Joe Root becomes second-youngest in history to 12,000 Test runs

Joe Root’s monumental series continues as the England talisman has become the second-youngest player to score 12,000 runs in Test cricket. 

On the morning of Day 2 of the ongoing Edgbaston Test, Root went past Brian Lara to become the seventh-highest run-getter in Test history. Two hours later, just minutes after lunch, he became the seventh player to breach the 12,000-run barrier in Tests. 

Root got to the landmark at 33 years and 210 days, making him the second-youngest player to the feat. Only Sir Alastair Cook (33 years, 10 days) has gotten to the landmark at a younger age.

The 33-year-old, however, is the second-slowest to the landmark in terms of innings. Only Cook (275) has taken more innings to reach 12,000 Test runs than Root (261).

Root is now closing-in on Cook’s run tally of 12,472. 473 more runs will make Root the highest run-getter in England’s history. 

He is also just one shy of Cook (33) in terms of Test centuries (32). The right-hander brought up his 32nd Test ton in the second Test of the ongoing series at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. 

Earlier today, Root also became one of six batters in history to have gone past the 50-run mark in Tests at least 95 times. Currently, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis are the only batters who have registered 100 scores of fifty or more in Test history.

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