NEW DELHI: On Day 2 of the third Test at Lord’s, Joe Root produced a moment of brilliance to dismiss Karun Nair and etch his name further into cricketing history. Positioned at first slip, Root took a sharp one-handed catch diving to his right after Nair edged a short-of-a-length delivery from Ben Stokes. It was Root’s 211th catch in Test cricket, taking him past India’s Rahul Dravid (210) to top the list for most outfield catches in the format.Most outfield catches in Test cricket:
| Rank | Player | Outfield Catches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Root* | 211 |
| 2 | Rahul Dravid | 210 |
| 3 | Mahela Jayawardene | 205 |
| 4 | Steven Smith | 200 |
| 4 | Jacques Kallis | 200 |
| 6 | Ricky Ponting | 196 |
Karun Nair, who looked composed during his stay, made 40 off 62 balls, including four boundaries, before falling to Root’s brilliance.Earlier in the day, India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah delivered a sensational spell to earn his name on the prestigious Lord’s Honours Board, claiming 5 for 74 as England were bowled out for 387 in 112.3 overs.Bumrah, operating with pace and precision, ran through England’s middle order during a fiery morning session. He removed overnight centurions Joe Root and Ben Stokes inside the first half-hour and went on to dismiss Chris Woakes and Jamie Smith to complete his 15th five-wicket haul in Tests — his 13th outside India, surpassing Kapil Dev’s previous record of 12 overseas fifers.
Despite Root’s majestic 104 – his 37th Test century, 11th against India and eighth at Lord’s – England found themselves in trouble at 271/7. However, Jamie Smith, dropped on 5 by KL Rahul, made the most of the reprieve with a brisk 51. He forged a crucial 84-run stand with Brydon Carse, who registered his maiden Test fifty with a fluent 56, helping England stretch their total.India also contributed to their own woes, conceding 31 extras on a warm and testing day at Lord’s.
