Gilchrist acknowledges the crowd after setting the new landmark

The 36-year-old passed Boucher's tally of 413 when he took the catch which ended India's first innings in the fourth Test in Adelaide.

His 414 dismissals from 96 Tests comprise 377 catches and 37 stumpings, while South African Boucher has 394 catches and 19 stumpings.

Gilchrist has also scored 17 centuries and 26 fifties at an average of 47.

Boucher only had the record for a short period, having beaten former Australia keeper Ian Healy's landmark of 395 dismissals in 2007.

But he will have a chance to regain his record, if selected, when South Africa play two Tests in Bangladesh in February and then tour India.

For Gilchrist, the record is a timely lift after he was subjected to criticism following some important keeping errors in the series with the Indians.

I feel like I've maintained a high standard more often than not Adam Gilchrist

One dropped catch off VVS Laxman in Adelaide prompted some strong words from former Australia skipper Steve Waugh.

"For a world-class keeper, Gilly's concentration and consequently his sharpness of footwork hasn't been up to his usual exceptional standard and this one could have really hurt Australia," Waugh wrote in his newspaper column.

The man himself made light of the situation, however, and quipped: "I always seem to put some down when I am nearing a landmark, it happened on 300 and 400 and now!

"It's always seemed like with my keeping I've had to maintain a high standard and if I didn't people will pounce on it very quickly.

"I've made a lot of mistakes and if you rock up for 96 Test matches you're going to make the odd mistake, so I've always felt there have been some critics out there who have been very quick to pounce.

"So I've used that as an incentive to help motivate me. I feel like I've maintained a high standard more often than not.