Joe Root has reached 14,000 Test runs for England during the fourth-innings chase against New Zealand at The Oval. The landmark arrived on Saturday, 20 June 2026, with Root becoming only the second player in Test history to pass the mark, behind Sachin Tendulkar, as England attempted to survive or chase 463 in the second Test.
The moment gives England a rare bright point in a match New Zealand have controlled for long spells. Root went into the innings needing two runs for the milestone and reached it in front of a home crowd while standing in as England captain in Ben Stokes’ absence.
Root Milestone Lifts England Amid New Zealand Pressure
The wider match situation remains brutal for England. New Zealand made 391 in their first innings, England replied with 291, and the tourists then stretched the game away before setting a target that would require a record-breaking chase.
Root’s achievement still cuts through because of the company it places him in. Tendulkar’s 15,921 Test runs remain the all-time benchmark, but Root has now moved into territory no other England batter has reached. That makes the next phase of his career a live historical watch, not just another line in a scorecard.
According to a fresh update from talkSPORT, Root passed the milestone after entering the innings with the mark within immediate reach.
For England, the immediate job is still survival. For Root, it is another reminder that even in a difficult Test, his place among the game’s great run-makers keeps hardening.
