Sachin Tendulkar's record of Test runs could be surpassed by Joe Root, says Ricky Ponting

Sachin Tendulkar's record of Test runs could be surpassed by Joe Root, says Ricky Ponting.

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes that Joe Root could surpass the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's tally of runs in Test cricket, provided the England stalwart remains 'hungry' and continues to score consistently over the next three to four years. Root recently became only the seventh batter in Test history to exceed the 12,000-run mark, a milestone he reached during the Edgbaston Test against the West Indies. With 12,027 runs in 143 Tests at an average of 50.11, including 32 centuries and 63 fifties, Root is currently the seventh highest run-scorer in Tests and is poised to overtake Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (12,400 runs) and his former teammate Alastair Cook (12,472 runs) in the near future.

Ponting, who ranks second behind Tendulkar with 13,378 runs from 168 Tests, told The ICC Review, "He (Root) could potentially do that. He is 33 years of age...(more than) 3000 runs behind."

"It depends on how many Test matches they play, but if they're playing 10 to 14 Test matches a year and if you're scoring 800 to 1,000 runs a year, then that sort of says he's only three or four years off getting there. So that'll take him to 37 (years of age)," the legendary Australian explained.

Ponting noted that Root will need to maintain his drive for runs, although the England batter has the advantage of age on his side to target the Test record.

"If his hunger's still there, then there's every chance that he could do it. He is someone that in the last couple of years has got better and better," Ponting said.

"There's always talk around batters reaching their prime in their early 30s and he's certainly done that. It's been his conversion rates being the big thing," he added.

Ponting observed that Root appears to have addressed his previous difficulty in converting half-centuries into big scores.

"Four or five years ago, he was making a lot of 50s and struggling to go on and make hundreds, and he's gone the other way recently," Ponting said.

"Almost every time he gets to 50 now, he goes on and makes a big hundred. So that's been the real turnaround for him," he concluded.