Cricket is a sport that only affluent people play. We are all aware that a great number of athletes have attained enormous fame in a variety of disciplines, such as batting, bowling, and fielding.
In this section, we shall talk about the best fielders the game of cricket has ever seen. These fielders have had outstanding success throughout their professional careers. They have never failed to amaze and delight the audience. Their followers always have a positive reaction to their performances and like watching them.
Best Fielders in Cricket | All-Time Rankings
There is no doubt that cricket is one of the most popular sports played worldwide today. Despite this, it is the sport with the most spectators in India. This sport has produced some of the best fielders in the history of the game, in addition to some of the best batsmen and bowlers. They have finally arrived!
10. Faf Du Plessis: Greatest Fielder in South African Cricket History
A batsman who bats right-handed and a leg-break bowler who bowls with their right arm
South Africa’s National Team is This One.
First test match played: November 23, 2012 vs Australia
1st One-Day International Match: January 18, 2011, vs India
First Twenty20 International Match: September 8, 2012 Against England
Francois du Plessis, popularly known by his nickname Faf du Plessis, is a prominent cricket player on the world stage. An outstanding fielder, he is regarded as one of South Africa’s best hitters. In addition to that, he has some experience as a right-handed hitter and bowler.
Faf is a member of the South African cricket team, which competes at the international level. Faf du Plessis was the captain of the South African national team for a number of years, and during that period he participated in every format of the game.
A player who has a certain level of intelligence is able to swiftly modify his hitting approach in response to the circumstances of the game. Being one of the best fielders in cricket on the South African squad has helped him become an even better player, and the fact that he is the team captain has helped him become even better.
As a batter who bats in the middle of the order for his side, he plays an important part. He was a member of the South African national team and participated in both international and local competitions when he was there.
Faf du Plessis, a famous cricketer from South Africa, has represented both the Northerns and the Titans in his country. He was a member of the English county team Yorkshire in addition to his time spent playing cricket for Lancashire.
In addition, he has previously played for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League. In addition to that, he has participated in the Indian Premier League for both the Chennai Super Kings and the Rising Pune Super Giants (IPL).
IPL player Faf has been an important contributor to Chennai Super Kings this season. As a member of Paarl Rocks, he made his first appearance in the Mzansi Super League in 2018. He is the team captain and also plays as a batter, and he has various records that are extraordinary.
The South African Men’s Player of the Year award was given to him in 2019. The South African team has relied on him time and again as one of the most reliable batsmen in the world.
9: Suresh Raina | Best fielder in the Indian Premier League
Batsman who bats with their left hand and an off-spin bowler who uses their right arm
Team Representing Its Nation: India
First test match played: July 26, 2010, vs Sri Lanka
1st One-Day International Match: July 30, 2005, vs Sri Lanka
First Twenty20 International Match: December 1, 2006, vs South Africa
The Indian cricketer Suresh Raina is a brave left-handed batsman who plays off-spin as well. He bowls off-spin sometimes. As one of cricket’s greatest fielders, Raina is also considered legendary.
Suresh Raina represents Uttar Pradesh in all three versions of the domestic cricket competition. In addition to his role as vice-captain of the Chennai Super Kings, he was also the captain of the Gujarat Lions. He was the captain of the Indian squad at one point and holds the record for being India’s second-youngest captain to ever lead the country.
Suresh Raina is the only player in the history of international cricket to score a century in all three of the game’s forms simultaneously. Suresh Raina made his debut in a one-day international competition against Sri Lanka when he was just 19 years old.
However, he did not make his debut in a test match until five years later, and it was against a competitor who was quite similar. He scored a century in his very first outing in a test match. Suresh was an integral part of India’s World Cup success in 2011 when he was playing for the Indian national team.
Suresh Raina, who was born in Muradnagar and spent his childhood there, made the decision in the year 2000 to become a great cricketer and travelled to Lucknow in order to attend Guru Gobind Singh Sports College. He served as the team’s captain when he was on Uttar Pradesh’s Under-16 squad.
After that, in 2002, Raina grabbed the attention of the Indian selectors when he was 15 years old and a half years old. This happened because he was nominated for the U-19 England trip. In the course of these U-19 Test competitions, he scored two fifty-plus scores.
Suresh Raina, widely regarded as one of the best fielders in IPL history, went to Sri Lanka with the Under-17 team in February of 2003. He was just 16 years old when he made his first Ranji Trophy appearance for Uttar Pradesh against Assam. After that, he did not play a new match until the next season.
After that, Raina participated in the Under-19 One-Day International Championship in Pakistan in 2003 and then went on to compete in the Under-19 World Cup the following year in 2004.
8. Steve Smith – Best Cricket Fielder Ever
Batsman with the right hand and leg spin bowler with the right arm and leg
The Australian national football team.
First test match played: July 13, 2010, vs Pakistan
First One-Day International Match: February 19, 2010, against West Indies First Twenty20 International Match: February 5, 2010, against Pakistan
Steve Smith, one of the best batters in Australia, got his start in the game with his hometown club, the Illawong Cricket Club, where he played for the first season of his professional career. Smith was the junior cricketer of the year for the club for the last two years in a row. It wasn’t until the 1998–1999 season that he scored his first century. His highest possible score was 141, which made him the first player to ever achieve six centuries.
Smith is not only well-known for his hitting, but he also has a reputation for being one of the best fielders in cricket. His fielding consistently shocks both his fans and his opponents. The first time he played for his country in an international cricket match was during the Twenty20 International matches in Melbourne in 2010.
At the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 in 2010, Australia finished in second place, behind only the West Indies.
He was victorious in his own right by virtue of the fact that he collected 11 wickets in just seven matches while average 14.81.
Smith is receiving a lot of attention from the IPL. He has previously played for the Rajasthan Royals and the Pune Warriors India, and in 2015 he signed on to play for the Rising Pune Supergiant. Under his direction, his squad competed well enough in the IPL 10 to make it all the way to the finals.
Due to the ball-tampering scandal of 2018, he was banned from cricket for one year. After serving his suspension, he participated in a competitive match for the first time in the Bangladesh Premier League. A shoulder injury sidelined Smith for a few games.After missing the Indian Premier League in 2018, he made his comeback with some match-winning strokes in the 2019 edition of the tournament.
7. Ravindra Jadeja | Greatest Fielder the Country Has Ever Produced
Position: Slow Left-Arm Orthodox Bowler / Left-Handed Batsman with the Left Hand National Team: India
First match against England was on December 13, 2012, and it was a test.
1st One-Day International Match: February 8, 2009, vs Sri Lanka
First Twenty20 International Match: 10 February 2009 Against Sri Lanka
Ravindra Jadeja, most often referred to simply as Ravindra, is a highly well-known cricketer from India. He is an all-rounder, which means that in addition to batting middle order left-handed and bowling left-arm slow, he also bowls left-arm slow.
During the 2006-2007 season, he carried the Duleep Trophy as the representative for the Western zone. Jadeja is one of cricket’s top fielders, and his exemplary performance never fails to impress fans. He is also regarded as one of the best spinners in the world of cricket.
In the 2008-2009 season of the Ranji Trophy, Jadeja took 42 wickets and scored 739 runs. His performance caught the attention of the national selectors, and they chose him to play in the One-Day International series near the end of the year.
He made his international debut in the last match of the series on February 8, 2009, despite India’s defeat. He scored 60 not out. Because of Jadeja’s poor performance, India did not win the World Twenty20 in 2009. This was a direct effect of Jadeja’s play.
After Yusuf Pathan’s poor performance in one-day internationals (ODIs), Jadeja replaced him as the team’s No. 7 batsman in late 2009. In a one-day international match against Sri Lanka that took place on the 21st of December 2009, Jadeja earned the match award thanks to his four wickets.
During the historic four-game series victory over Australia in February and March 2013, Jadeja was responsible for 24 wickets, including five dismissals of the Australian team’s captain, Michael Clarke.
In spite of the fact that he didn’t make a significant impact with the bat, the club regarded him as an all-rounder. In the last test match, he was responsible for seven dismissals, five of which came in the second innings.
He was an integral part of India’s victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, which they took home. As of August 2013, he held the top spot in the ODI bowling rankings published by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
6. Paul Collingwood | One Of The Greatest Fielders To Have Played In A Test Match
Batsman who bats right-handed and a right-arm bowler who bowls at a medium pace
The English national football team.
Test Debut: 2nd December 2003 against. Sri Lanka
First One-Day International Match: June 7, 2001 vs Pakistan First Twenty20 International Match: June 13, 2007 against Australia
Paul Collingwood, a former English cricketer, was born on May 26th, 1976 in Shotley Bridge, in the county of Durham. Collingwood was an essential member of the England team for all three formats (Test, ODI, and T20).
Additionally, during the years 2007 and 2008, he led the England One-Day International squad as its captain. Collingwood is a cricketer worthy of admiration due to his superiority as a player as well as his technique.
During his stay in England. He displayed his talents as an all-rounder by bowling at medium speed and batting with his right hand. Collingwood has scored an average of 34.52 runs per game with 11,221 total runs.
In addition, he has taken 272 wickets while averaging 33.47 runs out. Paul is also widely regarded as one of the best fielders of all time.
When he first began his career on the international stage. It seemed as if he had been brought in to only serve in the capacity of a substitute. After scoring 96 and 80 at Lahore. He scored his first century in 2005 in Nagpur, which was a very dusty pitch.
He had previously played in Lahore. An English cricketer made history by being the first player in Australia in the last 78 years to record a double century while competing in the Ashes series in Adelaide in 2006-2007.
Collingwood’s reputation skyrocketed once he became an all-rounder in one-day internationals. In the match against Bangladesh. He outperformed Viv Richards’ previous greatest all-around performance by scoring a century and taking six wickets. After that, his team’s standing began to improve.
5. Andrew Symonds | Most accomplished Australian fielder of all time
Batsman who bats with their right hand and bowls off break with their right arm
The Australian national football team.
Test Debut: 8th March 2004 against. Sri Lanka
First One-Day International Match: 10 November 1998 Against Pakistan First Twenty20 International Match: 17 February 2005 Against New Zealand
Andrew Symonds is a cricket player for the Australian national team. Symonds was born in Australia. Since 1998, he has been a part of the group, and ever since then, he has been an outstanding performer. During the period that he was a member of the team, Andrew Symonds was quite helpful.
Andrew Symonds was born on June 9th, 1975 in the city of Birmingham. Which is located in the county of Warwickshire, England. Andrew Symonds, a player for the Australian National Cricket Team, participated in his first one-day international in the year 1998. Today, he is widely considered one of Australia’s most accomplished one-day international players.
The team has relied on Andrew Symonds to score many runs over the years. Both in domestic and international cricket. His major function in the squad is that of a batter. And he has done so both in local and international competitions. In addition to that, he bowls his right arm and has a little bit of spin on the ball.
His abilities on the field are top-notch, and he is versatile enough to play in any position. He is recognized as one of the fielders in cricket due to the fact that he is skilled at ground fielding and catching.
4. Herschelle Gibbs – Greatest ODI Fielder In Cricket History
Batsman who bats right-handed and right-arm bowler who bowls at a medium pace
South Africa’s National Team is This One.
First test match played: November 27, 1996, vs India
ODI Debut: 3rd October 1996 against. Kenya
First Twenty20 International Match: October 21, 2005 Against New Zealand
Herschelle Gibbs is a professional cricket player who has competed for South Africa on a national level since 1990. He has been a member of the South African National Cricket Team since that year. He is regarded as one of the best opening batters in the history of cricket. And he has had a lot of success.
During his time with the team, Gibbs has achieved a lot of success. Herschelle Gibbs, who was born on February 23rd, 1974, was a native of Cape Town. Herschelle Gibbs, a member of the South African National Cricket Team. He made his debut in all three formats (ODIs, Twenty20s, and Tests) in the year 1990.
Both global tournaments will be played by South Africa’s opening batsman, who has played for the country in several competitions.
During his tenure competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was a member of both the Mumbai Indians and the Deccan Chargers. After spending time playing rugby and soccer, he moved on to cricket as his first significant athletic endeavor.
Herschelle Gibbs, a cricket player, has established himself as one of the sport’s most accomplished and finest fielders. The skills and energy he put in on the field have transformed the seniority of the contest. Which is exciting for fans of cricket. Gibbs announced the creation of a disciplinary tribunal after a Cape Colored player expressed racial remarks during the first test match against Pakistan on January 15, 2007.
On the stump microphone, he said things like “go back to the zoo” and cursed at the Pakistani players.
A teammate named Paul Harris appeared to be the intended recipient of the words. Who was verbally abused by opposing players while playing fielding. Following Pakistan’s management’s notification to the referee Chris Broad, Gibbs was suspended for two tests.
3. Ricky Ponting | Greatest Fielder in the History of Cricket
Batsman who bats right-handed and a right-arm bowler who bowls at a medium pace
The Australian national football team.
First test match played: December 8, 1995, vs Sri Lanka
First One-Day International Match: 15 February 1995 Against South Africa
Because the number of victories is the most important criterion. The career of Ricky Ponting is considered to be one of the greatest in the history of cricket. He is the most successful captain in Australian history after leading his team to victory in the World Cup in both 2003 and 2007.
During Ricky Ponting’s tenure as captain, Australia has been victorious in 108 tests as well as 262 One-Day Internationals. Despite this, he was met with a great deal of criticism for being too arrogant on the field. In spite of this, he was successful during his whole 17-year career in cricket.
He holds the record for the most runs scored for Australia across all formats of the game. Including Tests and One-Day Internationals, and he is also the skipper with the most victories to his name.
His cover drive and pull-back, as well as the 140 runs he scored against India in the final of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup. These were two of the most memorable moments of his professional career. Over the course of both forms, he has scored more than 13000 runs.
The fact that Australia did not suffer a single defeat throughout their participation in the event is one of the most important aspects of Ricky Ponting’s maiden World Cup as captain. Ponting often remarked that leading Australia to an unbeaten triumph in the World Cup was the most memorable experience of his life.
Due to the fact that it resulted in an unbeatable turnaround in the finals, the rumor that he had used a spring for his unbeatable knock in the finals turned out to be one of the most significant tales in his whole cricket career.
It is impossible to talk about his remarkable cricket career without mentioning this. Besides being an excellent batsman, Ponting is also an excellent fielder.
Ricky Ponting amassed a total of 13704 runs during the course of 375 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) with an average of 42.04, including 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries. His best score was 164, which he achieved against South Africa.
Read also: Top 10 Tallest Bowlers in Cricket
2. AB de Villiers – Best Fielder of All Time
Right-Handed Batsman, Right Arm Medium Pace Bowler, and Wicketkeeper Positions
South Africa’s National Team is This One.
First match against England was on December 17, 2004, and it was a draw.
First One-Day International Match: February 2, 2005 Against England
T20 International Debut: February 24, 2006, Against Australia
Whether at the crease, behind the wickets, or on the field, AB de Villiers has revolutionised the manner in which cricket players approach their positions. Because of his otherworldly abilities, cricket has been completely reimagined.
One can only describe ABD as a paddle sweeper, clicker, and one-handed stunner collector in one sentence.
As a result of his universal adulation, he has been regarded as one of cricket’s most notable batsmen throughout history. As well as his hitting ability, AB’s popularity can also be attributed to his fielding ability.
Through his performances, he surprises both his fans and his opponents due to his high level of enthusiasm. It is common knowledge that he is one of the best fielders in the history of cricket.
He has now come to be recognized as one of the greatest hitters in the history of cricket. On February 2, 2005, at Bloemfontein, AB participated in their very first One-Day International match.
It was England who chose to bat first, and they ended their 50 overs with a score of 270/5. South Africa’s final total of 270 resulted in a draw as they lost eight wickets in the process. AB scored 20 runs while facing 56 balls.
Australia played its first one-day international in 1992. He made 146 runs off just 130 balls, including six sixes and 12 fours. His total included six sixes.
Because of De Villiers’s play, the South African team had advanced all the way to the championship game of the event that took place every four years. In order to advance to the semi-finals, ABD scored 150 runs against West Indies in just 64 deliveries.
1. Jonty Rhodes | The Greatest Fielder in the History of Cricket
Batsman with right hand and right arm medium pace bowler with right hand
National Team: South Africa
In 1992, he made his test debut against India on 13th November
In 1992, Australia played the first one-day international.
From South Africa, Jonty Rhodes is an ex-cricket player and commentator. Batsmen with the right hand are known for their speed, but defensive fielders are known for their skills in catching, ground fielding, and throwing from a backward point.
One of Jonty’s greatest achievements is his skill as a fielder.
During the 1993-1994 season, he scored his first Test century (101*), which enabled South Africa to win the three-match series 1–0 against Sri Lanka. On 14 November 1993, Rhodes recorded five dismissals by a fielder against the West Indies in Mumbai.
During the 1992 World Cup, South Africa played Pakistan in the fifth match at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. During the 135/2 phase of the game, Imran Khan stopped Inzamam ul Haq from scoring. Jonty, on seeing the ball rolling towards him, ran from the backward point, picked up the ball, and ran towards the wicket to run out Inzamam, one of the greatest Muslim athletes and legends of cricket.
Jonty threw the ball as hard as he could at his stumps. Despite its spectacular nature, Rhodes’ feat remains a defining moment in his career and one of the most spectacular feats of that World Cup.
Final Words: Best Fielders
It is our hope that you found the list of our greatest cricket fielders to be enjoyable. Please share your thoughts about the list in the comments section. Please let us know what you think.
FAQs: Cricket’s Greatest Fielders
It has been noted that Rhodes has been cited as one of the greatest fielders in cricket history, due to his ability to go for the ball, which he has achieved with success. There have been several excellent catches he has made in the outfield, in the slips, and in the circle.
As far as non-wicketkeeper catchers are concerned, the three best in Test cricket are Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, and Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka.