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As years have passed, fielding has become more and more important in the game. With the advent of T20 cricket and fitness improving on an overall basis, the fielding standards have gone up several notches. In fact, in many games, the fielders have proved to be the difference between teams. A player may or may not contribute with the bat or ball but he/she can always make an impact in the field.
Even in India, fielding has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. Hence, let’s look back at five of the top fielders to have played for the Indian cricket team.
(Stats as of 22nd October 2024)
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is easily one of the fastest players on the field going around in world cricket at the moment. He has the ability to cover a lot of ground in quick time. Be it fielding at point, covers or deep on the boundary, Jadeja is safe as a bank. There are very few balls that will go past him.
Irrespective of whether he contributes with the bat or ball, the Saurashtra all-rounder will definitely create an impact in the field. He has a bullet arm and has the ability to hit the stumps directly from anywhere in the field. No batter risks an extra run when it is hit to Jadeja. Such is Jadeja’s impact that he played just two matches in the 2019 World Cup but he ended up saving as many as 41 runs (including the times when he came on as a substitute).
Overall, the 35-year-old left-arm spinning all-rounder has taken 148 catches in international cricket (46 in Tests, 74 in ODIs and 14 in T20Is). Jadeja will definitely go down as one of the best fielders to have represented the Indian cricket team.
Suresh Raina
When Jonty Rhodes was asked to pick his top five fielders, Suresh Raina was one among them. If you’ve impressed someone of the calibre of Rhodes, that means you must be special. And it was not just once. The South African fielding legend has praised the left-hander multiple times over the years and has even called Raina his ‘favourite Indian fielder’.
Raina was electric in the field. Be in the slips, in the circle on the off-side (point, cover, mid-off) or fielding on the boundary, he had all bases covered. The Ghaziabad-born cricketer was never far away from a dive. He put his body on the line every time he stepped onto the field. He was constantly in the hot spots in white-ball cricket where he could make a difference.
Hence, he finds himself in the top five fielders in the history of the Indian cricket team. In the 322 international matches that he played, he took 167 catches.
Mohammad Kaif
In the 2000s, Mohammad Kaif was regarded as one of the quickest players in the Indian cricket team. He could cover ground at a rapid rate and had a safe pair of hands. Along with Yuvraj Singh, Kaif made a big name as one of the best fielders in the world during his time. He owned the cover region in the ODI format.
There were a lot of times when his fielding overshadowed some of his batting (both good and bad) performances. His agility on the field was one to watch out for. Kaif took 55 catches in his 125-match ODI career and pouched 14 catches in 13 games in Test cricket.
Rahul Dravid
There was barely anything that Rahul Dravid could not do on a cricket field. He just stepped up and filled in every time India needed him to in a certain position. And that extended to the field as well. He was a naturally brilliant slip fielder but he could even contribute in the circle and even donned the gloves whenever the Indian cricket team needed him to.
In his early days, the Karnataka batter was sharp as ever at short-leg and silly-point before he became one of the finest slip fielders to have ever played the game. His focus and concentration were not just evident when he batted but also when he fielded. He caught almost everything that came his way.
In fact, Dravid still holds the record for the most number of catches by a non-wicketkeeper in Test cricket which is 210. Overall, he is fifth in most catches in all international cricket with 334 catches (the most by any Indian player).
Virat Kohli
It may be a slightly controversial call to include Virat Kohli in the list of top fielders in the history of Indian cricket. However, the all-time great batter has been supremely consistent over the years, even on the field. There may be times when he drops sitters (more so in the slips) but his athleticism and game awareness is second to none.
You’ll constantly find him in the hotspots, waiting for the ball to come to him. He covers ground very quickly and it is his fitness that allows him to do that. Kohli is arguably one of the fittest players going around in world cricket. He can field anywhere on the ground. Be it in the slips, in the inner circle or in the outfield, Kohli is definite to make an impact.
Having played a staggering 535 international matches, Kohli has taken 319 catches in his career. That is the most by any active player at the moment and the second-most by an Indian cricket team player in the history of the game. Only Steve Smith and Joe Root are close to him in terms of catches in international cricket. In Tests, his tally reads 113 catches while it is 152 and 54 catches in the ODI and T20I formats respectively.
Notable Mentions – Robin Singh, Ajay Jadeja, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Azharuddin, MAK Pataudi.
FAQs:
What records do Indian fielders hold in international cricket?
Indian fielders have set several records, such as MS Dhoni’s fastest stumpings, Ravindra Jadeja’s most catches as a fielder in ODIs, and Kapil Dev’s iconic catch to dismiss Vivian Richards in the 1983 World Cup final.
Who is the current best fielder in the Indian cricket team?
Ravindra Jadeja is widely regarded as the current best fielder in the Indian cricket team, known for his exceptional athleticism and throwing accuracy.
Why is fielding given more importance in modern cricket?
Modern cricket demands high fitness levels and versatility. With games often decided by narrow margins, fielding has become a critical aspect of the game, with teams prioritizing it to gain a competitive edge.
