Fielding is frequently the difference between a game being won or lost. To turn games around, the top fielders in the world save a lot of runs, get savvy runouts, and take spectacular catches.
Ben Stokes and Virat Kohli are two of the best athletes in modern cricket, having excelled in the outfield on numerous occasions. But there have been some very excellent fielders in cricket history, and this article will look at the top ten greatest fielders of all time in cricket.
Before that, deeply understand all the fielding positions in cricket here.
10. Faf du Plessis
Faf du Plessis has very safe hands and is a tremendously adaptable fielder, ranking him tenth on our list of the “Best fielders in world cricket.”
In Test matches, he primarily fields at slip, but in limited-overs cricket, he is a gun fielder inside the 30-yard circle. In recent years, he has taken some incredible catches, notably one to dismiss Joe Root off the bowling of Beuran Hendricks at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg in 2020.
9. Suresh Raina
In recent times, he was perhaps most recognised for his exploits in the Indian Premier League. His fielding ability in the competition has been nothing short of outstanding.
He formed a potent outfield field setup for the Chennai Super Kings with Faf du Plessis and Ravindra Jadeja. Despite the fact that all three were above 30, it demonstrates their fitness and athleticism.
8. Steve Smith
Steve Smith is a calm and cautious fielder who avoids being aggressive when taking catches because it disrupts his rhythm. He frequently stands at slip and pulls off remarkable one-handed grabs to dismiss some of the game’s top batters.
He can also field in the outfield because he has a fantastic throwing arm that can both throw out batters and halt runs.
7. Paul Collingwood
Paul Collingwood was outstanding in the slip cordon for England. During his playing days, many pundits on Sky Sports and around the world agreed with such a notion.
He was an outstanding fielder for the English Cricket Team, standing at second or third slip. He possessed big hands, which allowed him to easily sweep up the ball. Collingwood’s propensity to be proactive on the pitch was an underappreciated feature of his game.
6. Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif is recognised as one of the finest fielders in cricket history because of his extraordinary agility, lightning-fast reactions, and fluid movements on the pitch. Kaif was an important component of the Indian cricket side in the early 2000s, contributing heavily to several of India’s historic victories.
He was recognised for his agility and speed, which allowed him to cover the field quickly and dive for catches. He was also a great thrower, capable of accurately hitting the stumps from long distances to effect run-outs.
5. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting is Australia’s greatest fielder of all time. His anticipation, devotion, and technique were all excellent, as were those of the other greats on this list.
Ponting, on the other hand, preferred fielding to most others. He would frequently observe the batsmen’s movements, especially when they were moving down the pitch, and be ready to attack when necessary.
He was dependable at second slip, but it was inside the 30-yard circle where he truly earned his mark. His preferred position was backward, and he covered the space really well.
4. Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds was at the pinnacle of his abilities in terms of all-around talents, including fielding strength, in the mid-2000s. Symonds could easily impact run-outs since he possessed a very powerful throw between the wickets that would beat most hitters.
He, like Collingwood, had “bucket” hands, which meant catches stuck more frequently than not.
3. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is currently the finest fielder in the world. His all-around abilities are simply amazing, and he can do everything in the outfield. Jadeja possesses a bullet-throwing arm that can easily bring down the stumps, as he did against Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy.
He is also quite good at his own bowling, ensuring that rapid singles are avoided. Furthermore, towards the boundary, Jadeja is both athletic and speedy, allowing him to cover territory and make spectacular catches.
2. Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs is without a doubt one of the greatest fielders in cricket history. Because of his quickness and bravery on the pitch, he has been a part of some of the sport’s most famous fielding moments. He was also a remarkably accurate thrower and was frequently utilised as an outfield relay man.
1. Jonty Rhodes
Jonty Rhodes is ranked first on our list of the “Greatest Fielders in World Cricket.” Ricky Ponting called him “the best defensive fielder of all time.”
This was undoubtedly true since he could stop runners inside the 30-yard line like no other fielder could. Jonty had lightning-fast response times, an athletic dive, and a gun throw. All three of these factors combined meant that batters would pause before running if the ball was struck to them, saving runs.
His runout of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, in which Rhodes smashed the stumps, is possibly the most memorable run-out in the game’s history.
Also Read: 10 Memorable Moments in ODI World Cup History
Final Thoughts
Fielding is a crucial aspect of the skill-based game of cricket. Cricket necessitates excellent fielding, and a team with great fielders can change the outcome of a game. Fielders must be nimble, quick, and have a keen sense of anticipation in order to make critical catches and stops.
We have presented you with some greatest fielders over the years who have not only stopped important runs from scoring but also made some jaw-dropping catches. As we all know, “Catches win Matches.”
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