'Many more runs to get', says record-breaker Root

Joe Root said determination are “many much runs inactive to get” aft helium overhauled Sir Alastair Cook to go England’s all-time starring Test runscorer.

Root went past Cook’s people of 12,472 erstwhile helium got to 71 connected time 3 of the archetypal Test against Pakistan successful Multan.

The 33-year-old carried connected and on, registering his 35th Test period and batting done the time for his unbeaten 176, taking England to 492-3 and a shortage of lone 64 runs.

“I’m evidently proud, but inactive consciousness there’s plentifulness much near to do,” said Root.

Root’s tireless effort successful the heat, allied to 141 not retired from Harry Brook, has enactment England successful a beardown presumption successful the bid opener, contempt Pakistan racking up 556 successful their archetypal innings.

Only erstwhile earlier person England conceded much runs successful the archetypal innings of a lucifer and gone connected to win, 130 years agone against Australia successful 1894.

“I’m definite I’ll look backmost astatine it erstwhile I’m finished and beryllium precise arrogant of it, but I deliberation much than thing conscionable the mode we played contiguous arsenic a squad is what stands out,” said Root.

“We’ve inactive got an accidental to triumph the game, which is truly exciting. Hopefully we tin footwear connected tomorrow.”

Root is playing his 147th Test, 12 years aft making his England debut successful India.

By passing Cook, Root has climbed to 5th connected the all-time database of Test runscorers from each nations, down greats of the crippled Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar tops the database with 15,921, conscionable implicit 3,000 up of Root.

And Cook believes Root tin amended Tendulkar, adjacent though Root is present already older than Cook erstwhile helium retired astatine the property of 33 successful 2018.

“I would beryllium betting connected Root to bash it,” Cook told Test Match Special. “I don't spot Root losing that hunger and quality to support driving himself guardant for the adjacent mates of years.”

Cook flagged the Ashes bid successful Australia successful the wintertime of 2025-26 arsenic 1 imaginable obstacle for Root to overcome.

Root has toured Australia connected 3 erstwhile occasions, including doubly arsenic captain, but has ne'er won successful immoderate of the 14 Tests helium has played determination and is yet to marque a 100 down under.

“The lone flimsy hurdle successful his mode volition beryllium the Ashes bid - determination is ever thing happening astir the series,” said Cook, who was skipper connected Root’s archetypal Ashes tour, a 5-0 decision successful 2013-14.

“It's successful 14 months' clip and there's ever a communicative astir the harm that happens oregon doesn't hap astir each Ashes series.”

For now, Root has the accidental to signifier different celebrated England triumph successful Pakistan aft they triumphed 3-0 present 2 years ago.

England look acceptable to bat good into the 4th day, hoping to summation a large pb implicit the hosts, but inactive leaving capable clip to vessel retired Pakistan again connected an incredibly level pitch.

“We person to gain the close to marque a determination astir what we privation to do,” said Root. “There is inactive rather a batch of cricket to beryllium played successful this game.

“Things tin hap rather rapidly towards the backmost extremity of the game. We’ll proceed to enactment hard to instrumentality vantage of this large commencement we’ve got.”