Joe Root continues to establish himself as one of his game’s greats. He’s now 2017’s most prolific Test match fielder. The extraordinary moment for the English captain came during the course of his 156th Test match. With that, he broke the mark of 210 catches held by India’s Rahul Dravid. Root’s most recent haul took him to 211 in all. This milestone is a testament to his exceptional talents behind the stumps as well as his longevity in this beautiful game.
Root’s journey in Test cricket began in 2013 when he made his first catch, dismissing New Zealand’s Peter Fulton off the bowling of Steven Finn at long-on. Since then, he’s shown an impressive capability to capitalise upon rare chances, taking the average of only slightly more than 0.7 catches per Test innings. The record-breaking catch came after 12 years of dedication and hard work in international cricket, proving that Root’s commitment to the game remains unwavering.
During Root’s career, he has set many batting records. He is set to become the highest run scorer in Test history. His contributions have transcended his hitting. He has forged a reputation as an elite fielder. In 2016 he was the first to dismiss Sri Lanka’s Shaminda Eranga at Chester-le-Street. Later in 2021, there was his other-worldly catch from Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane during that unforgettable double hundred Test match in Chennai.
Root’s fielding success can largely be traced back to his tireless practice and emphasis on skill development. For him, the secret sauce to winning is drilling unsexy, fielding techniques into players.
“You’ve got to want the ball, that next chance to come to you and be confident in yourself you’re not going to make the same mistake twice.” – Joe Root
Aside from the hard skills, Root focuses on mental toughness when it comes to dealing with failure. And sometimes players want to be invisible during a game, he admits. These times are usually when they mess up players execution on the playing surface.
“There are times when you want the floor to swallow you up, to disappear,” – Joe Root
This temperament approach has proven to be an effective buffer against the pressures surrounding any player chosen right at the top. Further, as someone who greatly values learning from mistakes, he understands that recovery from mistakes is a key component to sustaining high performance.
Fielding has huge importance in cricket, especially in Test matches. With each hard-fought catch translating directly into a team’s success, Root’s record-breaking feats have been felt profoundly across the game. His record exists as a personal achievement. More than anything, it reflects the extraordinary effort and practice that goes into just being a phenomenal fielder.
Root’s fielding philosophy is simple yet effective: focus, practice, and readiness to seize every opportunity.
“I felt like the ball was coming all the time,” – Joe Root
He credits his swagger to weeks of regular practice and a take-charge mentality on the pitch.
Looking back on the camaraderie in the England team, Root picks out Zak Crawley as a particularly interesting figure. His passion leads him to initiate spirited debates that get his fellow offensive lineman thinking and talking.
“Zak Crawley is probably the most interesting, because he’ll want to argue about something. He’ll create a debate he doesn’t even believe in just to stimulate a conversation.” – Joe Root
Root’s ability as a batsman and fielder, as well as his expertise in guiding and inspiring his team, will be crucial. His story is a testament to his commitment to perfecting every facet of the game. His record-breaking feat serves to inspire future generations of cricketers. They dream of achieving their ambitions at the very top level.
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