The 77th edition of the SJA British Sports Awards – the longest-established awards of their kind in Britain – will take place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025; for the second consecutive year, the Awards will be announced live on Sky Sports News; SJA members voted to decide the big three prizes on offer; our SJA Academy members are making their cases for the awards…
By OLIVER WHITMORE
Turning up to a cricket match to hear ‘ROOOOOOOOOT’ billowing around England’s most iconic cricket grounds has been customary for a while now.
But this year, Joe Root reached an even higher high in his 157th Test match, taking his impressive haul to 13,409 runs to become the second leading run-getter in Test cricket history.
In the process, he overtook Australia’s Ricky Ponting, who said Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921 runs from 200 Tests is far from safe.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “Elegant, stylish, hungry, every term that you want to use.
He has made himself well and truly at home on such high-pressure ovals, notching more than 1,000 runs at both Old Trafford and Lord’s throughout his illustrious career.
So much so that his 150-run knock on the third day of England’s 4th Test against India back in July broke three other records too.
He now has the fourth most Test hundreds, the most hundreds in home Tests as well as the most in home Tests against a single opponent.
Root’s performances have been impossible to ignore, even for his Australian counterparts.
Former Australian Test captain Steven Smith simply described him as one of the world’s most in-form batters.
“He’s a terrific player,” Smith told Fox Sports. “He’s batted well in all conditions, puts the bowler under pressure, scores in awkward areas around the ground.”
Root’s impressive averages of 63 in Tests and 71 in ODIs this year are all the proof you need.
Also a standout performer every year in the Hundred, his faultless 64-not-out chase helped Trent Rockets to overcome a major scare against Welsh Fire and book their place in the knockouts.
The Rockets were chasing a target of 151 set by their opponents and looked untouchable at 116-2 with 25 balls remaining, shortly before losing five wickets for 20 runs. Yet Root – the most composed head on the field – made a mockery of the threat of falling short.
Despite losing to Oval Invincibles in the final, they might not have been there at all without their starman up to bat.
But his humility has shone through the success.
Speaking to Sky Sports on his Test achievement, he spoke little of his own achievement and lauded his fellow leading run-getters.
He said: “The names on that list are all people I would try and be in the garden, in the street, on the driveway at my local club.”
It’s safe to say he’s managed that, and then some.
Oliver Whitmore is a member of the SJA Academy for media professionals starting their careers. Click here to join.