Top 5 Best Fielders In Cricket History [May 2021 Updated List]

‘Matches are won by catches.’ This statement is right, but it is a more detailed version of a more general statement. The overarching argument should be, “Best fielders win you matches.”

Yes, you read that correctly. Catches are important, especially those that appear out of nowhere, and help you get that crucial wicket for your team. But it’s also important to help your team save those crucial runs and inflict a run out with a quick release of the throw, giving your team an advantage in the game.

These moments of magic have helped change the course of the game time. We’ll take a look at the top five best fielders in cricket history today. Fielders are known for their strength and energy. Let’s take a look at who has regularly contributed on the field even though they are not holding a ball or a bat.

Top 5 Best Fielders In Cricket History.

1. Jonty Rhodes.

What differentiates Jonty Rhodes as the undisputed king of fielding is his raw athleticism, agility, flawless throw, and brilliance at the backward point region – the most difficult position to field in. Toughest due to the short reaction time required to take wickets. If you blink, you’ll miss the ball. Any fielder’s dream is to master this exact spot. But Rhodes knows his way around the field like the back of his hand.

At times, Rhodes appeared to defy scientific laws. It’s a joy to see him almost suspend himself in the air to catch that cherished catch. Rhodes holds the world record for the most catches in a single World Cup (5). (for non-wicket-keeping players).

He was not only good at catching, but he was also very good at inducing runouts. His run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1992 World Cup, in which he darted like a bullet from the point region and flung in the air like a bird to unearth the three stumps, this was probably cricket history’s most iconic run-out.

Jonty Rhodes Profile – ICC Batting Career Info & Stats.

	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

Bowling Career.

	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.

South African cricketer AB de Villiers is a great international batsman as well as a great fielder. During his 15-year international career, the wicket-keeper batsman has three times been named ICC One-Day International Player of the Year. AB de Villiers may have retired from international cricket, but he can still be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL). His batting style cannot be compared. But there’s one more thing he excels at fielding. He’s well-known for some spectacular catches. AB de Villers worked hard to catch the ball as well.

Former South African batsman Jonty Rhodes believes that AB de Villiers is the greatest fielder of all time. Rhodes considers AB de Villiers to be a fine fielder because of his ability to field at every position on the field. In his illustrious career, AB has made some fine catches and has always been super fit, which has helped him move quickly in the field.

AB de Villiers’ superman catch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is well known, in which he jumped in the air to take a one-handed stunner at the boundary ropes. Ab De Villiers is a versatile fielder who can play in any position. The Proteas star can also keep wickets and has had a successful career for South Africa.

AB de Villiers Batting Stats Right-Handed Batsman

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

Career Fielding Stats Wicketkeeper.

Format	Catches	Run Outs	Stumps
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

Brendon McCullum’s international career, easily the most successful in New Zealand’s history, came to an end. McCullum established himself as a hard-hitting batsman who was regarded as one of the most dangerous in world cricket. His aggressive attitude was evident not only with the bat but also in his tactics as a captain on the field, which set new standards in New Zealand cricket. McCullum not only set records with his quick batting, but he also set a few notable records and stats with his commanding captaincy.

Brendon McCullum is the New Zealand team’s Superman. With his commendable batting and flashy fielding, he has always done wonders.

He is well-known for catching impossible balls from behind the wicket and in the field. As a wicketkeeper, he has 453 dismissals to his name.

Brendon McCullum Profile – ICC Career Info 

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

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4. Suresh Raina.

Raina’s fielding instincts and all-around fielding performance are a joy to watch on any given day. Raina made his debut in 2005 and has remained a prominent figure on the field ever since. He has 102 catches in ODI cricket and 104 catches in the IPL, making him one of the league’s best ball catchers. He also won the Best Catcher Award in the IPL for two years in a row. Though he may not be in the frame of things for the Indian Cricket team, Raina’s valuable contributions on the field can not be overstated, and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the best fielders in the world of all time.

In an interview, legendary fielder Jonty Rhodes admitted to being a fan of Suresh Raina. “I’ve been a huge fan of Suresh Raina for a long time; ever since he started playing,” he told t0 ICC.

“I know what the field conditions are like in India, and every time he practices, every time he dives, it’s going to be so hot. He doesn’t even pause to consider whether or not he should have dived,” He holds the 4th place in our best fielders list.

Suresh Raina Profile – ICC Ranking, Batting Career Info & Stats 

	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

Bowling Career Info

	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.

At the moment, Virat Kohli takes 5th place in the list of best fielders in the history of cricket. He is probably the best batsman on the international stage. His batting prowess has earned him the title of “Greatest Of All Time” deservedly (G.O.A.T). The Indian Cricket Team has gone through a transformation since Virat Kohli took over as captain. If you want to remain in the running for a place in the squad, you must be physically fit. And Virat has always been a role model. His sharp fielding instincts have resulted in brilliant run-outs and mind-boggling catches, and he is currently the fittest cricketer. When he indulged in a day-light heist of Dinesh Karthik’s wicket in an IPL 2019 match, it was one of his most spectacular catches. His brilliance on the field speaks volumes about his athleticism, which is the result of hard work, grit, and determination.

Virat Kohli Profile – ICC Batting Career Info & Stats.

	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

Bowling Career.

	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
ODI	254	48	641	665	4	1/15	1/15	6.22	166.25	160.25	0	0
T20I	89	12	146	198	4	1/13	1/13	8.14	49.5	36.5	0	0
IPL	199	26	251	368	4	2/25	2/25	8.8	92.0	62.75	0	0

Conclusion: We hope you found this list useful. Also, don’t forget to share your valuable thoughts on the list of best fielders in cricket history.

Source – Cricbuzz & ESPNcricinfo