Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has shared his thoughts on England batter Joe Root closing in on his long-standing record for the most runs in Test cricket. The Master Blaster praised the Englishman, revealing that he had recognised his potential right from his Test debut in 2012.
Tendulkar addressed the subject during an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit on Tuesday. When asked about Root’s chances of breaking his record, the former India captain expressed admiration for the England star and recalled being impressed by his batting from the very beginning.
“I’ve always rated him very highly and it was evident to me in his first test match that he was going to make it big!” Tendulkar responded.
Joe Root is currently the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history, having accumulated 14,278 runs in 169 matches and 309 innings. He needs another 1,643 runs to surpass Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921 runs.
The former India batter retired from Test cricket after featuring in 200 matches and 329 innings. His remarkable tally continues to stand at the top of the all-time run-scoring charts.
Sachin Tendulkar Witnessed Joe Root’s Test Debut
Interestingly, Tendulkar was part of the Indian team when Root made his Test debut against India in Nagpur in December 2012.
The young English batter made an immediate impression, scoring 73 runs off 229 deliveries in the first innings. He also remained unbeaten on 20 in the second innings as the contest ended in a draw.
More than a decade later, Root has established himself as one of the finest Test batters of his generation and is now within striking distance of one of cricket’s most celebrated records.
During the same Reddit AMA, Tendulkar was also asked to name his favourite non-Indian batters. He picked England’s Harry Brook and Joe Root, along with Australia’s Steve Smith.
Sachin Tendulkar Suggests Major Changes To ODI Cricket
Apart from discussing Root, Tendulkar also reiterated his proposal to restructure the 50-over ODI format. The former India captain suggested dividing each team’s innings into two separate 25-over segments.
Under his proposed system, teams would retain their 10 wickets for the entire 50 overs rather than receiving fresh wickets for each 25-over innings. He also recommended using just one ball throughout the match.
Sachin Tendulkar believes this approach could restore the balance between bat and ball, particularly in conditions affected by dew.
“My suggestion is simple. Split the 50 overs into two innings of 25 each. But keep 10 wickets for the full 50 overs and use just one ball throughout. That way the contest between bat and ball stays alive, and both teams get to bat and bowl under the dew. It balances the game for both sides. We need to do something before bowlers go extinct,” he said.
His suggestion comes amid ongoing discussions about maintaining the competitiveness of ODI cricket and addressing the growing advantage enjoyed by batters in certain playing conditions.
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