Joe Root can break Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of most Test runs, says Ricky Ponting

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting opined that England batter Joe Root could breach Sachin Tendulkar’s total tally of runs in Test cricket if the England batter is consistent for the next four years.

Speaking to ICC Review after Root breached the 12,000-run mark during England’s Test match against the West Indies at Edgbaston, Ponting said Root has the talent and provided if he stays hungry and consistent, he can overtake Tendulkar.

Root stands seventh in the history of Test cricket to score more than 12,000 runs. He now has 12,027 runs in 143 Tests at an average of 50.11. Root has scored 32 centuries and 63 fifties so far.

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (12,400 runs), Alastair Cook (12,472) are just ahead of him while Tendulkar leads the pack with 15,921 runs from 200 Test matches.

Ponting said although a lot depends on how many Test matches England play in the future, Root has the ability and the potential to cross Tendulkar’s tally. “He (Root) could potentially do that. He is 33 years of age, 3000 runs behind. It depends how many Test matches they play, but if they’re playing 10 to 14 Test matches a year and if you're scoring 800 to 1,000 runs a year, then that sort of says he is only three or four years off getting there. So that will take him to 37 (years of age),” Ponting said.

The Australian World Cup winning captain said Root needs to remain hungry for runs. “If his hunger is still there, then there is every chance that he could do it. He is someone that in the last couple of years has gotten better and better. There is always talk around batters reaching their prime in their early 30s and he has certainly done that. It has been his conversion rates being the big thing,” he explained.

Ponting added that Root’s strength now is to convert half-centuries into big scores. “Four or five years ago, he was making a lot of 50s and struggling to go on and make hundreds and now he has gone the other way recently. Almost every time he gets to 50 now, he goes on and makes a big hundred. So that's been the real turnaround for him,” he added.