Now Reading: Steve Smith equals Joe Root’s Test catches record in 124 Tests
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Steve Smith equals Joe Root’s Test catches record in 124 Tests
Steve Smith took three catches in Australia’s first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin to reach 218 Test dismissals as a non-wicketkeeper, equalling England’s Joe Root’s world record. Smith caught Najmul Hossain Shanto,…
The Story in Brief
Steve Smith took three catches in Australia’s first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin to reach 218 Test dismissals as a non-wicketkeeper, equalling England’s Joe Root’s world record. Smith caught Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das. He reached the mark in 124 Tests, 42 fewer than Root, who took 166 Tests to get there.
Bangladesh ended the third day in control after making 426 and leaving Australia on 161/4, still 67 runs behind. Hasan Mahmud has taken eight wickets in the match, including 6/55 in Australia’s first innings. Josh Hazlewood took his 300th Test wicket after figures of 6/89. Cameron Green and Alex Carey were unbeaten at stumps.
The Indian Opinion
The easy storyline is that Smith’s fielding record softens Australia’s poor showing, while Bangladesh’s possible win is being framed as a fluke. Neither holds up. Smith’s speed to 218 catches is a genuine achievement, and Bangladesh’s 228-run first-innings lead came from sustained batting and Mahmud’s wickets. Australia still have a chance, but Green and Carey must first erase the 67-run deficit without another collapse. Their next partnership will decide whether this becomes a contest or a landmark Bangladesh win.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
