Stats: Sarfraz Ahmed becomes first keeper-captain to take 10 catches in a Test

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed left some happy memories at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday where his team is playing the third and final Test against South Africa. Even though Pakistan squandered the series having lost the first two Tests in Centurion and Cape Town and the defeats left a sour taste in the visitors’ dressing room, Sarfraz’s wicket-keeping feat in Johannesburg will be among the few highs that Pakistan succeeded in achieving in the series.

Pakistan yet had a task in their hand to win the third Test to pull one back after ending Day 3 at 153 for 3, chasing 381 runs. Asad Shafiq was batting on 48 and was accompanied by Babar Azam who was playing on 17. Pakistan conceded a lead of 77 runs in the first innings, the third time in the series, which has made it difficult for them to win a game so far. Their bowlers yet did a decent job by dismissing South Africa four times in the series but the batters failed to rise to the occasion.

Sarfraz Ahmed’s position in Test catching records

Among the tales of disappointment, Sarfraz eclipsed two legends – Australia’s Adam Gilchrist and India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni – by taking 10 catches behind the wickets (five in each innings). This was the first time that a wicketkeeper-captain took 10 catches in a Test, bettering the records of Gilchrist, Dhoni, England’s Alec Stewart and South Africa’s AB de Villiers – all of whom have taken eight in a single Test match.

Dhoni, however, has nine dismissals as his best in a Test match for he had effected one stumping in the same game in which he took eight catches. The Indian keeper effected eight dismissals in a single Test on two other occasions (six catches and two stumpings on both occasions).

Here is the list of keeper-captains with most dismissals in a Test:

In terms of most catches in a Test match, however, Sarfraz still has some distance to cover before he catches up with the other three. While the man has 146 catches from 49 matches, Gilchrist sits among the top with 379, Dhoni has 256 and Stewart is at 227. Former South Africa keeper Mark Boucher is the topper with 532 catches.

Sarfraz who also scored a crucial 50 off 40 balls in the first innings in the Johannesburg Test, though fell one prey short of equalling the most number of dismissals by a keeper in a Test. England’s Jack Russell, de Villiers and India’s Rishabh Pant have effected 11 dismissals through catching in a match.

The Pakistani skipper joined Bob Taylor (England), Gilchrist and Wriddhiman Saha (India) by picking 10 catches behind the stumps in one match.

Here is the list of wicketkeepers with most dismissals in a Test:

(Stats and data as on January 14)

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