England batting great Joe Root has expressed deep admiration for Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, lauding the legendary batter for his extraordinary consistency and unmatched longevity in international cricket. Root, who has made his way into the list of all-time Test run-scorers, asserted that Tendulkar’s achievements continue to inspire generations of cricketers around the world. Root is currently the second-highest run-getter in the history of Test cricket, with 13,943 runs, trailing Tendulkar’s monumental record of 15,921 runs. Root is now inching closer to the historic milestone; however, the England star admitted that surpassing the Indian maestro’s record remains an enormous challenge.
“Well, I get asked it enough times now that I can’t really ignore it even if I try to,” Root said to The Athletic.
Root highlighted how remarkable it was for the former Indian batter to maintain elite standards for such a long period. Root also lauded Sachin Tendulkar for adapting to changing conditions and producing match-winning performances that set Tendulkar apart from the rest.
“It’s remarkable what Sachin Tendulkar achieved in the game. You have to believe me when I say that to even be in the conversation with him is enough for me. The guy made his Test debut before I was born and played in my Test debut! His longevity in itself is remarkable and then you look at the runs he got in Test cricket… but not only that, he’s got 50 ODI hundreds, too,” Root stated.
"All the while he was the most famous man in India. Serious, serious player,” Root said.
Root further explained that his primary objective is to contribute to England’s success and continue enjoying the game.
“I’m always looking to evolve, to try and add things to my batting. To make sure that I feel as compact and as technically sound as I can be so that when the actual games come around I can think tactically and play what’s right in front of me rather than worrying about technical stuff or anything else out in the middle,” he said.