Ravi Shastri issued a light-hearted warning on air after Michael Atherton shared a statistic suggesting Joe Root has a 60.28% chance of surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s Test run tally.
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Shastri Backs Joe Root to Surpass Tendulkar’s Test Run Record
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri made a bold on-air claim during Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England in Manchester, following a stat that hinted at Joe Root’s growing proximity to cricketing immortality. Joe Root remained unbeaten on 11 at stumps, taking his career tally to 13,270 runs in 157 Tests. With just 19 runs separating him from Rahul Dravid (13,288), 20 from Jacques Kallis (13,289), and 109 from Ricky Ponting (13,378), Root is poised to climb to second on the all-time run-scorers list.
While commentating, Shastri noted Root could leapfrog those ahead of him within two or three Tests. He then pointed to Root’s age and form as key factors in potentially eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921 runs. “Look at his age. Look at the number of matches. He’s played 157. So you would imagine he would go past three ahead of him in almost three Test matches. And then he’s got about 40 Test matches. Sachin has played 200 Tests. Root has played 160. He’s still young. He has four years of cricket ahead of him. And what will separate him and Tendulkar will be around 3,000 runs,” Shastri said. “When you’re hot, you’re hot—and in the meantime, he has age on his side.”
Joe Root’s Statistical Chase of Tendulkar Sparks Debate in Commentary Box
Former England captain Michael Atherton, commentating alongside Ravi Shastri, revealed that Sky Sports statistician Benedict Bermange informed him Joe Root has a 60.28% chance of surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record—an estimate Atherton admitted left him puzzled.
“Benedict reliably informed me that he’s got a 60.28% chance of beating Sachin Tendulkar. I don’t know how he worked that out,” said Atherton.
Shastri quickly reacted, cautioning that Indian viewers—still tuned in during the final session of Day 2—might not take the statistic lightly.
“I tell you that it won’t be music to the ears of the Indians. It’s just coming about to bedtime in India, and you’ve given us a stat—60.28,” he remarked.
Atherton joked in response: “He’ll be cursed. Millions of homes around Mumbai right now.”
Atherton also suggested that if Root does manage to go past Tendulkar, the record could become nearly unbeatable due to the evolving nature of the game, where fewer players are dedicating themselves fully to Test cricket.
“Wherever Joe Root finishes, say, for example, he went past Sachin. I’m not so sure anybody will go past that just because of the nature of the way the game is going,” he said.
Shastri concurred, noting that the shifting landscape of cricket across three formats could serve as added motivation for Root:
“But that’s what’s going to drive him. He knows that. He will know that more than anybody else.”