Joe Root lavished praise on Sachin Tendulkar, pointing out his 'longevity' in cricket and also revealed that the India legend played in his England Test debut. Root is also the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket with 13943 runs, only behind Sachin (15921). Sachin's record looks unbreakable, and Root's comments show his admiration for the former player.
Speaking to The Athletic, Root opened up on people asking him about his aims to overtake Sachin. "Well, I get asked it enough times now that I can’t really ignore it even if I try to," he said.
"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."
‘Most famous man in India’
Root's words perfectly reflect the scale of Sachin's career. From his debut as a teenage prodigy in 1989 to his retirement in 2013, Sachin carried the weight of Indian cricket for nearly a quarter of a century. He wasn't only getting runs, but also performing under unimaginable pressure. Root acknowledged that, saying, "All the while he was the most famous man in India. Serious, serious player."
{{/usCountry}}Root's words perfectly reflect the scale of Sachin's career. From his debut as a teenage prodigy in 1989 to his retirement in 2013, Sachin carried the weight of Indian cricket for nearly a quarter of a century. He wasn't only getting runs, but also performing under unimaginable pressure. Root acknowledged that, saying, "All the while he was the most famous man in India. Serious, serious player."
{{/usCountry}}Root's comments also show an important distinction between greatness and records. Statistically, he might be challenging Tendulkar's Test tally, but emotionally and culturally, he knows what the Indian represents. Root's humility shows why he is respected by fans and colleagues.
Also, instead of stating that he would surpass Sachin, Root let the question drift away. It was a classic Root-type response, calm and understated. It was a perfect reflection of his career, not built on noise or theatrics, but on consistency, adaptability and hunger for improvement. Just like Sachin, he is one of the most technically sound and mentally disciplined players in world cricket.
Speaking on his current form, Root said, "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. It sounds so simple but when I’m at the crease, I just want to be playing the game."