Joe Root on the verge of achieving another huge milestone during Multan Test vs Pakistan

Former England skipper Joe Root is already the leading all-time Test run-getter for his side. The 34-year-old is now on the cusp of yet another milestone during the 2nd Test versus Pakistan in Multan. Joe Root just needs 4 catches to go past Mahela Jayawardene to become 2nd best fielder in Test cricket history. 

Rahul Dravid leads the list with 210 catches (209 for India and 1 for World XI). Former Lankan skipper Jayawardene has 205 catches, while Root currently has 202 catches from 148 Tests so far. If the former England skipper manages to take four more catches he will be knocking on Rahul Dravid's door to become the best fielder in Test cricket. 

Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first as Kamran Ghulam made his Test debut. The home side are already 1-0 down in the series having lost the first game by an innings and 47 runs at the same venue. PCB has decided to use the same pitch for the 2nd game as well which has raised a lot of eyebrows. 

Jack Leach picks two early wickets to dent Pakistan 

Opener Abdullah Shafique who had scored a century in the 1st Test could only score 7 runs on Tuesday. England spinner Jack Leach castled Shafique for 7 off 28 balls with 1 four. Shan Masood was the next man to go when the Pakistani skipper was caught by Zak Crawley for 3 to give Leach his second wicket of the day. 

Kamran Ghulam showed signs of aggression with a huge six off Leach in his maiden innings to reach 10 runs. The right-handed batter replaced Babar Azam for the series and is batting at number 4 spot in the batting order. Saim Ayub was not out on 22 as the home team had reached 42/2 from 15 overs. 

Shan Masood won the toss and chose to bat first and said, “We'll have a bat first. Just the condition of the pitch, we just want to put a good score on the board and let's see how it plays during the rest of the days. Firstly, playing a Test for Pakistan however you play, whenever you play, wherever you play, I think it is the biggest opportunity for any cricketer. We're all excited. There's some rejuvenated energy in the camp. There are things we can't control, we can control what we can do on the field.”

Pakistani skipper also said, “We can put our best effort here and we are very positive. (Ongoing spin-heavy) We are happy that the spinners have some conditions where we can actually show that we have some decent spinners in the line-up. So, the onus and responsibility is on them. The main task in Test cricket is to take 20 wickets and hopefully, we can do that.”

Ben Stokes said he would have batted too had they won the toss during the toss. “We would have batted as well. It was an amazing victory last week. Again put in the field. Keeping our intensity and the attitude in that first innings set the tone for the rest of the Test match. Rooty and Brooky played some unbelievable knocks, but the I thought the way our bowlers bowled set the game for us in the first day and a half and that allowed us to bat really big,” he said.