Joe Root's ‘cursed' stat challenging Sachin Tendulkar's legacy triggers Ravi Shastri's bold on-air claim
Root remained unbeaten on 11 at stumps on Day 2 at Old Trafford, taking his career tally to 13,270 runs in 157 Tests. He currently stands fifth on the all-time list, just 19 runs short of Rahul Dravid (13,288), 20 away from Jacques Kallis (13,289), and 109 behind Ricky Ponting (13,378).
While on commentary, Shastri pointed out that Root could rise to second place on the all-time list within two to three Tests. Despite the 2,651-run gap with Tendulkar's record of 15,921, Shastri felt the former England captain has age on his side—not just to surpass Tendulkar, but to finish with at least 3,000 runs more.
'Look at his age. Look at the number of matches. He's played 157. So you would imagine he would go past three ahead of him in almost three Test matches. And then he's got about 40 Test matches. Sachin has played 200 Tests. Root has played 160. He's still young. He has four years of cricket ahead of him. And what will separate him and Tendulkar will be around 3,000 runs. When you're hot, you're hot, and in the meantime, he has age on his side,' he said.
Former England captain Michael Atherton, who was in the commentary box alongside Shastri, revealed that Sky Sports statistician Benedict Bermange informed him that Joe Root has a 60.28% chance of surpassing Tendulkar— a stat that left him baffled.
'Benedict reliably informed me that he's got a 60.28% chance of beating Sachin Tendulkar. I don't know how he worked that out,' Atherton said.
This prompted a warning from Shastri, saying that the Indians, who are still awake watching the final session of Day 2 on television will not be happy hearing that stat.
Shastri said: 'I tell you that it won't be music to the ears of the Indians. It's just coming about to bedtime in India, and you've given us a stat—60.28.'
Artherton added: 'He'll be cursed. Millions of homes around Mumbai right now.'
The former England batter also reckoned that if Root manages to surpass Tendulkar, that number will likely remain invincible, given the changing dynamics of the sport, where fewer cricketers are opting to play Test cricket.
'Wherever Joe Root finishes, say, for example, he went past Sachin. I'm not so sure anybody will go past that just because of the nature of the way the game is going. People will play fewer Test matches, I would imagine, in the years to come,' he said.
Shastri agreed saying that this very thing will push Root to get to that mark. 'But that's what's going to drive him. He knows that. He will know that more than anybody else. The way the game is going, the three formats of the game,' he concluded.
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