'If Joe Root Can't Break Tendulkar's Record, Then...': Ex-India WK Makes Bold Claim
Parthiv Patel believes Joe Root is the only one who can break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in Test history.
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel believes that if Joe Root fails to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in Test history, then future contenders will have it 'very difficult' to come close to it.
Patel was asked on a Star Sports show, rather light-heartedly, if Root should do a Wiaan Mulder and 'retire' before breaking Tendulkar's record as a mark of respect. Patel laughed it out and rejected the idea, saying he didn't agree with Mulder then and won't want Root to do such a thing either.
Root went past Rahul Dravid, Jaques Kaalis and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in the format with his 150 (248) against India in the ongoing fourth Test at Old Trafford. It took his tally to 13,409, only 2512 behind Tendulkar's.
'He should not do that at all," Patel said. 'I don't agree with what Mulder did at all because when that record was broken (before Lara), it was Matthew Hayden against Zimbabwe in Perth. He didn't say no at the time. If you are in that position, then why not? Joe Root is the only one who has come close to the record. Earlier, people used to talk about how records are meant to be broken," he added.
'But realistically, if anyone can challenge this record, it is Joe Root. If he can't do it, it'll be even more difficult because Test cricket isn't played as much now, and no one is even close to that amount of runs. If that 15,921 has to be surpassed, it'll have to be Joe Root; otherwise, it'll become very difficult," Patel said.
South African all-rounder Mulder was at 367 against Zimbabwe, just 34 runs behind Brian Lara's all-time high score of 400. Despite being the stand-in captain in that match, he decided to declare the Proteas' innings to keep Lara's record intact after discussions with head coach Shukri Conrad.
Later, Mulder revealed that Lara had reached out to him and said that he should have gone for it, adding that if put into that situation again, he would probably make a different decision.
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