Steve Smith sets Test record with 221 catches

Steve Smith has surpassed Joe Root to become the leading non-wicketkeeper catcher in Test cricket, finishing the reported milestone sequence with 221 catches to Root’s 220 during the first Test against South Africa in Durban. The record was reached on the third day, October 11, 2026, at Kingsmead. Smith took two catches during South Africa’s innings, dismissing captain Temba Bavuma off Nathan Lyon before catching David Bedingham off Pat Cummins. Bedingham, who had scored 49, edged the ball and Smith completed a diving catch at first slip. The catches came as Australia took wickets in a spell that put the home side under pressure. Reports differ on which catch made Smith’s total 221. Most describe the Bedingham catch as the one that confirmed the record, while another account says Bavuma’s dismissal had already put Smith ahead of Root. The reported final tally is consistent: Smith had 221 catches as a non-wicketkeeper, one more than Root’s 220. The exact sequence of the milestone has not been established in the supplied match reporting. Smith’s total was reported as coming in 126 Tests and 240 fielding innings. Root’s 220 catches were recorded over 169 Tests and 323 innings.