When one thinks about current players in the international fold who absolutely love batting, a name that undoubtedly comes to mind is that of Joseph Edward Root.
A name that’s not only synonymous with English cricketing giants but also consistently mentioned in the same breath when throwing light on the fabulous four in world cricket, the other three being Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and our very own IPL winner (18 years in the making), Virat Kohli.
Well, there is good reason to put this batter par excellence in such esteemed company as Root has already notched up 20,891 international runs in 364 games played at a mighty fine average of 49.36 with a career best of 262 across formats.
Let this sink in!
As a result, he sits at the numero uno position amongst all English batters to have ever graced the game and perhaps the best part, he is still hungry for more at 34.
This when batters from other countries are prioritising the lucrative T20 leagues over national duty. A case in point example being the recent walk out of Heinrich Klaasen from the international game to focus on his T20 franchise career.
Well, it is always a burning conundrum when one speaks about T20 leagues vs. the national duty saga, albeit cricketers like Root undoubtedly make a cricketing purist realise that playing for one’s country means much more, when they reaffirm their commitment unconditionally to their motherland.
Always a heartening sight with nothing but respect, if one were to be brutally honest.
With this being said, to truly appreciate Joe Root’s immense talent and prolific run-scoring, one has to run a comparison to put things into perspective.
The next closest English batter, Sir Alastair Cook, amassed 15,737 runs across 257 international matches at an average of 42.88 — a towering achievement, yet one that Root has steadfastly eclipsed.
A gap of more than 5,000 runs between these two much respected cricketers which perhaps is what a decent batter mounts in his lifetime.
Having already surpassed Cook in the five-day format as the leading run scorer with 12,527 runs to his name, Root recently also notched up his legacy at the zenith of the ODI format.
This spectacle was witnessed in the recently second ODI against West Indies when Joe bettered the venerable English batter and captain Eoin Morgan to become England’s leading ODI run getter with 7126 runs to his name enroute to mounting a personal best of 166 and as a result ensuring his team got the better of the men from the Caribbean islands.
This also when his compatriots had mounted all of 125 runs between them in the steep chase of 308 posted by the unpredictable West Indies.
Certainly, a case of creating opportunity when faced with adversity!
Joe Root’s ODI Stats in 2025:
| Year | Mat | Inns | NO | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | HS | Runs | Avg | S/R |
| 2025 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 55 | 4 | 166* | 604 | 75.50 | 97.73 |
With such unparalleled feats, one would certainly hope Joe continues to blossom even further and is one of the crucial cogs in the English wheel come the India series which starts in a few days followed by the Ashes later this year.
Perhaps a consideration also for the T20 World Cup next year and the ODI World Cup in 2027.
After all, it’s Root’s masterful blend of strike rotation and calculated aggression — knowing exactly when to anchor and when to attack — that has kept him at the heart of England’s batting order for nearly a decade and a half.
His consistency, elegance, and humility have not only earned the admiration of die-hard English fans but also the respect of the global cricketing community, who recognize in him not just a brilliant batsman, but a true ambassador of the game.
Cheers to Rooty!