Joe Root has just reached a new milestone in Test cricket. Now the England cricket team captain has equalled Sachin Tendulkar's record of 68 Test fifties.
Joe Root made this record with a knock of 66 runs against Pakistan at Headingley and the comparison between Joe Root and Sachin Tendulkar is quite striking.
While Sachin Tendulkar made the most Test 50s in 200 matches, Joe reached this record in just 163 Test matches.
How Did Joe Root Reach His 68th Test Fifty?
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Detail
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Information
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Match
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England vs Pakistan, 1st Test
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Venue
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Headingley, Leeds
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Date
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August 20, 2026
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Innings
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66 runs off 112 balls
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Boundaries
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10 fours
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Day of match
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Day 2
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Result of dismissal
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Bowled by Khurram Shahzad
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Joe Root vs Sachin Tendulkar: 68 Test Fifties
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Statistic
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Joe Root
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Sachin Tendulkar
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Total Test fifties
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68
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68
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Tests played to reach 68 fifties
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Around 163
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200
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Innings taken
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305
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329
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Still playing Tests
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Yes
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No (retired)
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Joe Root's Test Career Stats
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Category
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Joe Root
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Total Tests
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163+
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Total runs
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Around 14,180
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Centuries
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41
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Fifties
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68
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Highest score
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262
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Rank in all-time Test run scorers
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2nd
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Joe Root vs Sachin Tendulkar: Test Records Compared
Sachin Tendulkar still holds the record for most Test runs and most Test centuries. Here is a brief comparison of Joe Root and Sachin Tendulkar in terms of Test match format:
Related Stories
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Record
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Joe Root
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Sachin Tendulkar
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Test matches
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163+
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200
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Test runs
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Around 14,180
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15,921
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Test centuries
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41
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51
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Test fifties
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68
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68
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Batting average
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50.89
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53.78
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Highest score
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262
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248*
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Can Joe Root Break Sachin Tendulkar's Record?
Joe Root now needs just one more Test match fifty so that he can surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record. This could happen very soon since he is still an active player.
It is hard to say exactly when he will break the record. It depends on how many more fifties he scores in his coming innings. Cricket fans will be watching closely during this series against Pakistan and beyond.
Along with the fifties, Joe will also keep adding centuries and overall runs and he is already the second-highest run scorer in Test history. If he continues playing at this level then he could easily challenge more of Tendulkar's long-standing records.