Catching Records in Cricket: Best Fielders and Wicketkeeper Records
Catches win matches — learn who holds cricket's catching records, the difference between fielder and wicketkeeper catches, and the most remarkable catching performances in history.
Catches in Cricket Statistics
Cricket tracks catching statistics separately for fielders and wicketkeepers. Wicketkeeper catches are categorised differently because they come from taking the ball behind the stumps — a specialist role. Fielder catches are taken anywhere else on the field, from slip cordon positions to deep boundary catches.
Most Catches in Tests (Fielders)
| Rank | Fielder | Country | Catches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahul Dravid | India | 210 |
| 2 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 196 |
| 3 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 200 |
| 4 | Stephen Fleming | New Zealand | 171 |
| 5 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 164 |
Most Catches in Tests (Wicketkeepers)
| Rank | Wicketkeeper | Country | Total Dismissals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark Boucher | South Africa | 555 (532 catches + 23 stumpings) |
| 2 | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 416 dismissals |
| 3 | Ian Healy | Australia | 395 dismissals |
| 4 | Rod Marsh | Australia | 355 dismissals |
| 5 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 202 catches as keeper |
Famous Catches in Cricket History
- Jonty Rhodes's run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq at the 1992 World Cup — while not a catch, it redefined fielding standards
- Andrew Symonds's diving one-handed catch in the slips — regularly cited among the best caught-and-bowled
- AB de Villiers's boundary catches — aerial acrobatics making him one of the best ever in the field
- Mark Boucher's unflappable stand-up wicketkeeping at his prime — 555 dismissals in 147 Tests
Frequently asked questions
Does a catch count if the ball bounces off a fielder and is caught by another?
If the ball bounces off one fielder and is caught cleanly by another without the ball touching the ground, the catch is valid. However, if the ball touches the ground at any point between the deflection and the clean catch, it is not out caught.
Is a stumping counted as a catch for the wicketkeeper?
No. Stumpings and catches are tracked as separate dismissal types. Mark Boucher's 555 total dismissals includes both — 532 catches and 23 stumpings. Each is a different method of dismissal.
What is the record for most catches in a single Test match?
The record for most catches by a non-keeper in a single Test innings is 7, by Yajurvindra Singh of India against England in 1977. As a wicketkeeper, Jack Russell (England) caught 11 in a single Test match — the overall record for most catches in a single Test by a keeper.