Joe Root not just scored his 38th Test century against India during the fourth Test of the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester on Friday (July 25) by going past Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting to become Test cricket's second-highest run-getter in history.

Ponting was on air when Root broke his record of 13378 runs alongside ex-Indian head coach Ravi Shastri. The ex-Australian captain was at his classy best and congratulated the English batting talisman.

"Congratulations, Joe Root. Second on the table. 120 not-out. A knowledgeable crowd here at Old Trafford. All stand as one. They witness a moment in history. Just the one more to go now. Just about 2500 behind, but the way his career is going for last 4-5 years, no reason why not," said Ponting.

Root is now just behind Sachin Tendulkar in the 148-year-old history of the longest format in the list of players with most runs. Tendulkar, who played 200 Tests in his career, finished with a remarkable tally of 15921 runs and 51 centuries. For years, it was assumed that the record would stand the test of time, but Root has become a realistic threat to the record and is just about 2000 runs away. At the age of 34, with England playing a healthy amount of Tests, there is reason to believe he will take Tendulkar's throne.

Root also now has the joint-fourth most Test centuries and is behind only Ponting, Kallis, and Tendulkar on the list with 38 centuries.

As far as Ponting is concerned, he played 168 matches in which 77 were as captain. The Australian cricket legend made 13378 runs with an average of 51.85, with 41 centuries.

Meanwhile, Kallis had 13289 runs with 45 centuries at an average of 55.37 in 166 matches. Dravid made 13288 runs with an average of 52.31 and made 36 centuries.