Joe Root was in sizzling batting form on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test match between England and Pakistan, in Multan on Wednesday. Root overtook Alastair Cook to become England's highest run-scorer in Tests, and is now fifth on the all-time list. Sachin Tendulkar is on top of that list with 15,921 runs. Root reached 71 before Lunch, and it saw him pass 12,472 runs, which was set by Cook.
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What did Alastair Cook say?
Speaking on BBC's Test Match Special, Cook backed Root to break Sachin's record. "I can see him overhauling Sachin Tendulkar's record," he said.
"When I retired, I thought there was every chance that my record will be broken. I thought only the effects of captaincy and the hunger that takes out of you would stop him. I think the fact that Ben Stokes has taken over the captaincy has helped Root.
"You could say Sachin is still the favourite but just. All great players who played for a long time have been lucky with injuries. You just never know what's around the corner but it has to be something like it that could stop him.
"But I don't see that happening for Root to lose that hunger and ability to keep driving himself forward for the next couple of years," he added.
Root ended the day unbeaten at 176* off 277 runs, as England reached 492/3 in 101 overs at Stumps in their first innings and trail by 64 runs. Harry Brook also remained unbeaten at 141* off 173 deliveries. Brook is the first batter to get tons in four consecutive Tests on Pakistan soil.
{{/usCountry}}Root ended the day unbeaten at 176* off 277 runs, as England reached 492/3 in 101 overs at Stumps in their first innings and trail by 64 runs. Harry Brook also remained unbeaten at 141* off 173 deliveries. Brook is the first batter to get tons in four consecutive Tests on Pakistan soil.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the 243-run partnership between Root and Brook is the highest partnership for England for any wicket on Pakistan soil, overtaking the 233 runs made by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett for the first wicket in Rawalpindi in 2022.