Alastair Cook has backed Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar's record to become the all time highest run scorer in Test cricket. Root surpassed Cook as he became England's top run getter in the red ball format.

Root is now placed fifth on the all-time list of Test run-scorers and is not far from Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 15921 runs. The English batter now has 35 centuries to his name and is certainly one of the greatest ever to have graced the cricket pitch.

Root's hundred in Multan happens to be his first against Pakistan. Babar Azam's team piled up a mammoth 556 runs on the board but Root's century has helped them to stay in the hunt as they will try to reduce the deficit.

On BBC's Test Match Special, Cook said, "I can see him overhauling Sachin Tendulkar's record.

"When I retired, I thought there was every chance that my record will be broken. I thought only the effects of captaincy and the hunger that takes out of you would stop him. I think the fact that Ben Stokes has taken over the captaincy has helped Root.

"You could say Sachin is still the favourite but just. All great players who played for a long time have been lucky with injuries. You just never know what's around the corner but it has to be something like it that could stop him.

"But I don't see that happening for Root to lose that hunger and ability to keep driving himself forward for the next couple of years."

England will play two more Test matches and Root is expected to bridge the gap with Sachin Tendulkar who is sitting at the top. The 33 year old still has a lot to play for and if he maintains his current form he can break Sachin's record.

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