Watch: Joe Root grabs one-handed blinder in Lord’s Test to break Rahul Dravid’s record for most Test catches
Published - 11 Jul 2025, 09:27 PM | Updated - 18 Jul 2025, 11:52 AM

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England National Cricket Team modern-day great Joe Root has created history with his stunning catch to dismiss Karun Nair in the Lord's Test.
Joe Root's stunning one-handed catch in the third Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has helped him become the record holder for the most catches in the history of Test cricket.
Joe Root breaks Rahul Dravid's record for most Test catches
Root is regarded as one of the best fielders in the world, and he rarely spills any chances on the field. In the slips, he is one of the most reliable fielders, and he once again showed his brilliance on Day 2 of the Lord's Test against Indian team.
On the second ball of the 21st over, England captain Ben Stokes bowled a shorter length delivery to India's new No.3 Karun Nair that seamed away after being angled in, leaving the batsman squared up.
Nair only managed to edge the delivery, and it looked like the ball would go through the gap between the wicketkeeper and first slip.
However, Joe Root didn't let that happen and he dived to his left and grabbed the ball inches above the ground with his wrong hand, leaving the Lord's crowd stunned. The decision was sent upstairs, and after looking at it from different angles, the third umpire declared it 'out'.
It was the catch number 211 of his Test career, and his stunning effort helped him break India legend Rahul Dravid's all-time record for most catches in the history of Test cricket.
Other than Root and Dravid, Mahela Jayawardene, Jacques Kallis, and Steve Smith are the three players who have taken 200 catches in Test cricket. Meanwhile, Karun Nair got out after scoring 40 runs off 62 balls, failing to convert his start into a big score.
Overall, Karun Nair has come up against Ben Stokes in four innings in Test cricket. He has faced 21 balls from Ben Stokes and has scored just 15 runs while getting out twice.
Most catches for a fielder in Tests:
211*- Joe Root (ENG)
210 - Rahul Dravid (IND)
205 - Mahela Jayawardene (SL)
200 - Jacques Kallis (SA)
200 - Steve Smith (AUS)
Watch: Joe Root takes a stunner to break Rahul Dravid's record
Out on his own at the 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐩 🔝
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That was a stunning reflex catch - Isa Guha
Former England bowler Isa Guha was left astonished seeing Root pull off a stunner in the slips, while the former English captain Michael Vaughan said that Karun Nair would be disappointed after not being able to play a big knock.
"It's taken, wow! That was a stunning reflex catch, down to Joe Root's left. How did he do that?" Former England bowler Isa Guha said on BBC Test Match Special
"Ben Stokes again, just making things happen. Karun Nair will be disappointed he's not gone on, and here comes the skipper. England have to find a way," former England skipper Michael Vaughan said on BBC Test Match Special.
Meanwhile, speaking on Sky Sports, former England skipper Nasser Hussain praised Root for his catch that helped him become a world record holder. He said:
"If you're going to get a world record on catches, do it in that kind of way. What a way to get there. Brilliant."
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Joe Root England National Cricket Team India National Cricket Team India vs England IND vs ENG Karun Nair Rahul DravidAbout the Author

Sonanchal Gautam is a dedicated sports journalist, content manager, writer, and editor with over 4 y... Read more