Steve Smith becomes first Australian to complete 200 Test catches
What's the story
Steve Smith has created history by becoming the first Australian outfielder to take 200 catches in Test cricket.
He achieved the milestone during the recently-concluded second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle when he caught Kusal Mendis.
The 2024-25 Sri Lanka tour has been a memorable one for Smith, who also stepped up as captain in Pat Cummins's absence.
Here are further details.
Tour highlights
Smith's impressive performance during Sri Lanka tour
Smith's performance on the Sri Lanka tour has been phenomenal.
He scored 141 in the first Test, taking Australia to a record win by an innings and 242 runs.
In the second Test, he maintained his form with a score of 131 as Australia won by nine wickets.
These feats put him level with Rahul Dravid and Joe Root for 36 hundreds, behind only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (41), Ricky Ponting (41), and Kumar Sangakkara (38).
Record breaker
Smith surpasses Ponting's record, joins elite group
Smith broke Ricky Ponting's record of 196 catches in the second innings of the match against Sri Lanka.
His catch off Kusal Mendis in the third innings, delivered by Nathan Lyon at short fine leg, made him the fifth outfielder to reach the 200-catches mark in Test cricket.
He now shares the fourth spot with Jacques Kallis on this elite list. Dravid (210), Root (207), and Mahela Jayawardene (205) are ahead of the duo.
Dynamic duo
Smith and Lyon set new record for Australian cricket
Smith's catch off Mendis was his 62nd off Lyon, a new record for an Australian bowler-outfielder combination.
This is only behind Mahela Jayawardene's 77 catches off Muttiah Muralidaran in all Test cricket.
Smith has also taken 27 catches off Cummins, 26 off Mitchell Starc, and 23 off Josh Hazlewood.
The four have accounted for more than half of Smith's total Test catches.
Summary
How did the second Test pan out?
Fifties from Kusal Mendis (85*) and Dinesh Chandimal (74) helped SL post 257/10 while batting first.
Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann dismissed three batters each. Australia posted a brilliant 414/10 in response as Smith (131) and Alex Carey (156) made their bat talk.
Angelo Mathews (76) and Mendis (50) were SL's half-centurions in the third innings as they managed 231/10.
Lyon and Kuhnemann took four wickets each. The visitors (75/1) broke no sweat while chasing the target.