Overview
- Root became only the second player to pass 14,000 Test runs on June 20, 2026 at The Oval when he took a single off New Zealand seamer Matt Henry.
- He reached the mark in his 165th Test and 302nd Test innings, which is fewer matches but more innings than Tendulkar used to hit the same total.
- The milestone came while Root was acting as England’s stand‑in captain after Ben Stokes was stood down for a curfew breach, and England were chasing 463 in the fourth innings.
- Root trails Tendulkar’s record total of 15,921 by roughly 1,921 runs and projections in coverage estimate he could realistically challenge the record by mid‑2028 if he maintains scoring rate and selection.
- Experts note key uncertainties — Root’s age, injury risk, England’s rotation policy and crowded international schedules — that will determine whether he can sustain the volume of red‑ball cricket needed to overtake Tendulkar.