Joe Root came, broke a couple of records, and left. This has been a new regular in Test cricket after the English cricketer continued his record-breaking streak during England's ongoing third Test match against Sri Lanka at The Oval on Sunday.
The 33-year-old Root scored just 12 runs off 18 balls in the second innings as England witnessed a shocking collapse after taking a 62-run lead in the first innings. However, 12 runs were enough for the world's No.1 batter in ICC Test rankings to surpass the legendary Kumar Sangakkara in the Test runs tally.
Root surpassed the Sri Lankan after scoring 11 runs and now boasts 12402 runs in 267 Test innings. Root is now only behind five cricketers, including 72 runs behind England's all-time leading run-scorer Alastair Cook.
Most runs in Men's Test cricket
- Sachin Tendulkar - 15921 runs in 329 innings
- Ricky Ponting - 13378 runs in 287 innings
- Jacques Kallis - 13289 runs in 280 innings
- Rahul Dravid - 13288 runs in 286 innings
- Alastair Cook - 12472 runs in 291 innings
- Joe Root - 12402 runs in 267 innings
- Kumar Sangakkara - 12400 runs in 233 innings
Root has been scorching runs with fine form but also has been consistent with his fielding efforts in red-ball cricket. Root took an easy catch to dismiss in-form Kamindu Mendis in the first innings earlier on Day 3 to claim his 201st catch in red-ball cricket.
India's former captain and head coach Rahul Dravid still holds the record for the most catches by an outfield player in Test cricket with 210 catches in 164 matches. Root is likely to break Dravid's 12-year-old record when England next travel to Pakistan for the three-match Test series starting on October 7.
Most catches in Men's Test cricket
- Rahul Dravid - 210 catches in 164 matches
- Mahela Jayawardene - 205 catches in 149 matches
- Joe Root - 201 catches in 146 matches
- Jacques Kallis - 200 catches in 166 matches
- Ricky Ponting - 196 catches in 168 matches
