Ben Duckett and Marcus Trescothick praise 'humble' Joe Root after record-breaking innings for England against Pakistan
Published 09/10/2024 at 15:06 GMT+1
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Joe Root is now England's all-time highest run-scorer in Test cricket after surpassing the previous record set by Sir Alastair Cook. He achieved the feat - which also takes him up to fifth on the all-time list in the sport - on day three of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, where he ended unbeaten on 176 alongside Harry Brook. Root's team-mates were effusive in their praise.
'Got to ready yourself for everything' - Root looks ahead to challenging Pakistan series
Video credit: TNT Sports
Joe Root hit a sensational century to get England back into the first Test against Pakistan on a record-breaking day for the Yorkshireman in Multan.
Root, who ended a gruelling day on 176 not out, became his country’s leading Test run scorer of all-time, surpassing Sir Alastair Cook’s previous best.
The former Test captain drilled Aamir Jamal’s delivery for four to surpass Cook’s total of 12,472.
Root is now fifth on cricket’s all-time list, and will look to add to his 12,578 runs on day three.
England ended the day on 492-3, just 64 runs behind their opponents’ impressive first innings lead.
Apart from the first eight balls, Root has been on the field for every moment of the innings so far.
Ben Duckett was his partner when history was made, and he was full of praise for his team-mate at the end of play.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Duckett said: “I was with him at the time and he made out he didn’t know, but he definitely knew exactly how many runs he needed.
“He always talks about not wanting to beat these records and stuff and, to be fair, Rooty’s the same every day. He’s such a humble guy and you wouldn’t know you’re with greatness in the dressing room.
“He’s always tinkering with his game and hitting the most balls and working so hard and it’s just so good to have in the dressing room.
“Me and Rooty are very different players. Over the years I’ve come to terms with trying to be the best version of myself rather than looking at other players but he’s always someone who’s there and always someone you can learn from and talk to.”
Batting coach Marcus Trescothick, who has seen Root develop his game over the last decade, said it was a special moment to witness.
“We’re lucky enough to sit and watch history being made as a man goes on to be the leading run scorer in his country,” he said.
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Ben Duckett was batting alongside Joe Root when he became England's all-time record Test run-scorer
Image credit: Getty Images
“The way he goes about it, the work he puts in and continues to strive for greatness all the time. He’s been superb and think will continue to be superb for a number of years yet.”
Root now has 35 Test centuries and, after his excellent day in Multan, he may well be hoping to set his new highest Test match score, which is currently the 254 he hit against Pakistan in 2016 at Old Trafford.
Asked how he would describe Root, Trescothick told Sky Sports: “A technician of the game. In terms of the ability to build his own game around what he’s trying to do.
“Technique wise is superb but someone who does tinker quite a bit in practice, trying to get it right. [He] puts in hours of preparation and often in the nets will feel that something’s not quite right but has the ability to walk over the line, get out into the middle and that disappears because he’s just solely focused on watching the ball.
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“At the end of the day, it comes back to the simple thing of watching the ball well and when he gets it right he does it better than most people in the world.
“The consistency he has to be able to switch his brain into gear and get out in the middle and put all that different distractions behind him, that’s what is the ability that really makes him great.
“Amazing to think for an England batter - we all know the conditions in England are challenging in comparison to other countries - and he’s put in the performances he has is amazing. When you look at the stats against everybody else, it’s right up there with the best ever.”
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