IND vs ENG: Joe Root Equal’s Rahul Dravid’s Special Test Record
Joe Root equals Rahul Dravid’s record for most Test catches (210); just one away from becoming the top fielder in history
India’s tour of England this summer feels like the start of something new. The five match Test series, running from June 20 to August 4, comes at a time when both teams are rebuilding after rough World Test Championship campaigns. For India, it’s a first major overseas assignment without Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, or R. Ashwin, who’ve all called time on their Test careers.
England, on the other hand, are looking to bounce back after losing 4-1 in India last year. They haven’t made it to a WTC final yet, and they’ll want to make a mark this time around. They won the first Test of their last tour in India but couldn’t keep it going. Back home, though, they’ll fancy their chances. England’s ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style has worked well at times, but this will be a real test against a younger Indian team with something to prove.
This series is about more than just bragging rights. Both teams are chasing points in the World Test Championship. India are trying to move past a disappointing stretch that included a 3-0 loss at home to New Zealand and a 3-1 series defeat in Australia. England have their own WTC struggles and are looking for consistency.
Every match matters, and with five games on offer, there’s a lot of ground to be made up or lost.
Here’s how the two teams have stacked up historically in Tests:
India haven’t won a Test series in England since 2007. England have usually held the upper hand at home, but India’s 2021 tour showed they’re capable of competing and winning abroad.
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-captain & Wicket-keeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (Wicket-keeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
Ben Stokes (Captain), Jamie Smith (Wicket-keeper), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Chris Woakes, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir, Jamie Overton, Samuel James Cook, Jacob Bethell
Both sides are trying to move forward. India without their senior names, England trying to make home advantage count. There’s a good mix of youth and experience, and neither team is playing safe cricket anymore. This should be an open, competitive series that gives us a glimpse into the future of Test cricket.
Joe Root equals Rahul Dravid’s record for most Test catches (210); just one away from becoming the top fielder in history
KL Rahul scores third Test ton in England, becomes first Indian opener to reach the milestone in away conditions
Rishabh Pant scores twin centuries at Headingley, becomes first Indian keeper to do so in a Test match.
Jasprit Bumrah claims gritty five-for at Headingley; Sachin Tendulkar jokes he deserved ‘nau wickets’ after missed chances
India drop 6 catches at Headingley; Jaiswal spills 3 off Bumrah, who reacts with calm despite visible frustration
Rishabh Pant faces possible ICC action for dissent after ball-throwing incident on Day 3 of Headingley Test
Jasprit Bumrah takes five-wicket haul at Leeds, sets Indian record for most Test fifers in England.
Jasprit Bumrah surpasses Wasim Akram to become highest Asian wicket-taker in SENA countries with 147 wickets
Mark Wood eyes return for fifth Test vs India at The Oval after knee injury; to prove fitness in County game
Joe Root surpasses Sachin Tendulkar to become top run-scorer in India-England Tests in England with 1,579 runs