Root joins ‘10,000 club,’ only second England batsmenAFP, LONDONJoe Root on Sunday underlined his talent — which had long seemed obvious from early in his career — when he became just the second England batsman to score 10,000 Test runs during a match-winning hundred against New Zealand at Lord’s. Photo: ReutersNo wonder Ben Stokes, in his first match since succeeding Root as England captain, said afterward of his close friend: “‘Mr Dependable,’ Joe Root, stood up. Scoring a hundred and 10,000 runs — what a player and what a man.”Root, an orthodox ‘touch’ batsman rather than a power hitter, made his mark playing for the same Sheffield Collegiate club as another former England captain, Michael Vaughan. However, there was a dip in Australia — where Root has still to score a Test century — as he lost form along with several teammates, as England were whitewashed during the 2013-2014 Ashes. Root succeeded Alastair Cook — the only other England batsman to have scored 10,000 Test runs — as captain in 2017.
