Joe Root, England’s batting maestro, has set his sights on surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most Test runs, but his primary focus remains on contributing to his team’s success.
Root, who is on the verge of becoming England’s leading Test run-scorer, is just 71 runs away from eclipsing Alastair Cook’s tally of 12,472. With a few more years of playing time, Root could potentially challenge Tendulkar’s elusive mark of 15,921 Test runs.
However, personal milestones are not Root’s driving force. He is solely focused on producing performances that help England win matches. “I think you judge yourself on how many games you can affect and how many games you can help win,” Root said. “That’s a big driver for me.”
Root’s mindset is to succeed in any conditions, which he believes is enough motivation to keep him going. “I enjoy it at the moment,” he added.
For Root, achieving a milestone and then retiring is not something he considers. He is determined to enjoy the game and use that as a driving force to continue playing Test cricket. “I see myself playing Test cricket for a lot longer,” Root said. “I just want to keep enjoying the game and keep playing.”
England are currently in Pakistan for a three-match Test series, which begins in Multan on Monday. The visitors will be without their regular captain, Ben Stokes, in the opening Test due to a hamstring injury. Ollie Pope will serve as the stand-in skipper for the Multan Test.
