England's Greatest Run-Scorer Is Chasing Sachin: Joe Root

In December 2012, Joe Root made his Test debut in Nagpur. It was the only Test match he ever played alongside Sachin Tendulkar, the man whose record of 15,921 Test runs has stood untouched ever since. Almost fourteen years later, England's greatest run-scorer is 1,644 runs from passing him, and he has just been named England captain for a second time. This documentary follows Root from the nets of Sheffield Collegiate to the top of England's all-time lists. It is also the story of a batsman once known mainly for the hundreds he didn't make. For years Root turned only about a quarter of his fifties into centuries, and the captaincy took a heavy toll on him. After he gave it up, he went on one of the most productive runs in modern Test cricket. You'll see why Tendulkar's record defeated Ponting, Kallis, Dravid and Cook. You'll see how England's crowded fixture list has changed the maths. And you'll see how Root's fifties went from his biggest weakness to a world record of their own. The film ends with an honest look at how many Tests remain, what his return to the captaincy could cost him, and when he could realistically get there. This channel makes long-form documentaries about the records, rivalries and people behind the stories that shaped their eras.