‘Joe Root can touch Sachin Tendulkar in around 2 & 1/2 years’ - Michael Atherton after ENG star surpasses Ricky Ponting

Joe Root can touch legendary Sachin Tendulkar for most runs in Test cricket in less than next three years, claimed former England cricketer Michael Atherton after the right-hander climbed up the ladder, surpassing legends Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis.

Root, who started on the fifth place, shot three spots up to be second in the list of batters for most runs in the longest format of the game, en route to his 38th Test hundred on the third day of the ongoing fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Root currently has 13379 runs and counting, just second to Tendulkar, who tops the list at 15921 Test runs after 24 years of international cricket and 200 appearances for India in whites.

A former England captain and currently a cricketer-turned-expert, Atherton asserted that Root can reach Tendulkar if he continues in the same form in the next two-three years.

“You never know what lies ahead in terms of freak injuries, sport can be a cruel mistress, but given a fair wind he should be up to Tendulkar in around two and a half years,” Atherton told Sky Sports.

“Given how he’s playing right now – the best he’s ever played – and given there’s no diminishing of his love and desire for the game, the numbers will take care of themselves,” added Atherton.

This is 23rd Test ton for Root in home conditions, the joint-most for anyone in home Tests alongside Ponting, Kallis and Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene. Earlier, Root entered the history books by breaking the record of most Test centuries against India with his 12th hundred against the Asian giants, against whom he has played in 34 Tests so far.

Root had equalled Australian Steve Smith's record (11 centuries) in the third India-England Test at Lord's last week by scoring a hundred (104 runs from 199 balls) in the first innings.