NEW DELHI: England’s Jamie Smith etched his name into the record books on Day 2 of the Lord’s Test against India, matching Quinton de Kock’s record for the fastest 1,000 runs in Test cricket by a wicketkeeper. Smith reached the milestone in just 21 innings — the same number it took the South African star — since making his debut in July last year.Needing just three runs to achieve the landmark, Smith got there with a boundary off Mohammed Siraj in the 87th over of England’s first innings, shortly after Ben Stokes was bowled by Jasprit Bumrah for 44.Smith has been in impressive form. At Edgbaston, in the previous Test, he walked in at a precarious 84/5 and smashed a 100 off just 80 balls — the joint-third fastest Test century for England. His unbeaten 184 off 207 deliveries in that match became the highest Test score by an English wicketkeeper, surpassing Alec Stewart’s 173* against New Zealand in 1997.In the second innings at Edgbaston, while England collapsed chasing 608, Smith fought a lone battle with a gritty 88 off 99 balls in their 336-run loss.
With this feat, Smith joins an elite group of wicketkeeper-batters. Behind him are Jonny Bairstow and Dinesh Chandimal (22 innings), Kumar Sangakkara and AB de Villiers (23), Jeff Dujon (24), and BJ Watling, Tom Blundell, and Les Ames (25 innings each).Fastest to 1000 Test runs as wicketkeeper:
| Player | Innings |
|---|---|
| Quinton de Kock / Jamie Smith | 21 |
| Dinesh Chandimal / Jonny Bairstow | 22 |
| Kumar Sangakkara / AB de Villiers | 23 |
| Jeff Dujon | 24 |
| BJ Watling / Les Ames / Tom Blundell | 25 |
