Joe Root can accomplish these milestones in India Tests
Focus will be on Joe Root as England tour India for a five-Test series, starting on January 25. India has been one of the hardest places for visiting Test batters in recent years. However, Root has nailed this challenge as he has played several memorable Test knocks on spin-friendly Indian tracks. Here is the list of milestones Root can accomplish in the series.
11,500 runs loading for Root
Root (11,416) can become the second Englishman after Alastair Cook (12,472) to complete 11,500 runs in Tests. Meanwhile, the former is currently the 10th-highest run-scorer in Test matches. He is the only active player with over 10,000 Test runs. Having played 135 Tests, he averages 50.29 as the tally includes 30 tons and 60 half-centuries.
Most Test runs against India
Root requires just 30 runs to displace Australia's Ricky Ponting (2,555) as the batter with the most Test runs against India. Having played 25 Tests against the team, Root averages 63.15 as his tally includes nine tons and 10 fifties. Meanwhile, Root requires just 10 runs to overtake the legendary Sachin Tendulkar (2,535) and become the leading run-getter in India-England Tests.
1,000 Test runs in India
Meanwhile, Root needs just 48 runs to become the second Englishman after Cook (1235) to complete 1,000 Test runs on Indian soil. West Indies's Clive Lloyd (1,359), his former teammate Gordon Greenidge (1,042), and Australia's Matthew Hayden (1,027) are the only other visiting batters with 1,000 or more Test runs in India. Root averages 50.10 in India, having played 10 Tests in the nation.
500 boundaries in away Tests
Root is just one hit away from completing 500 boundaries in away Test matches. He would become just the third active player after India's Virat Kohli (528) and Australia's Steve Smith (507) to accomplish this milestone. Among Englishmen, only Cook (576) has slammed more boundaries in away Test matches.
Can Root smash his 10th Test ton against India?
Root needs a solitary century to become the first batter to slam 10 Test tons against India. Besides Root, Australia's Smith is the only other batter with nine Test tons against the team. Meanwhile, Root needs to breach the 50-run mark at least twice to displace Ponting (20) as the batter with the most 50-plus Test scores against India.
