at Lord’s is Root’s 89th Test in England. He now has 7,591 runs in Tests played on home soil.

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Ponting, meanwhile, played 92 Tests in Australia during his 17-year Test career and scored 7,578 runs.

Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene and Jacques Kallis are the other players in the top five for most Test runs scored at home.

Root Misses Chance To Break Another Record

Root was dismissed by Mohammad Ali during England's second innings. The Pakistan fast bowler trapped him lbw with the third ball of the 17th over.

Root also had a chance to move ahead of Sachin Tendulkar for the most fifties in Test cricket. However, he fell short after scoring 24 runs.

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Root and Tendulkar currently share the record with 68 Test half-centuries each. Root brought up his 68th fifty during the first Test against Pakistan in Leeds on August 20.

Root has one more home Test for England this season and will be looking to make a significant contribution in that match.

Most Test runs in home matches

PLAYER COUNTRY TIME SPAN MATCHES INNINGS RUNS BEST SCORE AVERAGE 100 50
Joe Root England 2013-2026 89 156 7594 254 53.85 24 35
Ricky Ponting Australia 1995-2012 92 154 7578 257 56.97 23 38
Sachin Tendulkar India 1990-2013 94 153 7216 217 52.67 22 32
Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka 1997-2014 81 129 7167 374 59.72 23 34
Jacques Kallis South Africa 1995-2013 88 143 7035 224 56.73 23 34

Root Eyes Another Major Milestone

Root has not scored a century for England in five Tests and three ODIs during the ongoing home season.

However, another major milestone is now within his reach. If he scores at least 72 runs in the third Test against Pakistan, Root will become the first Englishman and only the sixth player in the world to score 12,000 international runs on home soil.

At present, Root has scored 11,928 runs in 260 innings across 199 international matches.

Most international runs in home matches

PLAYER COUNTRY MATCHES INNINGS RUNS BEST SCORE AVERAGE 100 50
Sachin Tendulkar India 258 313 14192 217 50.32 42 70
Ricky Ponting Australia 249 308 13117 257 47.69 36 70
Virat Kohli India 231 259 12780 254* 58.35 41 63
Jacques Kallis South Africa 234 282 12305 224 51.48 29 75
Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka 235 270 12043 287 49.55 26 60
Joe Root England 199 260 11928 254 52.54 34 61
Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka 249 281 11679 374 46.16 27 64
Allan Border Australia 263 308 9811 205 36.88 16 58

Tendulkar Still Holds Overall Record

Sachin Tendulkar continues to hold the record for the most international runs scored on home soil. The former India batter played 258 international matches in India and scored 14,192 runs in 313 innings across all formats.


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