Joe Root Aims for Historic Milestones in Second Test Against New Zealand

In the ongoing second Test at Kennington Oval, Joe Root is poised to make history by potentially becoming the second player ever to score 14,000 runs in Test cricket. With just 48 runs needed to reach this milestone, Root also aims to become the first player to achieve 2,000 runs against New Zealand in Tests. As he approaches these remarkable achievements, Root's performance could redefine his standing in cricket history. Discover more about his journey and the records he is chasing in this thrilling match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 18, 2026, 00:00 IST

Second Test at Kennington Oval

The second Test match between England and New Zealand is currently taking place at the Kennington Oval in London, running from June 17 to 21. Joe Root is captaining the team in the absence of Ben Stokes. This match presents Root with a chance to make history during the ongoing three-match home series against the Black Caps. As England's leading run-scorer in Test cricket, Root is on the verge of becoming only the second player globally, after Sachin Tendulkar, to achieve the remarkable milestone of 14,000 runs, needing just 48 runs to do so at The Oval. Currently, Root has accumulated 13,952 runs over 300 innings in 164 Test matches, while Tendulkar concluded his illustrious 24-year Test career with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.

Leading Run Scorers in Test Cricket

Most Runs In Test Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar: 15,921 Runs
Joe Root: 13,952 Runs
Ricky Ponting: 13,378 Runs
Jacques Kallis: 13,289 Runs
Rahul Dravid: 13,288 Runs

Root has the opportunity to reach the 14,000-run milestone in his 165th Test, while Tendulkar achieved this feat in 279 innings and 171 Tests.

Joe Root's Additional Milestones

Joe Root On Verge Of Reaching More Milestones

In addition to potentially becoming the second player to reach 14,000 runs, Root could also be the first player to score 2,000 runs in Test matches against New Zealand. Having played 22 matches against the Black Caps since his Test debut in 2012, Root has scored 1,934 runs and needs 66 more runs at The Oval to reach this milestone. Overall, he has tallied 3,106 runs in 54 international matches (Tests, ODIs, and T20Is) against New Zealand. If he scores at least 62 runs in the upcoming game, he will surpass both Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli to become the second-highest run-scorer against New Zealand across all formats. Kohli has 3,167 runs in 60 matches, while Ponting finished with 3,145 runs in 69 matches.

In terms of international cricket, Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs against New Zealand, amassing 3,345 runs in 80 innings across 66 matches.

Moreover, Root is currently the leading run-scorer in the World Test Championship (WTC) as captain. If he scores at least 165 runs in the second Test against New Zealand, he will become the first player in history to reach 3,000 runs in the WTC as captain.