Most Test catches by an outfielder, full list: Steve Smith becomes first Australian to 200

The Sri Lanka tour of 2024-25 has been significant for Smith. Stepping in for full-time captain Pat Cummins, Smith made 141 in the first Test of the two-match series, and led Australia to a record win – by an innings and 242 runs.

He then went on to make 131 in the second Test. With 36 hundreds, he is now level with Rahul Dravid and Joe Root, and behind only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (41), Ricky Ponting (41), and Kumar Sangakkara (38). He now has the fourth-most Test hundreds by a captain as well as the joint fifth-most away Test hundreds.

He then caught Kamindu Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya to go past Ponting’s tally of 196 catches to set a new Australian record. In the second innings, he caught captain Dhananjaya de Silva, Jayasuriya, and Kusal Mendis. The last of these, off Nathan Lyon at short fine leg, made Smith the fifth wicketkeeper to the 200-catches mark. Smith is now tied at fourth place, with Jacques Kallis.

Smith’s catch off Mendis was the 62nd off Lyon, the most for an Australian bowler-outfielder combination. In all Test cricket, this is behind only Jayawardene (77 off Muttiah Muralidaran). Smith has also held 27 catches off Cummins, 26 off Mitchell Starc, and 23 off Josh Hazlewood. The great Australian quartet, thus, have accounted for 138 of Smith’s 200 catches.

Mark Taylor (51 off Shane Warne) The only other Australian outfielder with 50 catches off one bowler.

Most catches by an outfielder in men’s Test cricket

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