The 5 Best Cricket Fielders in History
A skilled fielder can completely alter the course of a game in the span of a few pitches – but who is the G.O.A.T?
We list the top 5 greatest cricket fielders of all-time.
Fielders have proven time and time again that cricket is much more than just batting and pitching a bat and a ball.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for fielding to be the deciding factor in a game’s outcome.
A good fielder is seen as a dynamo in their own right – and there is no doubt that they are gifted athletes with boundless energy.
It’s a visual treat when a fielder dives to finish a catch or accomplish a run-out. The bowlers and the entire team benefit from having a competent fielder.
When they flash in and stop cuts, drives and other operations, they perform their job to perfection.
Let’s take a look at the top 5 greatest cricket fielders of all-time. These fielders have raised the bar and established new standards for others in the position to follow!
1. Jonty Rhodes
- South African cricket player
- He earned a World Cup record for catches
- He’s known for his bullet-like run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1992 World Cup
His sheer athleticism, quickness, perfect throws and skill in the backward point area make Jonty Rhodes the uncontested king of fieldsmanship.
In cricket, you need a quick response time to take wickets – and you’ll miss the ball in the blink of an eye. However, Rhodes is well-versed in the field’s intricacies.
When he practically suspends himself in the air to grab the ball, it’s an absolute thrill to watch.
Rhodes’ five catches at the 1993 World Cup earned him a World Cup record (for non-wicket-keeping players).
He wasn’t only exceptional at catching; he also had a knack for getting teams out of jams.
One of the most memorable run-outs in cricket history was his bullet-like run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1992 World Cup, as he launched himself in the air like a bird to uncover the three stumps.
Jonty Rhodes Career Batting Statistics
| M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 52 | 80 | 8 | 2532 | 117 | 35.17 | 5467 | 46.31 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 256 | 22 |
| ODI | 245 | 220 | 51 | 5935 | 121 | 35.12 | 7336 | 80.9 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 392 | 47 |
Jonty Rhodes Career Bowling Statistics
| M | Inn | B | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | 10W | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 52 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | |
| ODI | 245 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 1.71 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
2. AB de Villiers
- He enjoyed a 15-year international career
- He’s won the ICC One-Day International Player of the Year award three times
- He’s versatile enough to play in any position
AB de Villiers, a South African cricketer, is a great batter and fielder. The wicketkeeper-batsman has won the ICC One-Day International Player of the Year award three times in his 15-year international career.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) may have seen AB de Villiers leave international cricket, but you can still catch him in action there. It’s impossible to compare his hitting style to anyone else’s.
However, he is perfect in one area: fielding. Some of his most memorable catches are the ones he pulls off on the water, putting in a lot of effort to catch the ball.
The fact that AB de Villiers can play any position on the field makes him an excellent fielder. He’s made several spectacular catches over his lengthy career and has always been fit and healthy, which has allowed him to move with speed.
A one-handed stunner at the boundary ropes was no match for AB de Villiers’ superman catch in the Indian Premier League.
He’s a versatile player – and he has had a long and distinguished career for his country.
There’s no wonder cricket is one of the most popular sports in South Africa!
AB de Villiers Career Batting Statistics
| Format | Matches | Innings | Not Outs | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI 2005-18 | 228 | 218 | 39 | 9577 | 176 | 53.5 | 9473 | 101.1 | 25 | 53 | 840 | 204 |
| T20I 2006-17 | 78 | 75 | 11 | 1672 | 79* | 26.1 | 1237 | 135.2 | 0 | 10 | 140 | 60 |
| IPL 2008-21 | 176 | 162 | 38 | 5056 | 133* | 40.8 | 3318 | 152.4 | 3 | 40 | 406 | 245 |
AB De Villers Career Wicketkeeping Statistics
| Format | Catches | Run Outs | Stumpings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test 2004-18 | 222 | 6 | 5 |
| ODI 2005-18 | 176 | 30 | 5 |
| T20I 2006-17 | 65 | 4 | 7 |
| IPL 2008-21 | 111 | 13 | 8 |
3. Brendon McCullum
- He set new standards for New Zealand cricket
- He has 453 dismissals as a wicketkeeper
- He’s currently head coach of the England cricket team in Test cricket
Sadly, Brendon McCullum’s illustrious international career has come to an end. The hard-hitting McCullum became known as one of the world’s most dangerous batsmen.
His aggressiveness as a batsman was evident in his captaincy tactics on the field, where he set new standards for New Zealand cricket.
McCullum created records with his fast-hitting style, but his dominating captaincy also contributed to a few significant milestones and numbers.
Thanks to his excellent at-bats and defence, he’s always been a force to be reckoned with. He’s well-known for snagging incredible catches on the field, as well as behind the wicket.
As one of the best wicketkeepers of all-time, he has 453 dismissals to his name.
Brendon McCullum Career Batting Statistics
| In Format | Span | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 0s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test matches | 2004-2016 | 101 | 176 | 9 | 6453 | 302 | 38.64 | 9989 | 64.60 | 12 | 31 | 14 | 776 | 107 |
| One-Day Internationals | 2002-2016 | 260 | 228 | 28 | 6083 | 166 | 30.41 | 6312 | 96.37 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 577 | 200 |
| Twenty20I | 2005-2015 | 71 | 70 | 10 | 2140 | 123 | 35.66 | 1571 | 136.21 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 199 | 91 |
4. Suresh Raina
- He has an ODI tally of 104 catches
- He won IPL’s Best Catcher two years in a row
- Former player for the Chennai Super Kings
When Raina is on the field, it’s a real treat. Raina made his professional debut in 2005 and has since established himself as a critical player.
As one of the finest ball catchers in the IPL, he has an ODI total of 102 catches and an ODI tally of 104 catches. In addition, he was named the IPL’s Best Catcher two years in a row.
Raina’s accomplishments on the field cannot be understated, and he will go down in history as one of the greatest cricket fielders of all-time.
Jonty Rhodes is an admirer of Suresh Raina, and he said as much in an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC):
“I’m familiar with field conditions in India, and he’ll be sweating buckets every time he trains or dives…
This guy never even considers the consequences of his actions before diving in.”
Suresh Raina’s Career Batting Statistics
| M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 18 | 31 | 2 | 768 | 120 | 26.48 | 1445 | 53.15 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 100 | 4 |
| ODI | 226 | 194 | 35 | 5615 | 116 | 35.31 | 6005 | 93.51 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 476 | 120 |
| T20I | 78 | 66 | 11 | 1604 | 101 | 29.16 | 1190 | 134.79 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 145 | 58 |
| IPL | 200 | 195 | 29 | 5491 | 100 | 33.08 | 4012 | 136.86 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 502 | 202 |
Suresh Raina’s Career Bowling Statistics
| M | Inn | B | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | 10W | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 18 | 22 | 1041 | 603 | 13 | 2/1 | 2/1 | 3.48 | 46.38 | 80.08 | 0 | 0 |
| ODI | 226 | 101 | 2126 | 1811 | 36 | 3/34 | 3/34 | 5.11 | 50.31 | 59.06 | 0 | 0 |
| T20I | 78 | 27 | 349 | 442 | 13 | 2/6 | 2/6 | 7.6 | 34.0 | 26.85 | 0 | 0 |
| IPL | 200 | 69 | 908 | 1118 | 25 | 2/0 | 2/0 | 7.39 | 44.72 | 36.32 | 0 | 0 |
5. Virat Kohli
- During an I.P.L. 2019 encounter, he robbed Dinesh Karthik of his wicket
- Known as one of the fittest cricket players in the world
- Former captain of the Indian Cricket Team
Virat Kohli is the 5th best fielder in the history of cricket. In terms of international play, he’s the finest batsman there is.
The “Greatest Of All-Time” label is well-deserved for Kohli’s hitting skills – and as captain of the Indian Cricket Team, he made a significant impact on the game.
You must be physically fit to be considered for a position on the team, and Kohli has always served as an inspiration to young people.
In addition to his amazing run-outs and mind-blowing catches, he is also one of the fittest cricketers in the world.
During an I.P.L. 2019 encounter, he pulled off one of his greatest catches when he robbed Dinesh Karthik of his wicket.
Athletes are known for their athleticism because of the hard work, perseverance and grit they put in to become the best.
Virat Kohli Career Batting Statistics (As of October 2021)
| M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 91 | 153 | 10 | 7490 | 254 | 52.38 | 13112 | 57.12 | 27 | 7 | 25 | 839 | 22 |
| ODI | 254 | 245 | 39 | 12169 | 183 | 59.07 | 13061 | 93.17 | 43 | 0 | 62 | 1140 | 126 |
| T20I | 89 | 84 | 24 | 3159 | 94 | 52.65 | 2272 | 139.04 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 285 | 90 |
| IPL | 199 | 191 | 31 | 6076 | 113 | 37.98 | 4659 | 130.41 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 524 | 205 |
Virat Kohli Career Bowling Statistics
| M | Inn | B | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | 10W | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 91 | 11 | 175 | 84 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 2.88 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
What do you think of our list of the 5 greatest cricket fielders of all-time? Tell us who we missed in the comments!
