Joe Root Unlocks Historic Milestone in WTC: A First in the Tournament's History

Joe Root continues to shine in Test cricket. The experienced England batter was once again leading from the front during the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval as he stood tall in England’s fourth-innings chase, where they eventually fell short by 6 runs. However, Root stamped his authority with a fine hundred during England's second innings.

The 34-year-old has been scoring runs consistently across the series. His batting has looked fluent, calm, and full of class. He had already made history earlier in the series when he went past cricket legends like Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting on the all-time Test runs chart. Amidst the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Root achieved yet another big milestone, one no other batter in the world has managed so far.

Joe Root WTC Record

Root is now the first cricketer to score over 6000 runs in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) history. It is a massive achievement for a batter that no one other than Root has even managed to reach 5000 runs so far. Root reached the landmark during England’s chase on Day 4 of the fifth Test at The Oval. He has featured in 69 WTC Tests and has played in all four editions of the WTC since it began in 2019.
The second-best on the list is Australia’s Steve Smith, who has 4278 runs from 55 matches, while Marnus Labuschagne closely follows with 4225 runs in 53 matches. England captain Ben Stokes has 3616 runs to his name, while Australia's Travis Head rounds off the top five with 3300 runs in 52 matches.

List of Top Run-scorers in WTC History

Joe Root WTC record is incredible given the consistency he has shown over the last few years in Test cricket. He is probably the greatest of all time and has shown his ability in the red-ball format. While he has already reached the 6000-run mark, the next batter, Steve Smith is still some way behind Root. Here is the list of highest run-scorers in WTC history:

1. Joe Root - 6000 runs (69 matches)
2. Steve Smith - 4278 runs (55 matches)
3. Marnus Labuschagne - 4225 runs (53 matches)
4. Ben Stokes - 3616 runs (57 matches)
5. Travis Head - 3300 runs (52 matches)

Apart from Joe Root WTC runs, he has also struck 20 centuries and 22 half-centuries at an average of 52, which shows his consistent form and value to the team. Apart from runs, Root has also made his mark with his safe hands in the field. During this same India series, he became the player with the most catches by a non-wicketkeeper in Test history.

Players with Most Test Hundreds

With his incredible form, Joe Root also climbed the all-time hundreds list in Test cricket. With his 39th century at The Oval, Root now sits fourth among players with the most Test hundreds. Here is the list of batters with most centuries in Test Cricket:

1. 51 - Sachin Tendulkar (India)
2. 45 - Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
3. 41 - Ricky Ponting (Australia)
4. 39 - Joe Root (England)
5. 38 - Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

Root’s overall contribution to England’s red-ball team remains massive. He has delivered in all conditions and against top-quality opponents. His current form is a huge boost for England as they ended the series against India in a draw. With more red-ball action coming up in the 2025-27 WTC cycle, Root will look to extend his lead as the top run-scorer even further. He will be England's most important player in The Ashes later this year.