Joe Root and Sachin Tendulkar - (Source: @Johns/X.com)
On Friday, July 25, England star batter Joe Root inched closer to Sachin Tendulkar's Test run tally as the 34-year-old went past Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to become the third leading run-getter in red-ball history.
At the time of writing, Root has 13296 runs in 157 matches, and his feat on Day 3 of the Manchester Test has reignited the debate of Root going past Sachin Tendulkar to become the leading run-getter in Test cricket.
Notably, Root requires just 2625 runs to etch his name into history as the Master Blaster finished his career with 15921 runs in 200 Test matches. The England batter is the closest to go past Sachin's tally, and with several cricketing years still left in him, this article will look at how many innings Root will require to go past Sachin Tendulkar.
How Many Innings Will Joe Root Require To Go Past Sachin Tendulkar?
The Ideal Situation
Firstly, we will consider the ideal situation. Joe Root, at present, averages 50.94 in Test cricket after 157 Test matches and 286 innings. Thus, if we assume that Root continues to average 50.94 in the coming years, then the 36-year-old will take around 52 innings and 26 more Test matches.
Maths Explained
To surpass Sachin Tendulkar's Test run tally of 15,921 runs, Joe Root (as of July 2025) has 13,290 runs in 286 innings, averaging 50.94 runs per innings. This means Root needs:
15,921 - 13,300 = 2,621 runs to surpass Tendulkar.
If Root continues at his current average (50.94 runs per innings):
Innings needed = Runs required ÷ Batting average
Innings needed = 2,631 ÷ 50.94 ≈ 51.64 innings
Since you can't play a fraction of an innings, Root would need to play at least 52 more innings (assuming no not-outs or missed innings and his average holds steady).
Estimating Matches Needed
The number of matches depends on how many innings he bats per match. Most Test matches give a batter 2 possible innings.
Matches needed = Innings needed ÷ 2
Matches = 52 ÷ 2 = 26 matches (if he bats both innings every time)
In reality, some matches may offer only one innings for him; some series could have weather interruptions. 26 More Tests would mean that Root would go past Tendulkar's tally in his 183rd Test match, 17 fewer games than Sachin Tendulkar.
Calculating Root's Figures In His 200th Test Match
Also, calculating how many runs Root would have when he plays 200 Test matches, then, according to the same calculations, Root has 13,006 runs in 157 matches.
Average runs per match = 13,006 runs ÷ 157 matches ≈ = 82.84 runs per match. To estimate runs in his 200th match:
Additional matches = 200 - 157 = 43 matches.
Additional runs = 43 matches × 82.84 runs per match ≈ 3562 runs.
Estimated total runs after 200 matches = 13,006 + 3562= 16568 runs.
Not So Ideal Situation
Analysing Root's Batting Trend
Root, similar to any other cricketer, has experienced several ups and downs in his cricketing career. Thus, it is also important to take the trends into consideration while calculating how many runs Root will score in his 200th Test match, and also how many innings he will take if he sees a dip of 20% and also an upward trend of 20%.
Early Career (2012-2015): Root started with an average in the mid-30s to 40s, gradually improving as he gained experience. Notably, in 2015, he was named in the World Test XI by the ICC due to strong performances, including several centuries and high scores.
Prime Years (2016-2019): During these years, Root established himself as England's premier batsman and Test captain, with his average stabilising mostly in the mid-50s. He scored multiple centuries, including double hundreds, increasing his career batting average significantly.
Recent Years (2020-2025): Root has continued to maintain a batting average close to 50, which is exceptional at the highest level of cricket. As of mid-2025, he has crossed the 13,000 Test runs milestone with an average of around 50.94, positioning him as one of the all-time top scorers.
Calculating Root's Numbers If He Averages 30-40 for the rest of his career
Step 1: Calculate innings needed for two batting averages (30 and 40):
If average = 30:
Innings needed = Runs needed ÷ Average
Innings needed = 2,621 ÷ 30 ≈ 87.37 → about 88 innings
This equates to 42 Tests, and Root will surpass Sachin's tally in the 199th Test match, one fewer game than Sachin Tendulkar.
If average = 40:
Innings needed = 2,621 ÷ 40 ≈ 65.53 → about 66 innings
This equates to 33 Tests and will break Tendulkar's tally in just 33 more Tests which would be his 190th Test match.
What if Root Averages 55 for the rest of his career?
Step 1: Calculate runs remaining to surpass Tendulkar
Runs needed = 15,921 - 13,300 = 2,621 runs
Step 2: Calculate innings needed at an average of 55
Innings needed = Runs needed ÷ Batting average
Innings needed = 2,621 ÷ 55 ≈ 47.65 innings, so about 48 innings
Which means 24 Tests and will go past Tendulkar's tally in his 181 Test.
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