Joe Root Joins Elite Club with 7,000+ Test Runs at Home Soil

Joe Root just keeps adding to his legacy. On Day 1 of the third Test against India at Lord’s, the former England captain became the first batter in history to score 7,000 Test runs on English soil — a milestone that places him alongside some of the greatest names to have played the game.

Coming in at No. 4 with England needing stability, Root looked as composed as ever. He soaked up the pressure, played with calm precision, and by the end of the day, walked back unbeaten on 99 off 191 balls. His innings was studded with nine boundaries and key partnerships — first with Ollie Pope, adding 109 for the third wicket, and then an unbroken 79-run stand with skipper Ben Stokes, who remained 39 not out at stumps. 

Root might have narrowly missed a well-deserved 37th Test hundred on Day 1, but he reached that milestone on Day 2. However, he managed to add just five more runs to his score, before Jasprit Bumrah got his important wicket. Having said that, the single he took in the final over of the day pushed him to exactly 7,000 Test runs in England, a feat never achieved by any other cricketer. According to ESPNcricinfo, Root reached the landmark in his 82nd home Test and 143rd innings, averaging a remarkable 55.11. In that time, he’s compiled 55 scores of fifty or more, and is now one hundred away from reaching his 22nd Test century on home soil.  

Moreover, Root’s achievement places him in elite company. Only a handful of players have scored over 7,000 Test runs in a single country. Ricky Ponting leads the list with 7,578 runs in Australia from 92 Tests. Next up is India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 7,216 runs in 94 home Tests. Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (7,167 runs in 81 home Tests) and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (7,035 runs in 88) are also ahead of Root — but for now. 

 What sets Root apart is that he’s achieved the 7,000 mark quicker than many of these legends and remains very much active at the top level. With his form looking as fluent as ever, there’s every chance he’ll climb further up the list before this series — and his career — is done.  

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