Joe Root Breaks Jacques Kallis' Record for Fastest 13,000 Test Runs
Historic Milestone Achieved by Joe Root
Nottingham, UK - On May 23, Joe Root of England made headlines by surpassing the legendary Jacques Kallis' record for the quickest player to reach 13,000 runs in Test cricket. This achievement brings him closer to overtaking India's Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record for the most runs in Test history, during the first day of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.
Despite a high-scoring day where England's batting lineup dominated, Root managed to score 34 runs before being dismissed by Blessing Muzarabani. He entered the match needing 28 runs to reach the milestone in his 153rd Test.
In the 80th over of England's innings, Root sprinted for a single off Victor Nyauchi, thus breaking Kallis' record, which was set in 159 matches—six more than Root's total.
Root's innings ended when he fell victim to Zimbabwe's short-ball strategy. Muzarabani's delivery tempted Root into a pull shot that resulted in a catch to Sean Williams.
As he walked back to the pavilion, Root reflected on his performance, having become only the fifth player in history to surpass 13,000 Test runs. He is now 2,916 runs away from Sachin Tendulkar's remarkable total of 15,921.
Throughout the day, Zimbabwe, fresh off a Test victory against Bangladesh, struggled against England's aggressive batting style, known as 'Bazball,' after choosing to bowl first on a dry pitch. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley capitalized on every loose ball under the cloudy Nottingham skies.
Duckett reached his fifth Test century at a run-a-ball pace, while Crawley marked his first century since July 2023, ending a 28-inning drought. Together, they forged a remarkable opening partnership of 231 runs, England's highest at home since 1960.
After Duckett's dismissal, Ollie Pope continued the onslaught, scoring his third consecutive century at Trent Bridge. England concluded the day with an impressive score of 498/3, marking their highest total on the opening day of a Test match in England. At stumps, Pope remained unbeaten on 169 runs from 163 balls, as England welcomed Zimbabwe to their shores after a 22-year hiatus.