Root goes past Cook to become England’s leading run-scorer in Tests

Root made his debut in 2012 against India in Nagpur and has 34 hundreds -- most for England in the format.

Joe Root celebrates his fifty against Pakistan in the Multan Test. | Photo Credit: AP

Joe Root went past Alastair Cook to become England’s all-time run-scorer in Tests during the first match against Pakistan in Multan.

Root overtook Cook’s tally of 12472 runs in just 147 Tests, while his former teammate needed 161 matches to get to the mark.

The 33-year-old made his debut in 2012 against India in Nagpur and has 35 hundreds -- most for England in the format.

Only Rahul Dravid (13288), Jacques Kallis (13289), Ricky Ponting (13378) and Sachin Tendulkar (15921) are above Root for most Test runs.

All four above Root are retired and within reach of a batter who said ahead of the tour to Pakistan: “I see myself playing test cricket for a lot longer.”

“There are other geniuses who can play genius innings. But Root is a genius with consistency,” said Cook, who was commentating on the match for BBC radio when his record was taken by Root.

Root, who is technically excellent and owns pretty much all the shots, overtook Cook’s record of 33 test centuries by an England batter last month when he made hundreds in both innings against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. On Wednesday, he went on to reach his 35th test hundred — and first in Pakistan — and lies sixth on the all-time list of century-makers.

“I’ve never seen that hunger, determination or relentlessness in anyone’s batting really,” Cook said of Root. “He does that in an elegant way.”

Ben Stokes, the England test captain who is sitting out the first match of the series because of injury, praised Root’s character and achievement in a video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“The selflessness that he has is an incredible attribute for him,” Stokes said. “He always puts the team first, and the fact that he’s got so many runs is just a bonus for us. He’s an incredible player. It’s going to take a long, long time for someone to come in and break that record. Just a great bloke. And an unbelievable feat to score that many runs.

“But the non-selfishness that he possesses is one thing I think sets him above or sets him apart from anybody else who is going to play for England for a long time.”

With inputs from AP