Joe Root entered another elite club on Tuesday, becoming the second-fastest batter in international cricket history to reach 23,000 runs during England’s first ODI against Sri Lanka in Durham.Root needed only three runs to reach the landmark and brought it up in typically stylish fashion, using his wrists to flick the ball away for a boundary. He reached the milestone in his 521st international innings, going past Sachin Tendulkar, who took 522 innings to get there. Virat Kohli remains the quickest, having reached 23,000 international runs in 490 innings.The 35-year-old became only the eighth batter and the first Englishman to reach 23,000 international runs. Kohli, Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are the other Indians on the list, alongside Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Australia’s Ricky Ponting and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis.Root’s latest milestone adds to a growing list of records in which he has overtaken Tendulkar, particularly in Test cricket. He recently surpassed the Indian great’s record for the most Test half-centuries.The biggest individual record in Root’s sights, however, remains Tendulkar’s mark for the most Test runs. Root currently has 14,278 Test runs, 1,643 behind Tendulkar’s 15,921. He is also 31 Tests short of Tendulkar’s record of 200 appearances in the format.With Root set to turn 36 in December, his numbers continue to underline his remarkable longevity. His ODI record, in particular, has often received less attention despite his sustained output.Before Tuesday’s match, Root had scored 7,826 runs in ODIs at an average of more than 51, including 20 centuries. He is already England’s leading run-scorer in the format.Root made 44 in Durham before being dismissed by Sri Lanka debutant Sachindu Colombage, who claimed 3-44. The leg-spinner, 28, used his unusual action and considerable drift to bowl Root for his first international wicket before later trapping Jos Buttler lbw.England went on to win by 89 runs, extending their dominance over Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket. Harry Brook top-scored with 67 while Will Jacks produced a match-winning all-round display, taking 5-22 after making an unbeaten 46 as England were bowled out for 265.Sri Lanka were dismissed for 176 on a slow, low surface, with Jacks completing his five-wicket haul as England secured the opening ODI after sweeping the preceding T20I series 3-0.
