5880 runs more: Sunil Gavaskar backs Alastair Cook to break Sachin Tendulkar's Test record

New Delhi: Sachin Tendulkar's records are no more safe. Two days ago, Alastair Cook became the youngest player to score 10,000 Test runs, breaking the Indian batting great's record.

The England captain remained unbeaten on 47 during Three Lions' nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Durham to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

In the process, he eclipsed the long standing record, beating by more than five months. Cook was 31 years and 157 days.

He also became the 12th player in history to score 10,000 Test runs, and the first Englishman to achieve the feat.

And he needs another 5879 runs to become the all-time leading scorer, which is of course, in the name of Tendulkar. Huge runs.

But another Indian great Sunil Gavaskar feels that the right-handed England batsman can outscore Tendulkar.

"Cook can break Tendulkar`s record of Test runs. He has age on his side and England play more Tests," Gavaskar told NDTV.

"Given the number of Tests England play every year and if Cook can hold on to his form in the next seven years, he can surpass Tendulkar," he added.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma also predicted the Indian Test captain to break Tendulkar's records.

But, despite their impeccable forms, it will take herculean task for both the talented batsmen to even match Tendulkar's Test records.

In the aspect, Cook has got a better shot with England playing more Test matches. For Kohli, who has emerged as possibly the greatest limited overs' batsman, will need to convert his ODI and T20I form into Tests.

Cook has 11021 runs in 229 innings with 28 hundreds, while Kohli has 2994 runs in 72 innings with 11 tons.