Steve Smith on course to surpass Virat Kohli in elite list during Boxing Day Test vs England at MCG

Melbourne:

The fourth Test of the 2025–26 Ashes series will begin on December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with Australia aiming to extend their dominance after taking a 3-0 lead against England. The Boxing Day Test will see a change in leadership for the hosts, as regular captain Pat Cummins has opted out of the final two matches of the series due to fitness and workload management. In his absence, Steve Smith will take over captaincy duties.

Smith’s responsibilities at the MCG will extend beyond leadership. With the bat, the Australian great has registered three half-centuries in the ongoing series but is yet to convert any of those starts into a century. The Boxing Day Test presents another opportunity for him to reach three figures, something that has so far eluded him in this Ashes campaign.

In which record list can Smith surpass Kohli?

Beyond batting milestones, Smith is also closing in on a significant achievement in the field. He is on the verge of surpassing Virat Kohli in the list of most catches taken in international cricket. Both players have crossed the 300-catch mark across formats, with Kohli currently placed fourth with 342 catches. Smith follows closely with 341, meaning just two more catches would see him move ahead of the former India captain. When it comes to Ashes, Smith already tops the list with 66 catches to his name.

The overall record for most catches in international cricket is held by Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, who finished his career with 440. He is followed by former Australia captain Ricky Ponting with 364, and ex-New Zealand batter Ross Taylor with 354. 

Most catches in international cricket:

In the meantime, the star Australia batter has confirmed that he has regained full fitness after some issues in the Adelaide Test. He is set to slot in at number four and Usman Khawaja will move to the top of the order and Travis Head will be back at five.