‘I hope he can get very close’ - Alastair Cook reflects on Joe Root’s potential to break Sachin Tendulkar’s Test record

Former England batter Sir Alastair Cook recently came forward and talked of the prospect of Joe Root breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s Test runs record. It is worth noting that with 200 Tests played, Sachin Tendulkar has 15,921 Test runs to his name. 

On the other hand, with 148 Test matches played so far, Joe Root has accumulated 12,716 runs to his name, and his brilliant form in the longest format has seen many experts take centre stage and talk of him potentially going on to break the record. 

Sir Alastair Cook, talking of the same, backed Root to at least get closer than ever to the record if not break it by the end of his Test career. 

"I think Joe Root could set a mark, certainly on an English side, that’ll be very hard to beat. But you just never know. I hope he can get very close, if not be the first person who scores 16,000 Test runs. It'd be a great achievement,” Cook told the ICC. 

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He also talked about the moment when Joe Root surpassed Cook’s tally in Test cricket and revealed that he had a chat with him after he achieved the feat. 

"I watched the moment, then I rang him after the end of the play. I couldn't think of the right words to write in a text message. So I thought I’d just ring him, see what he was up to, and make sure he had a beer in his hand, which I think he did," added Cook.

Williamson and him are probably in the best form at the moment: Cook

Furthermore, Cook went on to talk about the form of the ‘Fab Four’ (Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Joe Root). He opined that Williamson and Root are the most in-form players of the four as of this moment, even lauding the quality of the group.

"I think at this precise moment in time, I find it hard to see anyone playing as well as Joe Root. Over the last year or so, of the so-called ‘Big Four’, I think Williamson and him are probably in the best form at the moment,” Cook said.