'Joe Root not hunting down Sachin Tendulkar's record': Jos Buttler
Joe Root slammed 150 in the Manchester Test as he became the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket. Root is in line to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in Test cricket. Meanwhile, his teammate Jos Buttler feels that the record is not on the mind of Root.
England wicketkeeper batter Jos Buttler feels that his compatriot Joe Root is not hunting down Sachin Tendulkar's record of most Test runs, as 'that’s definitely not the way he plays his cricket or how he sees it'.
Root is in line to break Tendulkar's world record as he sits 2512 runs behind the Indian legend after his Manchester heroics, where he scored 150 in the only inning England batted. During the match, Root became the second-highest run-scorer in the format, having gone past three former greats - Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting.
Root sits hot on the heels behind Sachin, and with age on his side, he is tipped to break the Indian legend's record by many. During the commentary in the fourth Test, Ricky Ponting also said that he sees no reason why Root can't go past Sachin's tally.
"Congratulations, Joe Root. Magnificent. Second on the table, 120 not out. This crowd at the ground, this very knowledgeable crowd here at Old Trafford, stands as one," Ponting said on air when Root went past him.
Meanwhile, Buttler has stated that Root is not going behind Sachin's record. "He’s not hunting down Sachin Tendulkar because that’s definitely not the way he plays his cricket or how he sees it," Butler said on his YouTube channel. "But he is number two on an incredibly elite list, with what seems like, if he stays fit, quite an attainable kind of thing, which is absolutely mindblowing."
“He has got 21 hundreds since COVID. He is obviously in the form of his life, and it is awesome to watch,” he added.
Buttler was asked by the co-host Stuart Broad if he is still fit and if he can get there. "Do you sit there and think it’s a given that he is going to do it? He is 34, going on to 35. Not many players have ever had a loss of form or an injury problem, but he has just always been fit and scoring runs. So is there any part of you that thinks ‘he might not get there'?" Broad asked.
"It might just be a bit more in his favour. Hunger is never an issue I see with Root. He isn’t going to wake up in 2-3 years and think he doesn’t have the love for batting or playing for England. He has just been playing so well, even during that period when England won one game in 17 and he was captain," Buttler replied.
"But he just doesn’t see it like that at all. Which I think is the great thing about him. He just loves playing and winning matches. So it’s going to be pretty cool to watch whether he stays at No. 2 or scales that Everest and goes to No.1," he added.