ENG vs IND: Joe Root equals Rahul Dravid's record for most catches in test cricket

Joe Root is now one catch away from owning the world record for most catches by a fielder in test cricket.

On Monday, on the fourth day of the first test match between England and India in Leeds, England’s Joe Root tied the record for the most catches by a non-wicketkeeper in test cricket.

To tie Indian great Rahul Dravid for the most catches in the longest format, Root caught Shardul Thakur at the first slip off Josh Tongue.

In Monday’s contest at Headingley in Leeds, India amassed 364 runs in the second innings thanks to centuries from KL Rahul (137) and Rishabh Pant (118). They then set a target of 371 runs for England to knock down in the fourth innings to win the match.

In the second innings, Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse took three wickets for England, while spinner Shoaib Bashir dismissed two Indian batsmen to the pavilion.

A team has only chased down a total of more than 370 runs once in the 82 test matches played at Headingley in the previous 126 years. In July 1948, the Australian squad led by Don Bradman accomplished the feat.

Joe Root equals Rahul Dravid’s most catches in test cricket record

On Monday, June 23, Joe Root equaled Rahul Dravid’s global record for taking most catches by a non-wicketkeeper in test cricket by finishing Shardul Thakur’s catch off Josh Tongue’s bowling. Dravid played 164 matches for India and the ICC World XI throughout his 16-year test cricket career, taking 210 catches in 301 innings. In contrast, Root has made 210 catches for England in 293 innings across 154 test matches.

Most catches in Tests:

1. Joe Root (England) – 210*
2. Rahul Dravid (India/ICC) – 210
3. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 205
4. Steve Smith (Australia) – 200
5. Jacques Kallis (South Africa/ICC) – 200

Shardul’s catch also enabled Root to tie the record held by Sir Alastair Cook for the most catches in India-England test matches. Cook took 38 catches in 30 test matches for England against India over his 12-year career, while Root has already taken 38 catches in 31 games.

Most catches in India-England tests

1. Sir Alastair Cook (England) – 38
2. Joe Root (England) – 38
3. Sunil Gavaskar (India) – 35
4. Rahul Dravid (India) – 30
5. Virat Kohli (India) – 25

In England’s 65 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) games thus far, Root has taken 102 catches. He is second only to Australia’s Steve Smith in the list of fielders with most catches in the ICC WTC history. Smith has so far participated in 53 ICC WTC games for the Baggy Greens, completing 104 catches in 102 innings.

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