The English batting maestro Joe Root, currently aged 34-years-old, is showing all signs to continue glowing in the longest format of the game, Test cricket. The England national cricket team star batter Joe Root has become the second-highest all-time run scorer in Tests in the history of cricket, surpassing legends like the great India "Wall" Rahul Dravid and South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis and Australian great Ricky Ponting. Joe Root achieved the memorable feat during the IND vs ENG five-match Test series 2025. It's a proud moment for Joe Root, proving himself as a classic batter, amidst the glitz and glamour of T20Is. Highest Test Scores In An Innings: From Brian Lara, Wiaan Mulder To Wally Hammond, A Look at Top 10 Highest Individual Scores in History of Longest Format of Cricket.

The og cricket fans will feel that Test cricket is perhaps the purest form of the game. It emerged decades before the ODIs, and more than a century before the T20Is. While the classic batters stood proud, facing the pace, swing, and spin for 90 overs day in and day out, today's white-ball cricket superstars find it tough to survive. The 20th century saw greats like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Alastair Cook, and Kumar Sangakkara shine and rule. The 21st century has been a battle of survival, where good batters did emerge, but only a few survived the heat of Test cricket and the pressure of tough competition. On that note, let's have a look at the top five all-time highest run scorers in Test cricket. Most Wickets for South Africa by Spinners in Tests: From Keshav Maharaj to Nicky Boje, Check Full List of Proteas Bowlers.

Top Five All-Time Run Scorers in Test Cricket History

Rank Player Country Matches Runs Highest Score 100s 50s
1 Sachin Tendulkar India 200 15,921 248* 51 68
2 Joe Root England 158* 13,543 262 39 66
3 Ricky Ponting Australia 168 13,378 257 41 62
4 Jacques Kallis South Africa 166 13,289 224 45 58
5 Rahul Dravid India 164 13,288 270 36  63

( * - Ongoing)

It's no surprise to see Sachin Tendulkar, referred to by many as "God" of cricket at the top of the list. The former India national cricket team batting maestro has 15,921 runs in 200 Tests. While others in the list have 13,000 runs, Sachin Tendulkar is the only legend to reach 14k and 15k in Tests. The pace with which Joe Root is progressing is no surprise, as he might break the most Test runs record of Tendulkar in only a matter of time.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2025 05:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).