Joe Root Fastest to 13,000 Test Runs

Joe Root became the fastest player to reach 13,000 Test runs, surpassing Jacques Kallis's previous record, during England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. Root achieved this in his 153rd Test, needing just 28 runs at the start of play and reaching the milestone with a single off Victor Nyauchi in the 80th over. He is the first English batter and only the fifth player overall to cross the 13,000-run mark, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid. Despite being dismissed for 34, Root’s achievement stands as a major milestone in his career. England’s batting dominated, with Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope all scoring centuries, and the team finishing the day at 498/3. The match also showcased England’s aggressive 'Bazball' strategy, with the top three batters all reaching triple figures for the first time since Rawalpindi 2022.