Smith surpasses Root with record 221st Test catch as non-wicketkeeper

Steve Smith rewrote Test cricket's fielding record books on Sunday, October 11, 2026, when he pouched his 221st catch as a non-wicketkeeper during the third day of the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban. The milestone placed him above England's Joe Root, who had previously held the record at 220 catches.

Smith, serving as Australian vice-captain, arrived at the landmark in his 126th Test match across 240 fielding innings. He claimed two catches on the day, and it was the second of those that moved him into outright first place. The opening dismissal was a sharp reaction catch at slip off Nathan Lyon to send back South African captain Temba Bavuma, who had scored 3 from 27 deliveries. Smith then held a diving chance off Pat Cummins to remove David Bedingham for 49, and that grab confirmed the new record.

The two dismissals formed part of a decisive Australian burst in which three wickets fell for just 15 runs, leaving South Africa in early difficulty at 99 for 4.

How does Smith's record compare with Root's tally?

Root compiled his 220 catches across 169 Tests and 323 innings. Smith went past that figure in 126 Tests and 240 fielding innings, reaching the record in 43 fewer matches and 83 fewer innings than the England batter managed.

The rest of the all-time list for non-wicketkeeper catchers in Tests shows the scale of what both men have achieved. Rahul Dravid of India sits third with 210 catches. Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene is fourth on 205, and Jacques Kallis of South Africa occupies fifth place with 200. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has taken 196 catches and sits below that group.

Which two catches sealed the record for Smith?

Smith's 220th catch, the one that drew him level with Root, came when he held the slip chance off Lyon to dismiss Bavuma cheaply. The record-breaking 221st arrived shortly after, when he dived to complete a catch off Cummins and end Bedingham's innings on 49.

Both dismissals came in the same session and were central to Australia's three-wicket burst that put South Africa under pressure at Kingsmead. The catches underlined Smith's consistency in the cordon across 126 Tests, a span that has taken him from promising slip fielder to the most prolific non-wicketkeeper catcher in the history of the format.