Joe Root, already one of the modern greats with the bat, added another golden chapter to his Test career—this time in the field. On a sunlit Day 2 of the third Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Lord’s, Root etched his name in the record books as the most successful outfielder in Test cricket history, going past Rahul Dravid’s long-standing tally of 210 catches.
IND Vs ENG, 3rd Test: Joe Root Surpasses Rahul Dravid For Most Outfield Catches
IND Vs ENG, 3rd Test: The milestone moment came in spectacular fashion, fitting for the occasion. Ben Stokes had just settled into a teasing spell and angled a delivery in toward Karun Nair, who was batting on 40 and looking increasingly comfortable
The milestone moment came in spectacular fashion, fitting for the occasion. Ben Stokes had just settled into a teasing spell and angled a delivery in toward Karun Nair, who was batting on 40 and looking increasingly comfortable.
But the Indian batter was caught in two minds, and the ball leapt off the shoulder of his bat, flying in the awkward region between the wicketkeeper and first slip.
Root, stationed at first slip, had to react in a flash. Jamie Smith, behind the stumps, didn’t move—perhaps thinking it was Root’s catch to go for. And Root didn’t disappoint. He flung himself to his left and completed a brilliant one-handed catch just inches above the turf, drawing gasps from the Lord’s crowd.
The England players mobbed him as replays confirmed the cleanliness of the take, and with it, Root moved to an unprecedented 211 catches as a non-wicketkeeper in Test cricket.
The catch not only broke a stubborn Indian stand but also highlighted Root’s remarkable consistency and reflexes in the slips, traits that have often been overshadowed by his brilliance with the bat. From the lush outfields of Trent Bridge to the spinning tracks of Galle and now to the iconic turf of Lord’s, Root has been England’s safest pair of hands for over a decade.
In surpassing Dravid, Root now leads an elite list of Test outfielders—one that includes the likes of Mahela Jayawardene (205), Steve Smith and Jacques Kallis (200 each), and Ricky Ponting (196). What makes Root’s record even more impressive is the sheer reliability with which he’s patrolled the slip cordon, rarely letting anything through when the game is on the line.
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