![Steve Smith [Source: @weRcricket/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1765099657283_steve_smith.jpg?type=hq)
Steve Smith [Source: @weRcricket/x]
Australian stand-in captain Steve Smith held on to three sharp catches on Day 4 of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. The cricketer started off by snaring a one-handed screamer at slip to get rid of a well-set Will Jacks in the second session of the day to signal England’s collapse.
Steve Smith further pulled out brilliant catches with his magnetic hands to dismiss Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, with the latter of the two gifting Michael Neser his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests. Through the course of his fielding spree in Brisbane, which also included two catches in the first English innings on Day 1, the seasoned pro has now surpassed some of the greats of Australian cricket to claim a huge world record as a fielder.
Steve Smith climbs to the top of a huge fielding record
Steve Smith started out his Test career back in July 2010 under the waning leadership of Ricky Ponting. Apart from accumulating over 10,000 Test runs to date at a prolific average of nearly 56 with 36 hundreds, Smith has also collected 210 catches in the format, an Australian record for a non-wicketkeeper, and the joint second-highest among all fielders.
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The legendary Australian batter plucked five of those catches in Australia’s second Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series against England at the Gabba in Brisbane alone between December 4 and December 8.
Notably, while Steve Smith levelled up with India’s Rahul Dravid with 210 career catches in the process, he also surpassed former Australian cricketers Greg Chappell and Allan Border to hold the highest number of Test catches as a fielder against a single opponent in a particular country. Here is a look at Smith’s newfound catching record in detail.
Most catches as a fielder against a single opponent in a country:
| Players | Catches | Opponent | Venue country |
| Steve Smith | 39 | England | Australia |
| Greg Chappell | 38 | England | Australia |
| Allan Border | 37 | England | England |
Steve Smith might well snare a few more catches in the remaining three Tests of the ongoing 2025-26 Ashes series to get closer to an unimaginable 50-catch tally against England in Australia.
