[WATCH] Will Joe Root surpass Sachin Tendulkar's most Test runs? Former England star predicts

Joe Root, the former England captain, put himself in an elite club during the fourth Test against India in the five-match series at Old Trafford in Manchester. He surpassed three of the greatest players of the leading run-scorers in the longest format, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting, to find himself only behind Sachin Tendulkar.

The former England fast bowler, Steve Harmison, reckoned that the Yorkshire batter will overtake Tendulkar in the list. He apologised to his Indian fans but reckoned Sachin would remain one of the three icons in his eyes alongside Don Bradman and Shane Warne.

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‘Yeah, Joe Root will surpass Sachin Tendulkar. Unfortunately, apologies to all my Indian fans if I have offended any in that part of the world after these last four Test matches. Yes, he will, and that’s nothing to say anything from Sachin’s point of view. There are three icons of cricket for me- Bradman, Tendulkar, and Warne. The rest of the top echelons are great, and Joe Root is definitely in greatness.’ The former England pacer expressed on ESPNcricinfo.

Watch: Steve Harmison predicts Joe Root surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most Test runs

Root is the second leading run-getter of the format with 13409 runs in 286 innings at an average of 51.17 and a strike rate of 57.40, having 38 centuries and 66 fifties at the best score of 262. Tedulkar is at the top with 15921 runs at 53.78.

🗣️ 'Yes, Root will pass Tendulkar' #MatchDay pic.twitter.com/U3eB1cGFyn

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 29, 2025

‘If he's relieved he has passed Kallis, Dravid, and Ponting, and hopefully, it’s going to be quiet for 18 months before we start talking about 500 to go till he gets to or a 1000 to get to Sachin Tendulkar, but marvelous innings in this Test match. He was brilliant; there is only one man to get past, and that’s Sachin. Hopefully, in two years, because if he does that, it will mean England would be successful.’ Harmison shed light.

Root has smashed two successive centuries in the series at Lord’s and Old Trafford. And he will also hope to continue the same performance during the fifth and final game of the series at the Kennington Oval in South London as they aim to earn the series victory.