Ajinkya Rahane breaks world record for most catches (8) by a fielder in a Test match

Ajinkya Rahane takes a brilliant one-handed catch to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara

Ajinkya Rahane became the first non-wicket-keeper to take eight catches in a single Test match. No outfielder had managed to take more than 7 catches in a match and the 27-year-old walked into the record books when he caught Rangana Herath at slip off Amit Mishra in Sri Lanka’s second innings.

The previous record of 7 catches were shared by five cricketers, one of which was Australia’s Matthew Hayden who achieved the feat also at Galle, where the first Test between India and Sri Lanka is underway.

Rahane had picked up three catches in the first innings and followed it up with five more in the second innings, including a one-handed stunner to get rid of the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara. He caught Lahiru Thirimanne in both innings while the other six were all different batsman.

Among wicketkeepers, England's Jack Russell and South Africa’s AB de Villiers share the record for most catches (11), while two former Indian cricketers Gursharan Singh and Virender Sehwag shares the record for most catches by a substitute fielder (4) along with Younus Khan of Pakistan.

Most catches in a Test match

Catches	Player	Country	Opposition	Venue
8	Ajinkya Rahane	India	Sri Lanka	Galle
7	Greg Chappell	Australia	England	Perth
	Yajurvindra Singh	India	England	Bangalore
	Stephen Fleming	New Zealand	Zimbabwe	Harare
	Hashan Tillekaratne	Sri Lanka	New Zealand	Colombo
	Matthew Hayden	Australia	Sri Lanka	Galle
6	Andrew Shrewsbury	England	Australia	Sydney
	Bert Vogler	South Africa	England	Durban
	Frank Woolley	England	Australia	Sydney
	Jack Gregory	Australia	England	Sydney

India are on the verge of winning the first Test match at Galle, despite Dinesh Chandimal, who had two reprieves in his innings in the morning session, producing a fantastic knock of 162 runs.

That innings enabled Sri Lanka to set the visitors a target of 176 runs and India finished the day’s play on 23/1 after KL Rahul was dismissed cheaply for the second time in the match.