Most runs in Test cricket

We look at the players who have scored the most runs in Test cricket after Joe Root surpassed the 12,000 milestone and moved ahead of the great Brian Lara in the all-time Test run chart.

Most runs in Test cricket

Root became only the second England batter in Test history to reach the milestone of 12,000 runs following an excellent hundred in the World Test Championship match against the West Indies at Edgbaston.

The century, which was Root's 33rd in Test cricket, saw him move above Lara and into seventh in the all-time table.

India's star batsman Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in Test matches having finished his career with an astonishing total of 15,921, which is 2,543 runs clear of Australia's Ricky Ponting in second.

Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka boasts the best Test average of those that have achieved 12,000 runs or more in Test cricket, averaging 57.40 across 134 matches.

The only active player currently in the top 10, Root's strike rate of 56.71 is only bettered by Lara and Ponting.

Lara's 400 not out against England in 2004 remains the highest individual score in a Test match.

Jaquob Crooke

• England Men's Cricket Team
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