Ajinkya Rahane sets world record in Galle Test

Galle (Sri Lanka), Aug 14: India's Ajinkya Rahane today set a world record during the 3rd day's play of the 1st Test against Sri Lanka here at the Galle International Stadium.

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27-year-old Rahane, on Friday, took 5 catches in the 2nd innings to complete 8 in the match, which is a world record for a fieldsman in Test history. He had a forgettable first innings with the bat as he was out for a duck but has now made it memorable with his fielding.

File photo of Ajinkya Rahane celebrating a Test century

Before this match, Rahane had taken 7 catches in 15 Tests but in one match alone he has overtaken his previous tally.

Yajurvindra Singh (India), Greg Chappell (Australia), Hashan Tilakaratne (Sri Lanka), Stephen Flemimg (New Zealand) and Mathew Hayden (Australia) had held the joint record before today with 7 catches.

Well known cricket statistician Mohandas Menon confirmed the record. He wrote on his Twitter page, "Ajinkya Rahane now 8 catches - the most ever by a fielder in a Test match
#IndvSL."

The world record came when Rahane caught left-hander Rangana Herath at slip off Amit Mishra. At the time, Sri Lanka were 319/8 in 72.5 overs. The hosts were later bowled out for 367, setting India a 176-run target to win.

Rahane's catches in the 1st Test (8)

Sri Lanka's 1st innings

1. Dimuth Karunaratne c Rahane b Ishat Sharma 9

2. Lahiru Thirimanne c Rahane b R Ashwin 13

3. Dinesh Chandimal c Rahane b Amit Mishra 59

2nd innings

4. Dhammika Prasad c Rahane b Varun Aaron 3

5. Kumar Sangakkara c Rahane b Ashwin 40

6. Thirimanne c Rahane b Ashwin 44

7. Jehan Mubarak c Rahane b Harbhajan Singh 49

8. Rangana Herath c Rahane b Mishra 1

Ajinkya Rahane now 8 catches - the most ever by a fielder in a Test match #IndvSL
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 14, 2015

Yujuvindra Singh the other Indian to take 7 catches did it in the Test after #RepublicDay 1977 & Rahane before #IndependenceDay 2015 #IndvSL
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 14, 2015

Most catches in a Test: 8* by Ajinkya Rahane in 2015 Most dismissals in a Test: 11 Jack Russell in 1995 & 11 AB de Villiers in 2013 #IndvSL
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 14, 2015

Most catches in a first-class match by a fielder 10 - Walter Hammond for Gloucestershire v Surrey at Cheltenham in 1928 #IndvSL
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 14, 2015