ENG vs WI 2024: Joe Root surpasses Brian Lara's tally of Test runs

Joe Root surpassed the iconic Brian Lara's runs tally in Test cricket on Saturday, July 27. The right-handed batter achieved the sensational feat in the first session of Day 2 of the third Test between England and the West Indies in Birmingham.

Former West Indies captain Lara had finished his illustrious international career with 11,953 Test runs from 131 matches and 232 innings. Root has overtaken the southpaw in his 143rd Test match, in what is his 261st innings. The former England skipper has climbed to No. 7 on the list of leading run-getters in the longest format of the game. He is now behind Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid, Alastair Cook, and Kumar Sangakkara.

Root started Day 2 with an overnight score of two runs from four balls. He needed 12 runs to get past Lara's record. He achieved the feat off the last ball of the sixth over of the day, which was bowled by Jayden Seales.

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Joe Root becomes leading run-scorer for England in Tests at Edgbaston

Records have kept on tumbling on Day 2 and Root was once again at the forefront. He went past Cook's tally of 869 runs at Edgbaston to become the leading run-getter at the iconic venue in Test matches. The 33-year-old achieved this feat in the 21st over of the day.

On Day 1, the West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first. They were bowled out for 282 after mustering a comeback from a precarious situation at 115/5. The tourists did well with their short burst with the ball as they picked up three English wickets for 38 runs.

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Kraigg Brathwaite's men started Day 2 with springs in their steps as they dismissed Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in the third and fourth overs of the day, respectively. However, captain Ben Stokes joined Root in the middle and the duo have brought up England's 100 and also stitched a half-century partnership in the process. The home fans will want the experienced duo to bat long into the day and take the Three Lions closer to West Indies' first innings score.