Australian cricketer Steve Smith has achieved a remarkable feat by surpassing former Australian player Mark Waugh to become the second-most prolific fielder for Australia in Test cricket. Smith’s outstanding fielding skills were on display during the ongoing Test match against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, where he took two crucial catches.
Smith’s agility and sharp reflexes have been instrumental in his rise to the top of the catching charts. His catch to dismiss Will Young off the bowling of Travis Head and his catch to dismiss Kane Williamson off Nathan Lyon’s delivery showcased his exceptional fielding prowess.
With 182 catches from 108 Tests, Steve Smith now sits comfortably in second place, behind only Ricky Ponting, who holds the record with 196 catches from 168 Tests. Smith’s ability to anticipate the ball’s trajectory and react swiftly has made him one of Australia’s most reliable fielders.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly Calls for Conversation with Ishan Kishan Over Ranji Trophy Absence
In a recent interview with The Times of India, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly weighed in on the controversy surrounding Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the BCCI central contracts due to their decision to skip Ranji Trophy matches. Ganguly, who is currently the Director of Cricket for the Delhi Capitals, suggested that BCCI officials should speak to Kishan to understand his perspective.
“All the players picked in Delhi Capitals have played Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Ranji Trophy. Even Ishant Sharma has played Ranji,” Ganguly added, highlighting the importance of domestic cricket in the development of players.
In the ongoing Test match against New Zealand, Steve Smith showcased his exceptional fielding skills by taking two crucial catches, which propelled him past Mark Waugh’s previous record. His journey to becoming one of Australia’s most reliable fielders has been nothing short of impressive, and he now sits comfortably in second place on the list of most catches for Australia in Test cricket.
Steve Smith Going Through Lean Patch as an Opener for Australia in Test Format
Despite his remarkable fielding skills, Steve Smith has been facing a persistent struggle as an opener for Australia in Test cricket. Promoted up the order after David Warner’s retirement from the format, Smith has found it challenging to make an impact at the top of the order.
In the ongoing Test match against New Zealand, Smith scored 31 runs off 71 balls in the first innings before being dismissed by Matt Henry. In the second innings, he was dismissed for a duck by Tim Southee. As a Test opener, Smith has accumulated 151 runs at an average of 37.75, with a highest score of 91 not out.
New Zealand, needing 369 runs to win the Test match, managed to score 111 runs before the umpires called stumps on Day 3, leaving them with 258 more runs to win on the following day.
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