Joe Root breaks Steve Smith’s record to become leading Test catcher with 219 catches

Joe Root reclaimed the record for most catches in Test cricket after taking his 219th catch during England’s first Test against Pakistan in Leeds. The England batter moved ahead of Steve Smith, with Rahul Dravid third on the all-time list

Leeds: England cricketer Joe Root took back the record of completing most catches in Test cricket during the first Test against Pakistan on Friday. While he held the record after going past the previous holder Rahul Dravid, Australia star Steve Smith had briefly levelled him to jointly own the illustrious milestone.

Root took back the throne in the second innings of the first Test in Leeds. Root, who has been reinstated as England Test captain, did not take a catch in the first innings, but he grabbed one early in the second innings when the visitors came out to bat again. Root palmed Pakistan opener Azan Awais’ catch, who walked for just nine in the fourth over as Jofra Archer removed both the openers after having nicked Imam-ul-Haq for a duck.

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This was Root’s 219th catch in Tests, which saw him go clear of Smith for most catches. The Aussie icon has palmed 218 catches after he took three in the first innings of the recently concluded Darwin Test against Bangladesh.

Behind the duo, India legend Dravid stays in third with 210 catches, while Sri Lanka great Mahela Jayawardene had taken 205 catches in his career. South Africa icon Jacques Kallis ended his career with 200 grabs.

Talking about Awais’ dismissal, England laid a trap to dismiss the left-handed batter. They added a leg slip, but Archer bowled a couple of balls outside off before firing a fuller one onto the body as Awais flicked it for Root to grab it at leg slip. Archer had previously removed Imam in the second over, outfoxing him with a ball that was not as short as the Pakistani opener thought, as he gloved it behind for Jamie Smith to grab it.

Earlier, England put up a strong 409 in the first innings after strong knocks from Harry Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73) and Joe Root (66). Brook once again missed a century at his home ground, Headingley, after having been dismissed at the venue on 99 previously against India last year in June.

England’s strong reply with the bat came after their bowlers – Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson – had shared five wickets each after bowling Pakistan out for 171 in the first innings. The two bowlers had famously cut the ball in two halves after their five-fers.