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Root surpasses Cook as leading England run-scorer in test cricket. His next big target is Tendulkar

Sport

Root surpasses Cook as leading England run-scorer in test cricket. His next big target is Tendulkar
Sport

Sport

Root surpasses Cook as leading England run-scorer in test cricket. His next big target is Tendulkar

2024-10-09 18:31 Last Updated At:18:40

With an exquisite straight drive for four, Joe Root took another of Alastair Cook's records by becoming England’s highest run-scorer in test cricket.

Root surpassed the retired Cook’s total of 12,472 runs by reaching 71 during England's first innings on Day 3 of the first test against Pakistan on Wednesday.

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England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by Ben Stokes as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by Ben Stokes as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, right, chat with Ben Duckett as they walk off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, right, chat with Ben Duckett as they walk off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by James Anderson as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by James Anderson as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Zak Crawley, left, and and Joe Root walk off the field on the end of the second day game of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Zak Crawley, left, and and Joe Root walk off the field on the end of the second day game of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Ben Duckett, left, and Joe Root bumps their fists to celebrate their hundred runs partnership during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Ben Duckett, left, and Joe Root bumps their fists to celebrate their hundred runs partnership during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root celebrates after scoring fifty during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root celebrates after scoring fifty during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

The 33-year-old Root moved to fifth place on the all-time list of test run-scorers, behind India's Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Australia's Ricky Ponting (13,378), South Africa's Jacques Kallis (13,289) and India's Rahul Dravid (13,288). All four above Root are retired and within reach of a batter who said ahead of the tour to Pakistan: “I see myself playing test cricket for a lot longer."

“There are other geniuses who can play genius innings. But Root is a genius with consistency,” said Cook, who was commentating on the match for BBC radio when his record was taken by Root.

Root, who is technically excellent and owns pretty much all the shots, overtook Cook’s record of 33 test centuries by an England batter last month when he made hundreds in both innings against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. On Wednesday, he went on to reach his 35th test hundred — and first in Pakistan — and lies sixth on the all-time list of century-makers.

“I’ve never seen that hunger, determination or relentlessness in anyone’s batting really,” Cook said of Root. “He does that in an elegant way.”

Ben Stokes, the England test captain who is sitting out the first match of the series because of injury, praised Root’s character and achievement in a video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“The selflessness that he has is an incredible attribute for him,” Stokes said. “He always puts the team first, and the fact that he’s got so many runs is just a bonus for us. He’s an incredible player. It’s going to take a long, long time for someone to come in and break that record. Just a great bloke. And an unbelievable feat to score that many runs.

“But the non-selfishness that he possesses is one thing I think sets him above or sets him apart from anybody else who is going to play for England for a long time.”

Root waved to his teammates soon after reaching the milestone before he raised his bat in acknowledgement. He shook hands with Stokes and bowling mentor James Anderson as he walked off the field at the lunch break, shortly after moving above Cook's total of test runs.

Root is playing in his 147th test and came into the Pakistan series averaging more than 50, whereas Cook made 161 test appearances and batted in 291 innings, averaging 45.35.

They are England’s third and fourth most-capped players, behind now-retired fast bowlers Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Root has more runs against India than any other opposition — 2,846 in 30 tests. Next is Australia, against whom he has 2,428 in 34 tests, while his best average is against Sri Lanka at 62.54.

Root was England captain from 2017-22. He averaged 52.80 before the captaincy, 46.45 during it, and he is back to his prior level since standing down.

The most prolific year of his test career was in 2021, when he scored 1,708 runs. He has passed 1,000 runs in a year five times.

He has settled at No. 4 in England's batting order and demonstrated during the recent summer tests against the West Indies and Sri Lanka that he has slightly reined in the bold and occasionally reckless approach he and his England teammates adopted early in the so-called “Bazball” era under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.

Those risky ramp shots and reverse scoops are mostly gone — though he still got himself out attempting one against the Sri Lankans at Lord's — and he is harder to dismiss for it.

Root's next big target is displacing Tendulkar — the “Little Master” — atop the all-time list and, injury permitting, he has a good chance of doing so.

“You could say Sachin is still the favorite, but just,” Cook said.

AP Sports Writer Rizwan Ali in Islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this story.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by Ben Stokes as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by Ben Stokes as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, right, chat with Ben Duckett as they walk off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, right, chat with Ben Duckett as they walk off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by James Anderson as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root, left, who is now England's leading test run-scorer. is congratulated by James Anderson as he walks off the field on the lunch break during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Zak Crawley, left, and and Joe Root walk off the field on the end of the second day game of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Zak Crawley, left, and and Joe Root walk off the field on the end of the second day game of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Ben Duckett, left, and Joe Root bumps their fists to celebrate their hundred runs partnership during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Ben Duckett, left, and Joe Root bumps their fists to celebrate their hundred runs partnership during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root celebrates after scoring fifty during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root celebrates after scoring fifty during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the third day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has had few defenders in Congress as reliable as Matt Gaetz, who has thundered at one prosecutor after another for perceived bias against the president-elect and emphatically amplified the Republican's rallying cry that the criminal investigations into him are “witch hunts.”

That kinship was rewarded Wednesday when Trump named Gaetz as his pick for attorney general, turning to a conservative loyalist in place of more established lawyers who'd been seen as contenders.

In announcing his selection of Gaetz as attorney general and John Ratcliffe a day earlier as CIA director, Trump underscored the premium he places on loyalty, citing both men's support for him during the Russia investigation as central to their qualifications and signaling his expectation that leaders in his administration should function not only as a president's protector but also as an instrument of retribution.

The dynamic matters at a time when Trump, who will enter office in the wake of two federal indictments expected to soon evaporate and a Supreme Court opinion blessing a president's exclusive authority over the Justice Department, has threatened to pursue retaliation against perceived adversaries.

“Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the department to its true mission of fighting Crime, and upholding our Democracy and Constitution. We must have Honesty, Integrity, and Transparency at DOJ,” Trump wrote in a social media post about Gaetz, a Florida Republican.

The rhetoric from Trump reflects an about-face in approach from President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly taken a hands-off approach from the Justice Department even while facing a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified information and as his son, Hunter, was indicted and convicted on tax and gun charges.

Democrats immediately sounded the alarm, with Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying Gaetz “would be a disaster” in part because of Trump's threat to use the Justice Department “to seek revenge on his political enemies.” The president of Common Cause, a good government group, called the selection “shocking" and “a serious threat to the fair and equal enforcement of the law in our nation.” Even several Senate Republicans expressed concern about the Gaetz pick.

That Trump would openly value Gaetz's role in “defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization” is not altogether surprising. In his first term, Trump fired an FBI director who refused to pledge loyalty to him at a private White House dinner and an attorney general who recused himself from the Justice Department's investigation into potential ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.

“I think this selection indicates that President-elect Trump was looking for an attorney general whose views were closely aligned with him with respect to the appropriate role of the Department of Justice,” said former federal prosecutor Robert Mintz.

Ratcliffe, who served as Trump's director of national intelligence in the final months of his first term, rose to prominence on Capitol Hill as a staunch defender of Trump. He was a member of Trump's advisory team during his first impeachment hearings in 2019 and pointedly grilled multiple witnesses about the Russia investigation — including an FBI agent who led the inquiry but also traded anti-Trump text messages with a colleague.

That work was credited by Trump in his selection announcement, as he praised Ratcliffe for “exposing fake Russian collusion” and having “been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public.”

Gaetz would be the first attorney general in decades without Justice Department experience, and in recent years became embroiled himself in a federal sex trafficking investigation that ended without criminal charges.

Hours before the announcement, Gaetz said in a social media post that there needs to be a “full court press against this WEAPONIZED government that has been turned against our people.” He added: “And if that means ABOLISHING every one of the three letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I’m ready to get going!” If confirmed as attorney general, he would oversee both the FBI and the ATF.

Advancing the theme of vengeance, billionaire Trump supporter Elon Musk weighed in on the Gaetz appointment with a post that said: “The Hammer of Justice is coming.”

Gaetz has used the seat in Congress he first won in 2016 to rail against the Justice Department, repeatedly decrying what he — and Trump — contends is a criminal justice system biased against conservatives. He has blasted law enforcement officials he has perceived as being either overtly anti-Trump or ineffective in protecting Trump's interests.

When Robert Mueller visited Capitol Hill to discuss the findings of the Russia investigation, Gaetz condemned the prosecutor for leading a team that the congressman said was “so biased.” The Trump Justice Department appointed a special prosecutor, John Durham, to examine errors in the Russia investigation, but Gaetz scolded Durham too for failing to uncover enough damaging information about the FBI's inquiry into Trump.

“For the people like the (committee) chairman who put trust in you, I think you let them down. I think you let the country down. You are one of the barriers to the true accountability that we need,” Gaetz said.

He's directed outright fury at FBI Director Christopher Wray, snapping at him last year that FBI applicants in Florida “deserve better than you” and at the current attorney general, Merrick Garland. In 2022, Garland appointed special counsel Jack Smith to investigate Trump's hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Both investigations ended in indictments expected to wind down before Trump takes office. Smith, too, is also likely to be gone by the time Gaetz arrives and a new FBI director is also expected to be appointed given Trump's lingering discontent with Wray, his own appointee.

“None of us can predict exactly what will happen there,” said Ryan Fayhee, a former Justice Department national security prosecutor.

He added: “I think it's just more of a question of the department continuing to be independent and largely resting on the broad shoulders of the career prosecutors and agents that have held themselves to the highest standards.”

FILE - Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe waits to board Marine One with President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

FILE - Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe waits to board Marine One with President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

FILE - Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)

FILE - Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)

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