JOE ROOT BECOMES ENGLAND'S RECORD TEST RUN-SCORER, SURPASSING SIR ALASTAIR COOK'S TOTAL OF 12,472 RUNS

Joe Root arrived in Adelaide a cherubic teenage boy, but left a man and his career took off shortly afterwards (Getty 2017)

Joe Root is now in fifth position on Test cricket's all-time list of run-scorers after he became England's record holder by surpassing Sir Alastair Cook's total. Root achieved the impressive feat during day three of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan. The Yorkshire player - who made his Test debut in 2012 - has also captained the side on a record 64 occasions.

Joe Root has become England’s all-time record run-scorer in Test cricket.

He surpassed Sir Alastair Cook’s tally of 12,472 runs on day three of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan.

Root achieved the feat by hitting a straight drive past bowler Aamir Jamal for four.

The Yorkshire player has reached the impressive milestone in 14 Tests fewer than it took Cook to get to the total he ended his career with.

Root made his Test debut in December 2012, when he scored 73 in his first innings against India.

He has gone on to hit 34 centuries in the format, with the first of those coming against New Zealand in 2013.

Root’s highest Test match score to date is 254, which he hit against Pakistan in 2016 at Old Trafford. That is one of the five times he has reached a double century.

The former England captain - who has led his country in 64 Tests - is now fifth on the all-time list of run-scorers in the format.

India’s legendary Sachin Tendulkar tops the list with 15,921 runs, ahead of Australia’s Ricky Ponting, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and India’s Rahul Dravid, who complete the top four.

With Dravid on 13,288 runs, Root will no doubt be aiming to chase him down too.

- LEWIS MASON