Joe Root added another landmark to his remarkable international career on Tuesday, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar to become the second-fastest batter in history to reach 23,000 international runs. The England star achieved the feat during the opening ODI against Sri Lanka in Durham, requiring 521 international innings to reach the massive figure. Tendulkar had taken 522 innings to get there, meaning Root moved ahead of the India great by just one innings.

Joe Root Enters Elite 23,000-Run Club

The milestone made Joe Root only the eighth player in men’s international cricket to cross 23,000 runs and the first from England to achieve the mark.

He needed just three runs when he reached the landmark with a stylish wristy flick for a boundary, eventually making 44 from 52 deliveries as England posted 265 in the contest.

Virat Kohli remains the fastest player to the landmark, reaching it in 490 innings.

Behind Kohli and Root on the fastest-to-23,000 list are Tendulkar, who needed 522 innings, and Ricky Ponting, who reached the figure in 544 innings.

Another Tendulkar Record Falls

Sachin Tendulkar has increasingly become a familiar name in Joe Root’s record-breaking journey in Test cricket.

Earlier this month, Root surpassed Tendulkar’s mark for the most half-centuries in Test history.

The England batsman now holds 69 Test fifties, moving one clear of Tendulkar’s previous record of 68.

Root’s latest milestone also moved him to 23,041 international runs, leaving him eighth on the all-time run-scoring chart.

Root Continues To Rewrite England’s Record Books

The 35-year-old’s consistency across formats has placed him among the most prolific run-scorers in international cricket.

His latest landmark came during a composed 44-run innings, even though his stay at the crease ended when Sri Lanka debutant Sachindu Colombage removed him.

With three ODIs against Sri Lanka still to play, Root will now look to add to his tally as England continue their preparations for the next phase of their white-ball campaign.