There’s nothing like an incredible catch to bring out the child in all of us. The thrill of a player taking a one-handed grab or running after a ball and diving full length to pluck it out of thin air calls us to emit a ‘wow’ from our collective unconscious. Whether it’s the pure athleticism that goes into making such a catch or the courage required to dive into harm’s way for the team-, there is something about fielding that makes it so much more than just another part of cricket. So without further ado, let’s look at the list of the top 5 greatest fielders in cricket history
The best fielders in the history of cricket | Who is the best fielder of all time?
| Rank | Player Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jonty Rhodes | South Africa |
| 2. | AB de Villiers | South Africa |
| 3. | Brendon McCallum | New Zealand |
| 4. | Andrew Symonds | Australia |
| 5. | Herschelle Gibbs | South Africa |
1. Jonty Rhodes- The greatest fielder in cricket history
The greatest cricket fielder, Jonathan Neil Rhodes (Jonty), was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal. He played as a right-hand batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler. Jonty played 52 Tests for South Africa and 245 one-day internationals. He was at his peak as a fielder in the late nineties and was known for changing the game’s attitude toward fielding. His athletic fielding changed South Africa from a side that had previously been known for its batting and bowling into an all-round team.
In 1997 he was judged the best fielder in world cricket, with a record of effecting the highest number of runouts in both Tests and ODIs. Rhodes was also known for his diving technique to collect the ball from the ground. Furthermore, he played for Kwa Zulu Natal and Western Province and coached the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2009 IPL season. He has also coached various teams since he retired from international cricket. He currently coaches Mumbai Indians.
2. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers is the second-best fielder in the world. He is perhaps the quickest hand in the game and can produce some of the best catches, not just in slip cordon but also on the run and at the boundary line. His fielding abilities are such that he is used as an emergency wicket-keeper for South Africa.
De Villiers scored his career-best score of 278 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Even though it was only his fourth Test century, it was a dominating inning as he smashed 33 fours and 10 sixes during his knock. This was also the fastest double hundred in Test cricket history, and it took him just 217 balls to bring up this milestone.
In 2014, De Villiers became only the third batsman to score a century before lunch on Day 1 of a Test match. He achieved this feat against West Indies at Port Elizabeth, where he scored 100 off 82 balls before lunch on Day 1. De Villiers holds the record for most consecutive innings (10) without getting dismissed for less than 50 runs by a South African during the 2015-16 season. During that period, de Villiers scored three centuries and seven half-centuries.
3. Brendon McCallum
Brendon Barrie McCullum is a New Zealand international cricketer and the former captain of the New Zealand national team. He is one of the most successful captains in New Zealand cricket history. McCullum took quick scoring to Test matches as well. In 2014, he became the first New Zealander to score a Test triple century when he made 302 not out against India in Wellington. It was also his maiden Test century; he previously scored only two half-centuries in 74 innings. His innings were also the fifth-fastest triple century in terms of balls faced, and it was the highest individual score by a wicket-keeper batsman at that time.
In February 2015, McCullum scored 195 runs from 134 balls against Australia in Christchurch, which set a new record for the highest individual score by a New Zealander in ODIs. Later that year, during an away series against Zimbabwe, McCullum became the first player to score 2,000 runs batting at number 5 or lower in ODIs. McCullum played his 100th ODI on 26 January 2015 against Sri Lanka in Dunedin (New Zealand).
4. Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds is known for his aggressiveness on the field. He played in 198 ODIs and scored 4,375 runs at an average of 36.90. His batting strike rate was 82.59, while Symonds also took 109 wickets. But he is best remembered for his fielding skills and athleticism in the field. Andrew Symonds may not have been the most successful all-rounder in the history of Australian cricket, but he certainly was one of the greatest fielders to have graced the game. Moreover, his effortless diving catches at long-on were a delight to watch. The way he would also run from slip to deep cover to take those stunning catches made him an asset to his team.
Symonds took 82 catches in ODIs and 18 in Tests. In addition to this, he affected 77 run-outs in ODIs and 8 run-outs in Tests. In 2015, ESPNcricinfo conducted a survey in which they asked their readers to rank the best fielders of all time (both active and retired). The respondents voted Symonds as the fourth-best fielder ever.
5. Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs is a South African cricketer and former ODI captain. He was born on 23rd February 1974 in Paarl, Western Cape. He played for South Africa since 1996, Hampshire, and also Western Province cricket teams. Moreover, he has scored over 8000 runs in ODIs with 21 centuries.
Gibbs was the fifth fielder to take 100 catches in ODI. In his first international century against Pakistan in 1997/98, he scored 123. It also included 17 fours and 1 six. In addition, the highlight of his career was a double century against Australia at Johannesburg. He scored an unbeaten 214 off 143 balls with 21 fours and six sixes.
Gibbs’ fielding became more prominent when he took a spectacular catch to dismiss Pakistani batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq during a group stage match at the 1999 Cricket World Cup. He also had a special moment at the 2007 Cricket World Cup, where he hit the fastest-ever World cup hundred.
Also, check out: the fastest bowlers in the cricket world right now.
Conclusion
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