Ricky Ponting is convinced there is ‘absolutely no reason’ why Joe Root cannot surpass India's Sachin Tendulkar as Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer after the England star leapfrogged the Australian into second place on Friday.
Root, during a superb innings of exactly 150 in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, went from fifth to second in the all-time list, overtaking India's Rahul Dravid and South Africa's Jacques Kallis along the way.
On another landmark day, the 34-year-old Root then completed his 38th Test hundred to join Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara in fourth place in that line-up.
Root then eclipsed former Australia captain Ponting's mark of 13,378 runs when he reached 120 to the audible delight of a packed crowd at Old Trafford who gave him a standing ovation.
By the time he was eventually dismissed, Root's tally stood at 13,409 runs, with the ongoing match in Manchester his 157th Test.
The retired Tendulkar remains way ahead on 15,921 runs but Ponting believes the fact Root has scored 25 centuries since turning 30 is proof his desire for runs remains undimmed.
‘Congratulations Joe Root,’ Ponting told Sky Sports. ‘A magnificent moment in history. Second on the table. Just the one more to go now.
‘About two-and-a-half-thousand runs behind, but the way his career's gone over the last four or five years there's absolutely no reason why (he cannot be number one).’
Ponting also hailed Root's ‘mental capacity’, with the 50-year-old adding: ‘He still has that hunger and desire to continue to find ways to improve and get better. Trust me, that doesn't get easier the older you get.’
Root's latest century powered England, 2-1 up in the five-match series with India, to 544-7 at stumps on the third day, a first-innings lead of 186.
Ollie Pope, who made 71 and helped Root add 144 for the third wicket, was as adamant as Ponting about the former England captain's prospects of breaking Tendulkar's record.
‘He loves playing for England in Test cricket more than anything so I'm sure if his body allows... he'll obviously be driven to make it to number one,’ said Pope.
England's vice-captain also expects Root to continue his fine form in both next week's series finale at the Oval and the subsequent Ashes campaign in Australia where, in a rare blemish on his record, the Yorkshireman has yet to make a Test century.
‘It's just a ridiculous number of hundreds (since turning 30) and I'm sure he's hungry to get many more, especially in the next six games,’ Pope added.
Root's largely classical approach to batting has often been different from the all-out aggression synonymous with England in their 'Bazball' era under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
But Pope reckons the way England have performed in the India series is evidence they can vary their game when required.
‘I think had we not played with our brains as well then we might not be 2-1 up in the series at the minute,’ he said.
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