Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar lauded England batter Joe Root after the latter became the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket. Root, with 13,543 runs, is now behind only Tendulkar’s world record of 15,921 runs in 200 Tests. The gap of 2,378 runs has sparked conversations about Root’s potential to surpass the milestone.
During a Reddit AMA session, Tendulkar reflected on his first impression of Root. “When I saw him for the first time in Nagpur in 2012 during his debut Test, I told my teammates that they were watching the future captain of England. What impressed me most was the way he assessed the wicket and rotated the strike. To have gone past 13,000 runs is a remarkable achievement, and he’s still going strong,” Tendulkar said.
Tribute to Cheteshwar Pujara
Apart from praising Root, Tendulkar also penned a heartfelt note for Cheteshwar Pujara, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket. The 103-Test veteran was hailed as a “pillar of the team” by the Master Blaster.
“Pujara, it was always reassuring to see you walk out at No.3. You brought calm, courage, and a deep love for Test cricket every time you played. Your solid technique, patience, and composure under pressure have been a pillar for the team,” Tendulkar wrote on X.
2018 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Highlight
Pujara’s resilience and match-winning ability shone brightest during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He amassed 521 runs at an average of 74.42 in the series, facing 1258 balls. His maiden Test ton in Australia, scored when India was reeling at 19/3 in Adelaide, set the tone for a historic 2-1 series victory.
Tendulkar acknowledged this feat as one of the cornerstones of India’s success. “Out of many, the 2018 series win in Australia stands out, it wouldn’t have been possible without your incredible resilience and match-winning runs,” he said.
A Gracious Send-Off
Wishing Pujara well for life after cricket, Tendulkar concluded: “Congratulations on a wonderful career. Good luck for the next chapter. Enjoy your second innings!”