Most Catches In Test Cricket

Arnav Chopra

Steve Smith, Rahul Dravid and Joe Root (Source: @Smithian_here/X.com, @WisdenIndia/X.com, @AkshayTadvi28/X.com)Steve Smith, Rahul Dravid and Joe Root (Source: @Smithian_here/X.com, @WisdenIndia/X.com, @AkshayTadvi28/X.com)

Both are crucial in cricket: great batting and excellent bowling, but as they say, catches win matches. Shedding more light on this, there have been many moments in cricketing history where players, with their acrobatic effort on the field, have turned the game in their side's favour.

In the great history of Test cricket, there have been many incidents where players have grabbed scintillating catches, triggering batting collapses even on the flattest tracks. Undoubtedly, the catches are of utmost significance, considering a drop would considerably pull the team's morale down. Looking at this, there have been many players who have etched their name in the record books, not with bat or ball in hand, but due to grabbing a record number of catches in the longest format of the game.

In the ongoing Test between Sri Lanka and Australia, the stand-in skipper Steve Smith bagged two catches in the first innings of the second Test to add to the record books as he overtook former legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting in the catch tally. So therefore, let's have a look at the top five players with the most catches in Test cricketing history.

5. Steve Smith - 197 Catches In 116* Matches

After leapfrogging Ricky Ponting, Australia's Steve Smith now holds the number five spot with 197 catches to date in his 116-match-long Test career, with the match currently going on. The max number of catches in an innings he has grabbed is five, whereas his catches per innings efficiency is 0.895. Smith has been broadly consistent with his fielding as his instinctive efforts on the field have reaped him rewards in the long term. Moreover, with him being extremely proactive, Australia does get more chances because of his extraordinary attempts.

4. Jacques Kallis - 200 Catches In 166 Matches

Ahead with just three catches more than Smith is South Africa's legendary all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, with 200 catches after this game in the tally, as he has featured in 166 Test matches in his two-decade-long career. Kallis, who throughout his journey has been a massive boost for South Africa in both departments, has scored an insane number of runs and picked a record number of wickets in his celebrated legacy while on the catches tally, he is not far behind.

3. Mahela Jayawardene - 205 Catches In 149 Matches

One of the finest players ever from the land of Ceylon, Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan legend, features in third position on this list. The batting maestro has bagged 205 catches in his 149-match-long career, where his catches per innings ratio is 0.759.

Legitimately, he has long been one of the greatest players of his generation, who was always ahead of his time with excellent batting resilience, while his astute mind as a leader always came in handy. Meanwhile, on the field, he would always be alert, taking catches as he would position himself in all-important places.

2. Joe Root - 207 Catches In 152 Matches

Currently, the top batter in Test cricket, England's Joe Root, has been sensational in the past decade with a plethora of runs and 36 centuries to his name. The right-hander has always done outstanding things with the bat for his side in the long run since making his debut in 2012.

His greatest asset is that he adjusts to the conditions easily and scores runs against the best of the bowlers without throwing his wicket away cheaply. Moreover, he has been a legend in his own right, not just with the bat but while fielding as well. Root, after featuring in a total of 152 matches, has grabbed 207 catches in his career as his ratio of catches per innings is 0.716. Therefore, we can regard Root as one of the safest fielders.

1. Rahul Dravid - 210 Catches In 164 Matches

Holding the number one position is India's legendary batter, popularly known as 'The Wall', Rahul Dravid with 210 catches in 164 matches at a ratio of 0.697. Dravid was India's go-to man in an era where fielding was generally subpar, whereas India's former coach was one of the safest fielders when it came to slip cordon.

Not to forget that he also holds the record for most catches by a non-wicketkeeper in Test history. Therefore, India's most reliable Wall was named not just for his batting but also for his fielding abilities, as he would stand in the sun for five consecutive days.