Rahane surprised with world record

India’s Ajinkya Rahane on Friday became the first fielder in Test history to take eight catches in a game, achieving the feat in the ongoing first cricket match against Sri Lanka here. Pleased with his world record feat of eight catches in a Test match, Ajinkya Rahane has credited former India skipper Rahul Dravid for guiding him on slip catching and overall fielding. “We had a very good talk during IPL about what he used to do when he used to stand in the slips,” revealed Rahane on working closely with Dravid, who used to man the slip cordon for India during his playing days. Rahane caught Rangana Herath at slip off Amit Mishra to enter the record books after going past five international players, Yajurvindra Singh (India), Greg Chappell (Australia), Hashan <g data-gr-id="13">Tilakaratne</g> (Sri Lanka), Stephen <g data-gr-id="14">Flemimg</g> (New Zealand) and Mathew Hayden (Australia), all of whom took 7 catches in a match. 

Incidentally Yujuvindra took 7 catches in a Test after Independence Day in 1977, while Rahane has done it on the eve of August 15. Rahane was instrumental in sending three Lankan batsmen back to the pavilion during the first innings before he took five catches in the second essay. Englishman Wally Hammond though holds the record for most catches,10, in first class cricket, having achieved the feat as a Gloucestershire fielder against Surrey in 1928.  England’s keeper Jack Russell in 1995 and South African AB de Villiers in 2013 have 11 dismissals each in a Test match.