The day 4 of the first Test between India and South Africa saw an inspired bowling performance from the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who bowled their heart out to bowl out the hosts for a cheap score of 130. Indian pacers bowled tight line and length that invited the Proteas batsmen to play at deliveries. However, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha too deserves a pat on the back to become the first Indian wicketkeeper to affect 10 dismissals in a Test during the ongoing opening match between India and South Africa in Cape Town.
The 33-year-old wicketkeeper surpassed former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had claimed nine dismissals in a Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2014. He achieved the feat on the fourth day of the Test match.
Saha took 10 catches - five in each South African innings - to take his overall tally of the number of dismissals to 85, which includes 10 stumpings.
He also eclipsed Farokh Engineer's record of 82 dismissals to become the fifth most successful Indian wicketkeeper.
With the catch of South Africa's Morne Morkel off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the second innings, Saha broke the record of Dhoni and achieved the landmark. Overall, Saha's effort is the joint-second best in the history of Test cricket. He joins England's Bob Taylor (vs India, Mumbai 1980) and Australian Adam Gilchrist (vs New Zealand, Hamilton 2000) who each took 10 catches.
Jack Russell of England (vs South Africa, Johannesburg 1995) and South African AB de Villiers (vs Pakistan, Johannesburg 2013) occupy the top spot with 11 dismissals, all catches, to their name in a match.
