Since the very beginning of cricket, a wicketkeeper’s skill has always been applied behind the wickets. His most important skill is his ability to catch the ball, be it with one hand or both, either from a nearly stationary position standing close to the batsman or affecting a quick dive or sprint, or even a stumping.
However, in modern-day cricket, a ’keeper’s job specs are not only to perform well behind the wickets in terms of taking catches, executing stumpings and limiting the number of byes, but to also perform well as a batsman. Therefore, the position is of a specialist or an all-rounder in the playing XI.
READ: Part I - All about Test cricket wicketkeepers
In the second part of this statistical analysis on Test wicketkeepers, we take a look at their performances with the gloves.
Most dismissals in a Test innings
Notes:
- There are 32 instances of six dismissals by wicketkeepers in a Test innings.
- South Africa's Mark Boucher is the only keeper to take six or more dismissals in an innings on four occasions, followed by England’s Chris Read with three. Two other English keepers, Jack Russell and Matt Prior, and New Zealand’s Bradey-John Watling have done it twice!
Most dismissals in a Test match
Notes:
- There are 34 instances of nine or more dismissals by wicketkeepers in a Test match, including four instances of 10 dismissals in a match.
- South Africa's Mark Boucher is the only keeper to achieve nine or more dismissals in a match on three occasions, while the following keepers have done it twice – Sri Lanka's Amal Silva, England’s Jack Russell and Jonny Bairstow, Australia's Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin, and New Zealand's Bradley-John Watling.
Most dismissals in a Test series
Notes:
- There are 14 instances of 25 or more dismissals by wicketkeepers in a Test series.
- Australian Adam Gilchrist in the only keeper to achieve 25 or more dismissals in a Test series on four occasions, followed by countrymen Ian Healy and Rodney Marsh doing so on three and two occasions, respectively.
- There are 58 instances of 20 or more dismissals by wicketkeepers in a Test series.
- Australians Rodney Marsh, Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist have all done it on five occasions each.
Most Test dismissals in a calendar year
Most Test dismissals in a career
+ Also appeared in one Test for ICC World XI in 2005 (took two catches).
Most Test stumpings
Most career dismissals by a wicketkeeper in Test cricket - how the record changed hands
+ Also appeared in one Test for ICC World XI in 2005 (took two catches).
First wicketkeepers to reach landmark Test dismissals
+ Also appeared in one Test for ICC World XI in 2005 (took two catches).
Quickest to reach landmark Test dismissals (i.e. fewest matches)
To be continued...
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