Joe Root has moved into third place on the list of most-capped players in Test cricket history.
The England batter achieved the milestone during the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston. Root had previously been level with Australian legends Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh on 168 Test appearances.
His appearance in the Edgbaston Test took him to 169 matches. He now stands alone in third place on the all-time list.
Joe Root Joins Elite Test Cricket List
Sachin Tendulkar remains the most-capped player in Test history. The former India batter played 200 Tests during his international career from 1989 to 2013.
England great James Anderson is second with 188 Test appearances. Anderson retired from international cricket in 2024.
Root has now moved ahead of Ponting and Waugh, who both finished their careers with 168 Tests.
The milestone adds to an already remarkable Test career for Root. Before the Edgbaston match, he had scored 14,208 runs in 168 Tests. He had an average of 50.38.
Root has also hit 41 centuries and 68 half-centuries. His highest Test score is 262.
He is currently the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket. Only Tendulkar has scored more runs in the format.
Root has also made an impact with the ball. He has taken 74 Test wickets during his career.
The 35-year-old is also England’s Test captain. He first held the role from 2017 to 2022. He was appointed captain again in 2026.
Root entered the third Test after scoring one half-century in the first two matches of the Pakistan series. He was still waiting for his first century of the series.
England had already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series before the Edgbaston Test.
Root’s latest appearance further underlines his status as one of England’s greatest Test cricketers.
