Ajinkya Rahane: Reliving his world record 8 catches in a Test

Cricket is a team game, where batting and bowling is as important as fielding. Though much ignored, the fielders play a major role in bowlers’ success. Like a catch can help a team emerge victorious, a drop catch brings a team on the doorstep of defeat. Talking about pouching catches, the world record of most catches in a single Test match was held by five players—Greg Chappell, Yajurvindra Singh, Stephen Fleming, Matthew Hayden and Hashan Tillakaratne—until Ajinkya Rahane took eight catches to own the record during India tour of Sri Lanka in 2015. On Rahane’s birthday, let’s take a walk down memory lane and relive the world record. READ: Ajinkya Rahane: I love facing challenges and responsibilities

Dimuth Karunaratne:

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Rahane’s first catch was that of the opener Dimuth Karunaratne. Sri Lanka had just started their innings and Karunaratne was looking to settle down with his partner Kaushal Silva, but things went the other way. It was Ishant Sharma who went on to bowl the seventh over as Karunaratne holed out a bouncer to Rahane at gully.

Lahiru Thirimanne:

Next in was Sri Lanka’s swashbuckling southpaw Kumara Sangakkara. This being his last series, all eyes were on him. But, he failed to live up to the expectations and went back for a mere 5. Lahiru Thrimanne went out to bat and did a decent job, as he partnered with Silva and brought up Sri Lanka’s 50. However, he misread the line of Ravichandran Ashwin’s delivery and edged it to Rahane in the slip cordon.

Dinesh Chandimal:

Having lost four wickets back-to-back, Sri Lanka were desperately looking for a partnership that could help the team gather some crucial runs to put up a competitive total against a batting-heavy India. Skipper Angelo Mathews along with Dinesh Chandimal provided his team the much needed impetus. After Mathews’ departure, the onus was upon Chandimal to continue the run.

Amit Mishra came into the attack. Chandimal stepped out to go for a big shot, but the ball spun away and Rahane yet again grabbed hold of a catch at first slip.

Sri Lanka’s first innings ended soon after, with 183 runs on the board. India replied with 375, thanks to Shikhar Dhawan’s 134 and skipper Virat Kohli’s 103. Wriddhiman Saha also notched up a good 60. Rahane had taken three catches in the first innings so far, and no one was aware of the possibility of a world record in the making. Sri Lanka came out to bat in the second innings.

Dhammika Prasad:

Day 3 started with night watchman Dhammika Prasad and Kumar Sangakkara in action. Sri Lanka had already lost both their openers and scored only 5 runs. Kohli handed the ball to Varun Aaron to start the day; and he provided a perfect start, removing Prasad off the first delivery. Rahane, at gully, dived to take a blinder of a catch.

Kumara Sangakkara:

Probably the best of the Rahane-octet came against the best in the Sri Lanka line-up: Kumara Sangakkara. The legend had finally found his feet. However, as he started to move towards his half-century, Ashwin got the ball turning outside off stump. The delivery got a thick edge and darted to Rahane’s left. He dived and stretched his left hand to pluck perfect catch, leaving Sri Lanka at 92 for 4.

Lahiru Thirimanne:

With the top order going back within 100 runs, the onus was on Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal: the two proper batsmen who were yet to bat. Skipper Mathews had departed making a decent 39 and Chandimal looked good at 78 to move towards his century. Thirimanne was at 44 when Rahane scaled up his count by one more catch at slip. Rahane’s reflex looked top class as he stooped to his left assuming it to go there, but as he saw the ball going to his right, he moved swiftly and picked up a stunning low catch.

Jehan Mubarak:

Dinesh Chandimal looked unstoppable even after reaching his century and found the right support from Jehan Mubarak at the other end. Chandimal was batting at 110 and Mubarak was just 5 runs away from his maiden Test half-century.

The experienced Harbhajan Singh came into the attack. Fullish, outside off-stump and a confused Mobarak totally missed the line to let the ball land into Rahane’s safe hands. The Indian now equalled the other five record holders with most number of catches.

Rangana Herath:

Rahane was just one catch away from creating a world record. Sri Lanka looked good with 318 runs on the board with the loss of 7 wickets. Amit Mishra pitched a good length ball to Herath, which took a faint edge and went just past the wicketkeeper. Practically a ‘keeper’s catch, Rahane backed up for Saha and picked yet another low catch to complete the octet and created a world record.

(Paulami Chakraborty, a singer, dancer, artist, and photographer, loves the madness of cricket and writes about the game. She can be followed on Twitter at @Polotwitts)