Joe Root becomes 1st English batter to record 13000 Test runs

English legend Joe Root created new history in English Test cricket by becoming the first English cricketer to record 13000 Test runs. The right-handed batter reached this special feat on the opening day of their home Test against Zimbabwe in Nottingham. 

On the first day of the new home summer, England scored 498/3 after Zimbabwe sent the hosts to bat first. All the top three English batters hit centuries, while the former English captain Joe Root reached the special Test cricket milestone. 

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Joe Root became fifth to complete 13000 Test runs

The 34-year-old Root came to bat at no.4, who was 28 runs away from 13000 Test runs. While England are piling up a huge first innings total, Root completed his 13000 Test runs while completing his 28th run in the innings with a single. It is a very special milestone as Root became the first English batter and fifth overall cricketer to reach the 13000 runs mark in Test cricket career.

Root completed his 13000 Test runs in 279 innings, as the right-handed batter recorded the slowest 13000 Test runs. Previously, legendary Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid held the slowest 13000 Test runs record by reaching the milestone in 277 Test innings. However, if we see the number of Test matches, Root became the fastest to complete 13000 Test runs. While he reached the milestone in 153 Test matches, former South African cricketer Jacques Kallis previously held the record by completing the milestone in 159 Test matches. 

Fastest to complete 13000 Test runs (number of innings)

Batter	Number of innings to complete 13000 Test runs (Matches)	Test career runs
Sachin Tendulkar	266 (163)	15921
Jacques Kallis	269 (159)	13289
Ricky Ponting	275 (162)	13378
Rahul Dravid	277 (160)	13288
Joe Root	279 (153)	13006

(Updated as of May 22, 2025)

Joe Root is not far from the second-most Test run-scorer

Root was dismissed for 34 runs, where the right-handed batter hit three fours. With 373 more runs, Root will become the second most run-scorer in Test cricket history, while the English cricketer will still require more than 2500 runs to reach the no.1 spot in the list of most Test runs by surpassing legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 15921 Test runs.