WATCH: Joe Root ranks Steve Smith above himself but puts Indian cricketer at No. 1 in his list

Devansh Poddar

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WATCH: Joe Root ranks Steve Smith above himself but puts Indian cricketer at No. 1 in his list image

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The English legend Joe Root, known for his immense skill, calm demeanor, and resilience, is often referred to as one of the greatest batters of this era and possibly the best in the red-ball format. 

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During a recent interaction with England's fan group, the Barmy Army, Root was asked to choose between some of the greatest batters in the game's history. The England star went on to pick the Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as the ultimate batter. 

Joe Root picks Sachin Tendulkar ahead of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith

In a fun segment, the English legend was asked to play a game of 'winners stay on,' in which he had to choose a player from among two until only one remained. 

When he had to choose between himself and Australian superstar Steve Smith, Root decided to choose Smith while remarking, "You cannot pick yourself, can you?"

Smith and Root are both members of the elite Fab Four club, along with Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson. Both batters are absolute legends of the game, and they continue to inspire the youth with their exceptional skills in the toughest format.

Here's a summary of Root's choices during the game, which ultimately ended with Sachin Tendulkar as the winner:

  • Steve Smith over Joe Root
  • Ricky Ponting over Steve Smith
  • Jacque Kallis over Ricky Ponting, Alastair Cook, Kumar Sangakkara, and Brian Lara
  • Sachin Tendulkar over Jacque Kallis and Virat Kohli

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Root eventually ended with picking Sachin, who is arguably the greatest ever batter to have graced the sport. With over 34000 international runs, the Indian maestro continues to be the leading run-scorer in the history of the game. 

Tendulkar played for India in 200 Tests, 463 ODIs, and a solitary T20I in a career that spanned over 24 years. 

Root to break Sachin's record?

Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in the history of Test cricket with 15,921 runs in 200 Test matches. Root is now just behind the Indian great in the tally, as he became the second-highest run-scorer in Tests during the series against India earlier last month. 

The English great sits at 13,543 runs in 158 Tests and is just 2,378 runs behind Tendulkar, and is well in line to break the record. At 34, Root is at least expected to play for a couple more years, and in such a scenario, the milestone seems a definite possibility. 

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Devansh Poddar

Devansh Poddar is a content producer for The Sporting News' India edition.