They say, “Catches win, Matches!” But what about fielders? Yep, the best fielder in the world can make you win matches, for sure.
Sometimes, people get so obsessed with runs and wickets that they overlook the contribution of the fielders in stopping runs or winning a wicket. The one who is the best fielder in the world will always try to give his best in the field.
In this article, you will get a ranking of some crickets regarded as the best fielders in the world.
Apart from giving you a ranking, I will also provide details of their career and the reception of these players among the fans and media.
Hence, to know more about the world’s best fielder, read through to the end of the article.
What Is The Job Of A Fielder?
According to MyActiveSG.com, a cricketing guide, “Fielding refers to the act of catching, collecting and returning a ball that has been hit by the batsman. There are nine fielders on each team, as one player out of the 11 will have to act as the bowler, while another takes up the role of the wicket keeper.”
There are mainly two jobs for a fielder. One of which will be to slow down or stop the flow of runs of the batting team. This also includes stopping boundaries. This can be done by gathering the ball after it hits the bat.
Furthermore, the fielder can also retire or dismiss a batter who hit the ball in the air just by catching the ball mid-air. A fielder can also throw the ball at the stumps and dismiss the batsman if he is out of his crease.
MyActiveSg.com further informs, “In terms of fielder positions, there are a variety of roles and names to be aware of. For example, there is a slip, gully, point, third man, fine leg, square leg, mid wicket, mid on, mid off, long off and long on. While these are the main and most common fielder positions, there are many more positions that can be used in a match.”
The Best Fielder In The World:
Who is the best fielder in the world?
It is decided by the fielder’s performance within a match. It is decided by how many difficult catches he takes and how many crucial runs he saves by his impressive display inside the field.
Furthermore, the best fielders on the team are also quite athletic and agile. In addition to that, they also have excellent reflexes, which allow them to judge the movement of the ball faster.
Although there is no proper and sure-shot way of deciding the best fielder, fans and experts consider only the ones that make the most of their chance.
If we use our common sense, we can determine that the best fielder is the one whose one or two fielding displays in the match change the entire course. It shifts the game’s momentum and builds more pressure on the batting team.
In addition, the fielders who are more acrobatic and athletic on the field grab more attention than the others. Their acrobatic displays remain forever etched into the fans’ memories.
Some of the all-time great fielders known for their acrobatics (who are now retired) include Jonty Rhodes, Yuvraj Singh, Ricky Ponting, Paul Collingwood, and many more.
The Top 10 Fielders In The World:
The following are the best fielders in the world as of 2023, and we think there shall be hardly any dispute regarding their abilities:
1. Ravindra Jadeja – World No 1 Best Fielder In Cricket
Before the start of the 2023 IPL, reporters asked Jonty Rhodes (arguably the best fielder in the world of all time) to pick three best fielders of now. However, Rhodes selected only one, and that was Ravindra Jadeja. According to NDTV Sports, “Former South Africa player and star fielder Jonty Rhodes has picked the world’s best fielder and it is none other than India’s Ravindra Jadeja. While his all-round abilities with the bat and the bowl are just amazing, Jadeja is a gun fielder and stands out from the crowd in that domain.”
With pace, agility, reflex, and acrobatics, Rabindra Jadeja never disappoints in the field. However, he is also one of the best all-rounders India has ever produced since he also impresses well with the bat and the ball. He is the current best fielder in the world.
2. Faf Du Plessis
This superhuman fielder from South Africa strengthens any team for which he plays. He is perfect in the outfield and one of the most agile and energetic fielders. Despite being an outfield player, he has an impressive catching rate.
He is best known for catching the ball on the boundary line, those balls that usually would go for a six. Doing so, he dismisses the batsman and also saves runs for the team.
Explore More: Ind Vs Aus T20, ODI, Test Schedule 2023– Fixtures, Venue, And More
3. Glenn Maxwell
Be it any format of the game, Maxwell is a complete package. Although he is and will be best remembered for his fielding, he has some crazy displays with the bat and the ball as well.
A born winner, if he did not perform well with bat and ball, Glen Maxwell tries to impress in the field.
According to CricBuzz.com, “He had three fifty-plus scores from the six innings that he batted in, including a record-breaking century and it his was general rate of scoring that made his knocks highly impactful. Add to this, his useful off spin and exceptional fielding ability, Maxwell proved to be an enviable asset.”
4. Steve Smith
One of the most incredible batters to ever play the game and indeed a legend for Australia, Steve Smith, apart from his exceptional batting displays, is also one of the game’s best fielders.
He is regarded as one of the best slip-fielders, but he also impresses quite well on the outfield—a nightmare for opponent batters.
5. Virat Kohli
Already having a legendary status because of his batting, both in India and overseas, Virat Kohli is also one of the best fielders in the world.
His batting displays, however, underrate his fielding. He is quick on the field and takes on the role of a leader for his other teammates.
The best fielding display from Virat Kohli, which reminds me of his greatness as a fielder, is his running out Joe Root, who is unnecessarily trying to take a second run. This was 2018, during the first test match of India’s tour of England.
6. Jonty Rhodes
Jonty Rhodes of South Africa has been one of the stalwarts of the cricketing community.
Currently, he works as a commentator, but he was one of the nuggets and most iconic players of all time. Most fans knew him for his impeccable batting skills.
However, he could be better with a bat. He is also quite adept with the ball. Rhodes is known as one of the finest fielders from South Africa.
He was known to use his athletic prowess to stop runs. And this is why he is often lauded as one of the best fielders ever.
7. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers has always been at the forefront of some of the most impressive matches ever. However, he is also known for his exceptional skill as a fielder. He is one of the rarest players who can fit into whatever role he is given.
But apart from his cricketing skills, he is also lauded for his nature. Villiers is often termed as one of the sweetest cricketers of all time.
He is popularly termed as one of the sweetest batters of all time. To this date, he has dismissed 50 pliers with his impeccable fielding skills.
8. Ricky Ponting
Ponting is one of the greatest captains of all time. He has led her boys to some fantastic victories. He was seminal for Australia’s World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007.
Subsequently, he led his team to a total of 108 test victories. Therefore, he is one of the finest and most decorated captains of the Australian front.
Apart from that, he is also one of the greatest fielders of all time. He has been one of the most significant and seminal players on the Australian roster. He singlehandedly has stopped opponents from breaking the Australian defense and saved some precious runs.
9. Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs is one of the best and biggest South African cricket team names. Gibbs has had one of the most fruitful careers spanned over a decade.
Gibbs started playing for the South African front back in the 1990s. Since then, Gibbs has been a crucial addition to the South African front.
Gibbs is often lauded for his calm and tactical approach. Besides the South African international team, Gibbs played for IPL teams like the Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers. Only a few people know this; he is also great at rugby and soccer—an all-rounder.
10. Andrew Symonds
Symonds was just a beast. He was lauded for his inhuman levels of strength and batting skills.
Also, he was primarily an all-rounder who could switch between roles on the fly. He is a player you do not want to have as an opponent.
However, he was also one of the best fielders of all time. He managed to be a seminal cog in the defensive machinery of the Australian front. He was big yet one of the most iconic fielders with speed and endurance.
Fielding Is Team Building:
At the end of the day, cricket is a team game. While both bowling and batting offer the opportunity to excel on an individual level, fielding is more about a team effort – something selfless. After all, you are not fielding for yourself – you are doing so for the bowlers of the team and everyone else battling it out in the middle.
The best part? Fielding only becomes effective for any team when everyone involved plays selflessly, putting in a dedicated team effort. In return, fielders are able to win the trust of the bowlers, and everyone is supporting their team off the pitch.
Moreover, even batsmen are happy with good fielding because that way, they will have to chase relatively fewer runs. Interestingly, good fielding takes place subconsciously.
You will not realize that you guys are great until one of you drops a catch suddenly or lets the ball move toward an unexpected four. Such slips are so unusual that it sticks out.
Even though it might happen a few times to everyone, a team of good fielders always ends up dealing with only some slips here and there. At its best, good fielding is all about acting like a single unit while boosting your team’s confidence and morale.
Summing Up
I hope you found this ranking helpful in terms of finding out about the best fielder in the world. One of the most common things among all these fielders is that they are highly athletic and acrobatic.
They are also reflexive enough to judge the ball quickly. Furthermore, they also have a delicious anticipation of what might happen next.
These factors allow them to prepare accordingly. These fielders are all crucial members of their individual. Sometimes, people choose to keep certain players on their teams simply for their ability to field, even if they have poor form in batting or bowling.
Do you know of other great fielders who need more mentions? Please share your opinions with us in the comments section.
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