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As they say, a batsman might not score runs in every game and a bowler might not take wickets in every game, but a good fielder will always save you runs. Catches win matches is also a very precise and accurate statement. Thus, fielding is a very important part of a cricket game. So in this post, we are going to discuss the Top 10+ Best Fielders In India.
Who is the best fielder in India?
India has produced some really athletic cricketers over the years. Many cricketers have stood out in the field and have been appreciated for their efforts. So let’s take a look at some of the best fielders in India.
1. Ravindra Jadeja: Best Fielder in India
‘Sir’ Jadeja as fans call him, is the best fielder in India 2024. Jadeja’s got great fitness, agility, and speed on the field. Whether standing at point, mid-off, or cover, Jadeja is always ready to pounce on the ball. He’s taken some blinders, including some really low catches while standing at point. Jadeja is equally good in the outfield, covering huge ground to take catches and save boundaries. Batters generally fear taking on Jadeja in the field when looking for a double or single. Jadeja is also known for his lightning-fast throws, directly hitting the stumps and dismissing the batsman. Jadeja’s best catch was in the 2019 World Cup against England when he caught Jason Roy diving to his left at long-on.
TOTAL CATCHES- 144
2. SURESH RAINA
Always energetic on the field. Raina is an excellent fielder and the best fielder in India who represented India during the 2000s. His anticipation, as if every ball was coming to him, is commendable. Raina has quick hands and a very nice technique for taking catches. He’s also been really successful as a slip fielder taking some spectacular catches. Raina also had the ability and high probability to hit the stumps directly from a distance.
TOTAL CATCHES- 167
3. RAHUL DRAVID
Rahul Dravid one of Indian cricket’s best fielders, the ‘Wall’ is also considered a maestro in slip catching. Soft hands, eyes on the ball, and right technique Dravid got them all. Dravid currently holds the record for the most catches for India all-time. He also has the record for most no. of catches(210) taken as a non-wicketkeeper in Test cricket. Although Dravid also kept wickets for India for a good amount of time before the arrival of Msd. Dravid’s best catch was against Pakistan when he jumped at square-leg to grab a pull shot by Moin Khan, and it was described as the catch of the season.
TOTAL CATCHES- 406
4. ROBIN SINGH
Robin Singh was born in the West Indies and played for the Indian cricket team from 1989-2001. Robin Singh played as an all-rounder who was famous for the zeal and dedication that he showed on the field. He had a strong throwing arm and was always alert on the field, hardly misfielding any ball coming at him in his entire career.
Total catches- 38
5. VIRAT KOHLI
The always aggressive and energetic guy on the field is one of the best fielders in India. As everyone knows Virat has worked really hard on his fitness and fielding. He runs really quickly and his game awareness in the field is excellent as he every time knows which end to target to get a run-out. His catching in the infield, as well as the outfield and the slips, is near perfect, and is considered a very safe catcher.
TOTAL CATCHES-316
6. MOHAMMAD KAIF (One of the best fielders In India)
Mohammad Kaif is one of the quickest and best fielders in Indian cricket history. The middle-order batsman was always diving and giving his 100 percent on the field in his playing days. His collection of the ball and throwing accuracy was amazing to see. He took a spectacular catch in Natwest 2002 series and holds the record for five catches in a World Cup match.
TOTAL CATCHES- 69
7. YUVRAJ SINGH
Yuvi is renowned as the most athletic lad in the 2000s era. Yuvraj mostly fielded at backward point and square-leg and displayed his fielding prowess in almost every game he played. The former all-rounder also has a great throwing arm with high accuracy. He grabbed a lot of difficult catches in his career diving to his left and showcasing his acrobatic skills and high focus.
TOTAL CATCHES- 137
8. MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN
Former India Captain was India’s best fielder in the 1990s and he brought the culture to the Indian team to take fielding to another level and work on improving the overall fielding standards of the team. He had good fast hands and nice athleticism which helped him on the field. He also pulled off some memorable catches in his career. He continues to be the individual who has the 3rd highest no.of catches (261) for India in international cricket.
TOTAL CATCHES- 261
9. MAK Pataudi
MAK Pataudi or Tiger Pataudi was a superb fielder to be precise. He started diving and sliding on the field in an era when no one thought of it. Standing at cover-point, he was not only the best fielder in the Indian but the best fielder in the whole world. His anticipation and the speed at which MAK Pataudi covered ground were a treat to watch. He also made a point to practice fielding after every net session for more than half an hour during the era in which fielding was not considered important at all.
Total catches- 27
10. KAPIL DEV
The Haryana Hurricane Kapil Dev also features in the best fielders in India list. Kapil’s catch of Vivian Richards running backward in the 1983 World Cup Final is still fresh in our memories. Kapil Dev has also saved many boundaries with his lightning-fast speed which other players might not have been able to stop. His rocket throws in the 1985 Benson and Hedges series from the boundary were also evidence of his fielding prowess.
TOTAL CATCHES- 135
11. AJAY JADEJA
Ajay Jadeja was renowned for his fielding in an era where India only had a handful of great fielders. Indian cricket’s best fielder at the time Jadeja took a lot of catches in the outfield diving everywhere, putting his body on the line for the team. He also inflicted numerous direct hit run-outs in his career. His catch in the 1992 World Cup match against Australia diving forward coming from long-off was one of his best pieces of fielding.
TOTAL CATCHES- 64
12. KL RAHUL
For the past 2-3 years KL has been one of the best fielders on the Indian cricket team. He got safe hands and does not drop many. In the last tour to England, he caught many catches at slips and hardly dropped any. He’s quick in the outfield and has a good right arm and shoulder for bullet throws. He has also kept wickets for India in many games.
TOTAL CATCHES- 147
To conclude, firstly we can say the fielding standards of the Indian team have gone up significantly in recent times. India is the best fielding side in the world currently, it has a lot to do with the fitness tests that have been introduced by the BCCI in the form of the yo-yo test and beep test. Captain MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli had also given a lot of emphasis on fielding in the near past.
Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, and Rohit Sharma are some names that missed the list but are definitely great fielders on the Indian team.
