Tendulkar Praises Root, Proposes Two-Innings ODI
Sachin Tendulkar lauded Joe Root during a Reddit AMA and floated splitting one-day cricket into two 25-over innings per side.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Tennis
Sachin Tendulkar praised Joe Root during a Reddit Ask Me Anything session held on Tuesday, naming him among his favourite non-Indian batters. Tendulkar also proposed restructuring 50-over ODI cricket into two 25-over innings per team.
Why it matters
Root has accumulated 14,278 Test runs and sits 1,643 short of Tendulkar's retired Test record of 15,921. Tendulkar's comments draw a direct comparison between the two batters while his format proposal offers a new idea for one-day cricket.
Root has 14,278 Test runs from 169 matches, while Tendulkar retired with 15,921 from 200, leaving Root 1,643 runs short. It is not stated whether Root will close that gap or when.
The players
Sachin Tendulkar
Former Indian batter widely regarded as one of cricket's greatest, who retired from Test cricket with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.
Joe Root
England Test batter who has accumulated 14,278 Test runs in 169 matches and is closing in on Tendulkar's Test run record.
The details
During the AMA, Tendulkar answered a question about Root's pursuit of his record and named Harry Brook, Joe Root and Steve Smith as his favourite non-Indian batters. He also proposed a format in which each team bats two 25-over innings, with 10 wickets across the full 50 overs and a single ball used throughout.
Timeline
December 2012: Root made his Test debut against India in Nagpur, scoring 73 off 229 balls and remaining unbeaten on 20 in the second innings.
Tuesday: Tendulkar took part in the Reddit Ask Me Anything session.
Season Trajectory
Root's position of 1,643 runs behind Tendulkar's Test record frames his career as a live chase rather than a settled comparison. Tendulkar's ODI format proposal, by contrast, looks ahead to how the shorter game itself might be restructured.
Root's progress toward the 1,643-run gap will be tracked in future Test series statistics. Fantasy and cricket followers can monitor his run totals as the chase continues.
The takeaway
Tendulkar's comments reflect how legacy records and new format ideas can be discussed in the same conversation about the sport's future. Readers following cricket can watch both Root's career totals and any formal discussion of ODI format changes.
Further reading
Explore more Tennis coverage on Wisevoter for broader sports context.
