Joe Root became only the eighth batter to cross 23,000 international runs, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and other cricket greats in an elite batting club.
IMAGE: England’s Joe Root plays a shot during the first ODI against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Key Points
- Joe Root became only the eighth batter in international cricket to cross 23,000 runs across formats.
- The 35-year-old reached the landmark during England’s first ODI against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street.
- Root is England’s leading run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs and the country’s first batter to reach 23,000 international runs.
- Root was dismissed for 44 as England began their ODI series against Sri Lanka under captain Harry Brook.
England batter Joe Root entered an elite club on Tuesday, becoming only the eighth batter in international cricket to score more than 23,000 runs across formats.
Root reached the landmark during England’s first ODI against Sri Lanka at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street. He achieved the feat in his 394th international appearance, needing only three runs to reach the mark.
The 35-year-old was eventually dismissed for 44 off 52 balls, hitting five fours. He is England’s leading run-scorer in both Test and ODI cricket and the first English batter to cross 23,000 international runs.
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England Star Joins Batting Greats
India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Australia’s Ricky Ponting, and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis are the other batters to have crossed the 23,000-run mark.
Root entered the match with 14,278 Test runs and 7,826 ODI runs. His ODI tally includes 20 centuries.
Former England opener Alastair Cook is the next English batter on the list, with 15,737 international runs from 257 matches. Cook scored 12,472 of those runs in Tests.
Root has been a key figure in England cricket across formats.
England turned their attention to the ODI series against Sri Lanka after completing a 3-0 T20I series sweep.
Harry Brook is leading England in the ODIs.
