Stats: Joe Root completes 5000 runs in Test cricket

England captain Joe Root continued his streak of scoring at least one fifty for the 10th consecutive Test match as he struck 52 on the opening day of the 4th Test at Old Trafford against South Africa. Thus he equalled England record for most consecutive Test matches with a fifty-plus score held by John Edrich. During the innings, Joe Root also went past 5000 runs in his Test career.

Thus he became the 22nd England player and 92nd overall to complete 5000 runs in the longest format. Root needed 105 innings to complete the 5000-run milestone; the 5th fewest among England players. Overall, only 13 players have taken fewer innings than Root (105) to complete 5000 Test runs. Among the current crop players, only Steven Smith (98) took fewer innings than Root to complete the milestone.

Fastest England players to 5000 Test runs:

Root, who made his Test debut in December 2012, needed only 4 years and 234 days from his debut to complete 5000 runs; the quickest to the milestone in terms of time span. Only Kevin Pietersen (4 years and 242 days) and Alastair Cook (4 years and 308 days) took less than 5 years from debut to complete 5000 Test runs.

The 26-year and 232 days old became the 3rd youngest player to complete 5000 Test runs. He is one of the 4 players who have completed 5000 runs in Test cricket before turning 27.

Youngest players to complete 5000 runs in Test cricket:

(Stats as on August 4, 2017)