Joe Root continues to add to his remarkable Test legacy, surpassing Australia great Steve Waugh for the most Test appearances as he took the field against Pakistan in the third and final Test at Edgbaston.Root, who is captaining England in the series, has now featured in 169 Tests, moving ahead of Waugh’s 168. With only Sachin Tendulkar, James Anderson ahed of Root now.
Most matches played in Test Cricket
- 200 – Sachin Tendulkar
- 188 – James Anderson
- 169* – Joe Root
- 168 – Steve Waugh
- 168 – Ricky Ponting
Root won the toss and elected to bowl first against Babar Azam-led Pakistan at Edgbaston. England have lost four of their last six Tests at the venue, while Pakistan are still searching for their first Test win at Edgbaston. They have played eight Tests here, losing five and drawing three.The match also marks a notable moment for England, as they have named the same playing XI for all three Tests of a series for the first time since 2010.
England eye series sweep
Root’s second stint as England’s Test captain has got off to a strong start, with the hosts heading into the final Test of the English summer as overwhelming favourites. England dominated the opening Test at Headingley, winning by an innings and 103 runs after their fast bowlers ran through Pakistan’s batting. The hosts followed that up with a 194-run victory at Lord’s, despite their batters facing more challenging conditions, with the pacers once again doing most of the damage with the ball.England will now look to complete a series sweep, while Pakistan face a daunting task against a side that has controlled the contest from the opening Test.
Playing XIs for England vs Pakistan 3rd Test
Pakistan Playing XI: Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali.England Playing XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.