Are left-handers really better, and when will Root pass Tendulkar's run record?

BBC Sport has launched a new feature, Ask CricViz, in which statisticians answer reader-submitted questions about cricket, covering everything from bowling data to historic batting records.

Root's chase for Tendulkar's record

England batter Joe Root currently has 14,180 Test runs, trailing Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record of 15,921 by 1,741 runs. Since the start of 2024, Root has averaged 47.6 runs per innings. At that rate, CricViz estimates he will need roughly 37 more innings, or about 20 Test matches, to overtake Tendulkar. England have 14 to 15 Tests scheduled before the end of next summer, including matches against Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh and a one-off anniversary Test against Australia.

Left-handers hold a statistical edge

Asked whether left-handed batters genuinely perform better than right-handers, CricViz confirmed the trend holds up: across all three international formats, in both men's and women's cricket, top-order left-handed batters have a higher batting average than their right-handed counterparts.

Other notable findings

The feature also highlights bowler Josh Tongue, who has taken wickets in two consecutive balls four times in his career without ever completing a hat-trick — a rare feat, given only 3.2% of such instances in Test history have been converted into hat-tricks. Elsewhere, Joe Root's partnership with Jordan Cox marked his 45th different partner with whom he has shared a stand of 50 runs or more, matching West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul for the most in Test history.