Leeds: England batter Joe Root is closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in Test cricket, but before beginning his own remarkable international career, Root was among the young fans who watched the India legend in action at Headingley.

Root currently has 14,278 Test runs, leaving him 1,643 runs short of Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921. The England batter recently also surpassed Tendulkar as the second-fastest player to reach 23,000 international runs across formats.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Root recalled his first memory of watching a Test match at Headingley, a decade before he made his England debut against India.

Root remembers India’s batting dominance

Root’s first experience of watching Test cricket at Headingley came when he attended the venue with his local cricket club.

India dominated the match, with Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly scoring centuries as the visitors piled up more than 600 runs before completing an innings victory over England.

Recalling the match, Root said he spent most of the day watching India’s batting.

“India won the toss and batted first, and I watched one wicket all day. It was Rahul Dravid (148) and Sourav Ganguly (128) who got a boatload of runs, and that’s one where Sachin got, I don’t know how much,” Root recalled.

The England batter’s recollection captures an early encounter with several of India’s most celebrated batters, including Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly.

A childhood cricket experience at Headingley

Root revealed that he attended the match as part of the Under-11 group from Rotherham Town, his local cricket club.

For the young Root, the visit provided an opportunity to watch international cricket at close quarters and see some of the game’s biggest names playing in England.

“It was a tough toil for the England bowlers, but that was my first experience of coming here with a local cricket club. It was with Rotherham Town, actually. And they took the Under 11s out to watch the game, and it was a great experience,” he said.

More than two decades later, Root has established himself as one of England’s most prolific Test batters and is now within sight of Tendulkar’s long-standing record.

Root closing in on Tendulkar’s Test record

Root’s current tally of 14,278 Test runs places him second on the all-time list behind Tendulkar.

The England batter needs another 1,643 runs to move past the former India captain and take the record for most Test runs.

Root recently became only the eighth batter in international cricket history to cross the 23,000-run mark across formats. He is also the first England player to reach the landmark.

India’s Virat Kohli is the fastest batter to 23,000 international runs, while Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Australia’s Ricky Ponting, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and India’s Rahul Dravid are among the other players to have reached the mark.

Root’s achievement further underlines the scale and longevity of his international career.

Root now England’s Test captain

Root’s pursuit of Tendulkar’s record comes at another significant stage of his career.

He recently took charge of England’s Test side again following Ben Stokes’ retirement.

The leadership responsibility adds another chapter to a career in which Root has already established himself as one of England’s leading Test run-scorers.

His latest challenge is therefore not only to continue contributing as England’s captain and batter but also to close the remaining gap to Tendulkar’s record.

Root among the most experienced Test players

Root is also third on the list of the most capped Test players.

Only Tendulkar, with 200 Test appearances, and former England teammate James Anderson, with 188, have played more Tests than Root.

The comparison with Tendulkar therefore extends beyond runs. Root is now approaching the career milestones of a player whose longevity and consistency defined an era of international cricket.

For Root, the journey has an added personal connection because one of his earliest memories of Test cricket involved watching Tendulkar and other India greats dominate at the very venue where his own international career would later develop.

As Root continues to chase Tendulkar’s Test run record, that childhood memory at Headingley offers a reminder of how dramatically his cricketing journey has evolved.