Former England captain Michael Vaughan has sparked a controversy with his recent comments about the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sachin Tendulkar’s Test run record. Vaughan believes that the BCCI would not want any English player, especially Joe Root, to break Tendulkar’s record for the highest number of Test runs.
Joe Root, currently in phenomenal form, has amassed 12,377 Test runs at an impressive average of 50. The 33-year-old is only 3,545 runs away from surpassing Tendulkar’s record of 15,921 Test runs. Root’s consistency has raised hopes that he might one day become the highest run-scorer in Test cricket.
Vaughan’s Bold Claim
Michael Vaughan did not hold back in his statement, accusing the BCCI of wanting to keep Indian players at the top of cricket’s history books. Vaughan suggested that if Root comes close to breaking Sachin’s record, the Indian cricket board might not support it. He remarked that it would be historic for cricket if Root surpasses Tendulkar, but he feels that the Indian board would prefer an Indian player to remain at the top.
The Kohli vs Root Debate
The discussion on Root’s chances of breaking Sachin’s record soon led to a debate over who is currently the better Test batsman—Joe Root or India’s Virat Kohli. This debate recently came to the fore in a podcast by Club Prairie Fire, featuring Australian legend Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan. While Vaughan praised Root for being a better Test player than Kohli, Gilchrist disagreed.
Gilchrist, a firm believer in Kohli’s abilities, argued that while Root has shined in recent times, Kohli’s performances on foreign soil, including his century in Perth, make him the superior player. Vaughan countered this by saying Root would soon score centuries in Australia and that his overall record is better than Kohli’s in Tests.
Root’s Journey Towards Sachin’s Record
Root has been in spectacular form, especially over the last three years, scoring 17 Test centuries during this period. In comparison, Virat Kohli has struggled in the same period, managing only two centuries. This statistic has further fueled the debate over Root’s chances of surpassing Tendulkar’s record.
Root has so far played 145 Test matches, scoring 12,377 runs with 34 centuries. In comparison, Kohli has 8,848 runs in 113 matches with 29 centuries. While Root is significantly closer to Tendulkar’s record, the comparison between the two remains a hot topic among cricket experts and fans.
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Gilchrist’s View on Kohli
Gilchrist emphasized that while Root has had an outstanding career, his inability to score a century in Australia remains a weak point. In contrast, Kohli has scored centuries across major cricketing nations, including Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand. Gilchrist argued that this ability to perform on foreign soil gives Kohli the edge over Root in the overall comparison.
Who Will Come Out on Top?
As things stand, Joe Root is the closest to surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s Test run record. However, the debate over whether Root or Kohli is the better player continues. While Root may be inching closer to Sachin’s record, the world of cricket will eagerly watch how this battle unfolds in the coming years.
