Steve Smith is the answer, though only by a whisker, with three catches the entire margin. His four slip catches on the third day in Durban lifted him to 223, three clear of Joe Root’s 220 among fielders outside the wicketkeeping ranks. Root had been the record holder since 2025, and the match wraps up on 13 October, which leaves time for another catch to shift the numbers. Smith also leads on rate and on efficiency, which is where the debate over the greater fielder really begins.
A Lead That Changed Hands Twice
Joe Root overtook Rahul Dravid’s total of 210 during the 2025 Lord’s Test against India, and the mark was his from then on. In August Steve Smith drew level at 218 after taking three in Darwin against Bangladesh. Root moved back in front on 21 August with his 219th, a Headingley catch from Jofra Archer’s bowling that sent back Azan Awais.
That left Smith at 219 when the Durban Test began, a single catch behind Root’s 220. The gap vanished on day three, as he went level with Root and then past him before the close.
Four Slip Chances Held in One Day
South Africa were dismissed for 284 on that third day, 106 behind Australia’s 390, and Smith held every one of his four chances from first or second slip. Temba Bavuma, attempting a reverse sweep against Nathan Lyon, found him for number 220, which equalled Root.
David Bedingham went for 49 off Pat Cummins, giving Smith 221 and the outright lead. Kyle Verreynne also holed out to a reverse sweep against Lyon, before Anrich Nortje edged one from Beau Webster for the 223rd. Lyon’s pair of wickets both ended in Smith’s hands, and a Wiaan Mulder chance before lunch was ruled not to have carried. A slip fielder handed chances on a day full of wickets can gain ground very quickly, and Durban showed exactly that.
Smith Root Test catches record South Africa series
Smith’s 223 has taken him 126 matches and 240 fielding innings, while Root needed 169 matches and 323 innings for his 220. Measured per Test, that is 1.77 against 1.30, and per innings 0.93 against 0.68. Smith got there 43 matches sooner. In practical terms, he collects nearly two catches every Test, while Root collects roughly one and a third.
Mahela Jayawardene is the nearest rival on rate among the other leading names, at 1.38 per Test, but he sits a long way from Smith’s figure. Just 11 wicketkeepers hold more Test catches than Smith, so keepers are the only fielders ahead of him. Dravid and Kallis fill out the non-keeper top five.
Fielder | Tests | Catches | Catches Per Test |
|---|---|---|---|
Steve Smith | 126 | 223 | 1.77 |
Joe Root | 169 | 220 | 1.30 |
Rahul Dravid | 164 | 210 | 1.28 |
Mahela Jayawardene | 149 | 205 | 1.38 |
Jacques Kallis | 166 | 200 | 1.20 |
Slip Cordon Skills Compared
Smith took all four of his Durban catches in the slip cordon, a place Root also occupies for England. No dependable slip-only breakdown is available for either man, so the claim that one is better there is a matter of opinion rather than numbers.
Mark Waugh tends to top lists of slip specialists, with Dravid and Smith behind him, but Smith’s catches per Test beat anyone in that group. Rates do flatter those who played on bouncier surfaces, so the comparison needs that caution. Even allowing for it, Smith’s lead on rate is wide enough to survive any such adjustment.
Judging the Greater Fielder
Judged on the figures, Smith is the superior catcher. His total, his rate per Test and his rate per innings are all higher, and he reached them in far fewer matches. Longevity counts for something, but a record is measured in catches, and Smith simply has more of them. Root’s argument is endurance, and it is a real one: his name stood at the top for more than a year and his tally was still growing in a 169th Test.
Three catches is a slim margin, and Root could retake the lead in the second Test in Gqeberha, which begins on 18 October. Even so, the Smith-Root Test catches record South Africa series has already delivered a clear verdict on rate and efficiency, and the record, along with the better argument, sits with Smith for the time being.
Is Smith the greatest slip catcher ever, or does Root’s longevity still make him the better fielder? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which non-wicketkeeper has taken the most Test catches?
Steve Smith has the most, with 223 after day three in Durban. Joe Root is three behind on 220, and only 11 wicketkeepers have more catches than Smith.
How many Tests did Smith need to reach 223 catches?
It took Smith 126 matches and 240 fielding innings to reach 223 catches. That works out at 1.77 per Test and 0.93 per innings, far above Root’s rates of 1.30 and 0.68.
How many Test catches has Joe Root taken?
Joe Root has taken 220 catches in 169 Tests. He held the record from 2025 after passing Rahul Dravid’s 210 at Lord’s, and Smith overtook him in Durban.
Which slip fielder is regarded as the finest in Tests?
No official ranking exists, so opinions differ. Waugh frequently heads such lists with Dravid and Smith close behind, though Smith owns the best per-Test rate in that group.
Who are the leading five Test catchers outside the wicketkeepers?
Steve Smith leads on 223, followed by Joe Root on 220 in second place. Dravid is third on 210, with Jayawardene on 205 and Kallis on 200.