Tendulkar's record in trouble as Vaughan predicts current star to rise to top
Joe Root continues to perform at his best and Michael Vaughan thinks the former England captain can become Test cricket's leading run-scorer.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan remains in awe of Joe Root's batting prowess and believes the experienced right-hander is capable of overtaking Sachin Tendulkar and becoming Test cricket's leading run-scorer.
Root moved up to eighth place on the list of leading run-scorers in Test cricket when he scored his 32nd Test century against the West Indies in Nottingham over the weekend and Vaughan thinks the 33-year-old can continue to reach even greater heights.
Three modern day greats tied on 32 Test centuries following Joe Root's heroics at Trent Bridge š„
— ICC (@ICC) July 22, 2024
More š https://t.co/cvX4VvkZfZ#ENGvWI | #WTC25 pic.twitter.com/kwsEwxguaE
West Indies great Brian Lara is just 13 runs ahead of Root in seventh place, while Tendulkar's record tally of 15,921 Test runs is now less than 4,000 runs away as the England veteran continues to his rise up the exclusive club.
Joe Root's 32nd Test century moves him into eighth on the all-time men's runs list š
— ICC (@ICC) July 22, 2024
More š https://t.co/cvX4VvkZfZ#WIvENG | #WTC25 pic.twitter.com/L0jFSvTwOa
Vaughan expects Root to surpass Alastair Cook's total of 12,472 runs and become England's most prolific scorer when the side plays against Pakistan and New Zealand later this year and thinks the former skipper can even better Tendulkar should he continue to perform at his best.
āJoe Root will become Englandās leading run-scorer in the next few months and is so special that he really could overtake Sachin Tendulkar eventually," Vaughan wrote of the world's No.2 ranked Test batter in The Telegraph.
"As the rock, Root is obviously key to that, and I love that he kept the reverse-scoop in the locker until he was past 100 (in the second Test against the West Indies) and Englandās lead was massive.
āAgainst an attack like the West Indies in these conditions, you expect him to get a century. He missed out in the first innings but was so determined to put it right in the second. He was never going to make the same mistakes."
Root isn't the only England batter to have impressed Vaughan in recent times, with the exploits of young gun Harry Brook also catching the eye of the respected commentator and Ashes-winning skipper.
Brook scored his fifth Test century when amassing 109 in the second innings against the West Indies at Trent Bridge and Vaughan was suitably captivated.
"Then thereās Harry Brook, who is going to provide spectators so many 'I was there' moments in the next few years. He will play innings and shots that just make you go āwowā. I have seen players with time, but Iām not sure Iāve seen anyone with that much time to play aggressive shots looking very easy," Vaughan added.
"Stillness, trigger, hands high, cocked wrist. There is a bit of Kevin Pietersen there, that ability to play jaw-dropping innings."