“It was a gorgeous shot to get there’- Michael Atherton on Joe Root becoming England’s leading run-getter in Test

Joe Root, the former captain of England, had an impossible assignment when he came into the bat with his team behind Pakistan’s first innings total of 556 after losing an early wicket. But he handled his middle years with the greatest skill. Root made full use of his innings as he rapidly settled into it and grabbed hold of everything that was loose.

In the penultimate ball of the 42nd over, Root produced a flawless cover drive to take his career total in Test cricket to 12,473 runs. This move moved him ahead of the great Alastair Cook to become his country’s highest run scorer in the format. Former England cricketer Michael Atherton expressed his satisfaction with Root’s discussion of the historic milestone in an interview with Sky Sports.

“I was ecstatic to see that he succeeded with a traditional Root-style shot. When you envision the finest of Root, you probably picture a back-foo punch or a sprint to the third man, but his execution of those propels the ball down the pitch. The shot to get there was breathtaking. What a beautiful moment,” Atherton said.

He is among, if not the best, player we have ever had: Michael Atherton

The former cricket player turned pundit also recalled Root’s 2012 debut against India, acknowledging that ever then, he had a hunch that Root might develop into one of England’s best players.

“Twelve outstanding years. That’s precisely what has happened. This is going to be one of our greats, I thought to myself while I was in Nagpur, but you still have to accomplish it. Potential must be translated into performance, and it is difficult to recall a period when his form declined. Over the years, he has demonstrated unwavering consistency in a most appealing manner. He truly is a champion. He’s among our best players, if not our best player ever,” Atherton continued.

Also Read: Long time for someone to break Joe Root’s Test record: Ben Stokes

Later on in the day, Root notched up his 35th Test tonne in Tests with success. In the process, he outperformed (in terms of Test centuries) players like Younis Khan, Mahela Jayawardene, Brian Lara, and Sunil Gavaskar.