'Now Sachin should watch out': Vaughan names player who can break Tendulkar's record

Former England captain Michael Vaughan feels his compatriot Joe Root could surpass the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in Test cricket. Root became the 14th player in the world to reach 10,000 Test runs during the first Test match against New Zealand at Lord's on Sunday. Root became only the second Englishman to achieve the milestone after Sir Alastair Cook. Following Root's remarkable achievement, Vaughan tipped the 31-year-old to break Sachin's record. 

Root is still 31 years old and according to Vaughan, has plenty of cricket left in him. Vaughan believes that if Root plays for another 8-9 years, he will be able to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most Test runs. Root is currently 5,906 runs away from breaking Sachin's record of 15,921 runs in the longest format of the game. Root has played 118 Test matches so far and has scored 10,015 runs at an average of 49.57. He has 26 centuries and 53 half-centuries to his name. 

"Joe Root is England's best ever - now Sachin Tendulkar should watch out. For me Joe Root stands alongside Graham Gooch as England's greatest batsmen and the way he is going he could surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs. He is still 6000 short of Sachin’s total but he is only 31 and if James Anderson can play until he is 40 then I think Joe can too. He loves batting that much. He is driven. He is a cricket badger. You have to have it in you to wake up every morning and think about batting," Vaughan wrote for The Daily Telegraph. 

Mark Taylor backs Root to break Sachin's record

Earlier, former Australian captain Mark Taylor backed Root to break Sachin's record for most Test runs. Taylor, while speaking to Sky Sports after the first Test match between England and New Zealand, said Root has a minimum of five years of cricket left in him and if he plays well, he will be able to break Sachin's record. 

Mel Jones, a former Australian women's cricketer, has also supported Root to break Sachin's Test record. Root, according to Jones, may score 16,000-17,000 runs in the longest format. Sachin's record is attainable for Root, according to Jones, because he is no longer the captain of the England team and doesn't have the added responsibility.

Image: Instagram/@michaelvaughan/@sachintendulkar