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England’s run machine Joe Root has achieved many historic achievements during the ongoing second Test against Australia at the Oval. The England stand-in captain has been leading the team from the front and made impressive achievements on the fourth day of the match at the Oval.
The hosts were wobbly at 40-3, chasing a world-record 463 to win the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, but it was Joe Root who showed his class by defending England’s culture amid the Ben Stokes controversy and took the game to the fifth day.
Joe Root becomes the first batsman to score 2,000 Test runs against New Zealand
Joe Root became the first player in the world to score 2,000 Test runs against the Black Caps during the ongoing second Test against New Zealand at The Oval. The modern-day legend achieved the feat when England were under severe pressure during the chase.
Before this Test series, Root needed only 75 runs to reach this special milestone. However, the right-handed batsman scored only nine runs in the opening Test at Lord’s and then scored 46 runs in the first innings of the second Test at the Oval.
Chasing a tough target of 463 in England’s fourth innings, Root managed to survive the tough sessions and then played a calm innings using his trademark timing and smart placement. At the time of stumps, Root remained unbeaten on 75 runs in 137 balls against the Kiwis at The Oval.
Root overtook Javed Miandad
With this innings, Root registered his name in the record books as the first batsman to score 2,000 Test runs against New Zealand. He reached the milestone in 44 innings and dominated the Blackcaps for years with remarkable consistency, scoring six centuries and nine half-centuries against them.
In the process, the Englishman broke the record of former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad, who had scored 1,919 runs against New Zealand in the traditional format of the game.
Joe Root achieved the incredible feat of 14,000 test runs
Additionally, Root also became only the second player in the history of Test cricket to cross 14,000 runs. However, Root reached the 14,000-run mark in his 302nd Test innings, while Sachin Tendulkar achieved the milestone in 279 innings.
The 36-year-old is now behind only Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar (15921) in the list of all-time leading run scorers in Test cricket. Joe now has 14073* runs in 302 innings.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is third in the all-time Test runs list with 13,378 runs. South Africa’s Jacques Kallis is at the fourth position with 13,289 runs, followed by Indian legend Rahul Dravid at the fifth position with 13,288 runs in the original format of the game.
You look up, and Joe Root has 14,000 Test runs. pic.twitter.com/6VRBYDNLRB
– England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 20, 2026
joe root’s test career
Since making his Test debut against India in 2012, Joe Root has been one of the most consistent batsmen in world cricket. He averages 50.77 in this format and has already scored 41 centuries and 66 fifties, making him one of the greatest Test batsmen of all time.
Well, England have five wickets in hand and now need 281 runs in 99 overs to win the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval. However, New Zealand would like to finish the match on the final day to level the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand.