Australia legend Ricky Ponting has thrown his weight behind Joe Root to eventually eclipse Sachin Tendulkar as the leading run-scorer in Test history, calling the England batter’s recent feat “a magnificent moment in history.”Root dazzled at Old Trafford, scoring a sublime 150 against India in the fourth Test of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. With that innings, Root moved past Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and finally Ponting himself to become the second-highest run-getter in Test history.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Root now has 13,409 runs from 157 Tests, only behind Tendulkar’s iconic 15,921. The crowd at Old Trafford gave the 34-year-old a standing ovation as he went past Ponting’s tally of 13,378.

Ponting, who was on-air for Sky Sports, was glowing in his praise: “Congratulations Joe Root. A magnificent moment in history. Second on the table. Just the one more to go now. About two-and-a-half-thousand runs behind, but the way his career’s gone over the last four or five years there’s absolutely no reason why he can’t be number one.”

The former Australia skipper emphasised Root’s incredible form post-30, noting: “To score 25 Test hundreds after turning 30 says everything about his mental capacity. He still has that hunger and desire to improve. That doesn’t get easier with age, but Root makes it look effortless.”Ponting also highlighted how Root’s batting remains unaffected by personal milestones: “He’s not someone obsessed with stats or numbers. Like most of us, when you’re playing, it’s about winning matches. But when he eventually retires, he’ll look back and be immensely proud. The volume, the consistency — it’s remarkable.”He further added context from his own career: “I didn’t even know how many runs I had when I finished. That wasn’t what motivated me, and it’s clear it’s the same for Joe. But it’s still a legacy. And if he keeps averaging 85 runs a game like he has, and plays another 20–30 Tests, then that Tendulkar mark is within reach.”Root’s latest hundred — his 38th in Tests — also puts him level with Kumar Sangakkara in the all-time hundreds list. England, leading the series 2-1, are in a commanding position, and Root’s masterclass might prove decisive again.