Cricket Fielding Positions: We have all played the game of cricket in our childhoods, and some of us have even dreamt of representing our country one day. Cricket is not a game solely between the batter and bowler; it also involves the crucial contributions of all the fielders on the field. A strong fielding performance by a team can put pressure on the opposition and significantly impact the game’s outcome.
The captain can alter the fielding positions based on the game’s current situation. In this article, we will discuss the different fielding positions in cricket.

Basics of the Cricket Field
The Close Catching Infield
In this position, fielders are positioned closest to the batter. Everyone in these fielding positions will stand approximately 15 yards away or closer to the batter. This type of field setup is primarily used for specialized catching positions.
The Inner Ring
This type of field setup aims to prevent the batter from taking quick singles. Fielders in this setup are usually positioned up to 30 yards away from the batter. Players here are expected to maintain a balanced stance as the bowler delivers the ball. Fielders should be ready to sprint either to the left or the right if the batter hits the ball in their direction.
The Outfield
In this setup, fielders are positioned near the boundary line and are expected to stop the ball before it crosses the boundary rope. Fielders also have the opportunity to make catches if the batter hits the ball into the air.

Now, let’s take a look at the different positions on the leg side and the off side.
Cricket Fielding Positions in Leg Side and Off-Side
Wicket Keeping
This is the most important fielding position on the field. The wicketkeeper stands behind the batter and is responsible for catching the ball in his gloves if the batter edges, misses, or leaves the ball. The distance between the batter and the wicketkeeper depends on the pace of the ball. When a fast bowler is bowling, the wicketkeeper typically stands about 20 meters away from the batter. During spin bowling, however, the wicketkeeper moves closer and stands right behind the wicket.
The Slip
These are other crucial fielding positions in cricket. There are typically four slip positions: 1st slip, 2nd slip, 3rd slip, and 4th slip. The position of a slip fielder depends on the position of the wicketkeeper. The first slip stands slightly farther from the batter than the wicketkeeper does. Slip fielders are utilized when the ball is swinging significantly and are responsible for catching the ball if the batter edges it in their direction.
The Gully
This position is essentially an extension of the line of slip fielders. The gully fielder stands slightly farther from the 4th slip fielder. The captain usually calls in the gully fielder when the pitch is slow and the batter has to push the ball a bit harder. As a result, the ball might catch the edge of the bat and travel in a wider arc towards the gully fielder.
Leg Slip
The leg slip fielder stands behind the batter on the leg side, opposite to the fielders in the slip positions. This is primarily a catching position, but it is not frequently utilized by the captain. Typically, only one fielder is positioned at leg slip, although a maximum of two players can stand there. When the batter plays a lazy shot, there’s a chance that the bat may make soft contact with the ball, causing it to travel towards the leg slip position.
Leg Gully
This position is quite similar to the leg slip position, but the fielder is placed a bit wider on the leg side of the batter. During pace bowling, the fielding team aims to coax the batter into playing a loose shot, with the intent of having the ball tucked behind on the leg side.
Silly Point
This position is situated very close to the batter on the off side, at approximately a 45-degree angle. The silly point fielder should stand about a meter away from the pitch. This fielding position is most commonly used when a spinner is bowling in the longer formats of the game. Silly point fielders stand extremely close to the bat and often wear helmets for safety.
Silly Mid-off
The silly mid-off fielder stands close to the batter on the off side. This position is straighter than the silly point. It’s also an aggressive fielding position where the fielder relies on the batter to make a mistake while playing a stroke, thereby increasing the chances of taking a wicket.
Short Leg
The short leg fielder stands in a position similar to silly point but on the leg side of the batter. Short leg fielders are usually positioned when a spinner is bowling. They are responsible for catching the ball when the batter mistimes a shot while playing towards the leg side.
Silly Mid-on
Another fielding position that is very close to the batter and is straighter than short leg is the silly mid-on fielder. This fielder is responsible for taking quick catches and must be able to dive to both sides to grab the ball.
Point
This fielding position is at square of the wicket on the off side of the batter. The point fielder stands a bit farther away from the batter when a fast bowler is operating and moves closer when a spinner is bowling. There is a high likelihood of taking a catch at point when the bowler targets the off stump and the batter attempts to attack the ball. The fielder at point is responsible for preventing the ball from going past him and should be active as soon as the bowler starts his run-up.
Backward Point
The backward point fielder stands in a position similar to the point fielder but is slightly placed square of the wicket on the off side. The captain may choose to position a fielder at backward point when the pitch offers more pace and bounce. The fielder is responsible for catching the ball when the batter plays a cut shot slightly behind square.
Mid off
The fielder at mid-off is responsible for preventing the batter from playing a drive toward the off side. The mid-off fielder should always be active, as batters frequently play shots in that area. The captain usually places their best fielder in this position.
Cover
The fielder at covers must be active throughout the game, as it is another area where batsmen frequently play their shots. The covers fielder usually stands at the edge of the 30-yard circle and is responsible for taking a catch if the batsman mistimes a cover drive.
Extra Cover
The extra cover position is somewhat similar to covers, but the fielder in extra cover is placed a little more straight-on in relation to the batsman. This is another area where the batsman frequently plays shots, and having a fielder in this position can have a significant impact on the game.
Mid-On
Mid-on occupies the same position as mid-off but is located on the leg side of the batsman. The fielder at mid-on is responsible for stopping drives on the leg side and covering the gap between themselves and mid-wicket. The fielder should be alert and also aim to prevent the batsman from taking easy singles.
Square Leg
The square leg fielder is positioned square of the wicket on the leg side, at the edge of the 30-yard circle. There is a significant gap between the square leg fielder and the mid-wicket fielder, so the fielder at square leg should be quick to cover the distance between the two whenever the batsman plays a shot in that direction.
Backward Square Leg
The fielder at backward square leg is positioned just behind the square leg fielder and is a few meters further back from the batsman. The square leg fielder should be alert as soon as the bowler starts the run-up, as batsmen often play aggressive shots in that direction, such as hooks, sweeps, and pulls.
Mid-Wicket
Mid-wicket is a crucial position located on the leg side of the batsman. The fielder is placed at the edge of the inner circle and is responsible for preventing quick singles. This is an important fielding position, as many power shots are often directed toward this area.
Fine Leg
The fine leg fielder is positioned behind square on the leg side of the field, slightly less than a 45-degree angle to the batsman, and at the edge of the inner circle. This fielder is responsible for preventing boundaries when the batsman tucks the ball off their hip behind square on the leg side or plays a sweep shot.
Fly Slip
The fly slip fielder is positioned on the off side of the field, slightly deeper than the traditional slip area. This position is commonly referred to by fans as ‘short third man.’ This fielding position comes into play when the batter attempts to glance the ball through the fly slip area, particularly when there are no regular slip fielders in place.
Third Man
The third man fielder is positioned near the boundary rope, behind square on the off side of the wicket. This position aligns with the slip fielders and can be impactful if the batsman attempts to play a big shot in that direction. Batsmen often try to play an upper cut over the fielder’s head, and the third man fielder has the responsibility of preventing the ball from reaching the boundary.
Deep Point
The deep point fielder is positioned in the square region near the boundary line. This is a defensive fielding position designed to prevent boundaries when the batsman either edges the ball or attempts to play square cut shots for a boundary.
Deep Backward Point
This fielding position is slightly behind deep point on the off side of the field. The captain may place a fielder at deep backward point if the pitch has more pace. A fielder in this area can make an impact if the batsman plays the ball very late.
Deep Cover
This is a defensive fielding position where the fielder is placed near the boundary, in front of square on the off side. A deep cover fielder is responsible for preventing a boundary when the batter hits the ball powerfully toward the cover area.
Deep Extra Cover
The fielder at deep extra cover is positioned slightly further in front of square compared to the deep cover position. The role of the fielder at deep extra cover is similar to that of deep cover. This is a defensive fielding position designed to prevent boundaries when the batsman executes a cover drive.
Long Off
The long-off fielder is positioned near the boundary, directly on the off-side of the field. This is a busy area, as batsmen often target it with their shots. However, there is also an opportunity to take a wicket, as this is an area where batsmen frequently play aerial shots against spinners.
Deep Fine Leg
The deep fine leg fielder is positioned near the boundary, behind square on the leg side. In modern-day cricket, this is a popular area where batters often look for boundaries. Batters usually target this area when the bowler delivers balls towards the leg side.
Long leg
The long leg fielder is another position located behind square leg and is slightly squarer than the fine leg fielder. This fielder is responsible for covering the distance between deep fine leg and deep square leg. The fielder typically stands at approximately a 60-degree angle to the batsman.
Deep square leg
The deep square leg fielder stands on the boundary, square of the wicket, on the leg side of the field. This is an area where batters often attempt aggressive shots for boundaries, making it highly likely that the ball will travel in the direction of the deep square leg fielder.
Deep Mid-Wicket
It is an important boundary position on the leg side of the field, located just slightly in front of square. In limited-overs formats, the majority of batters often play aggressive shots in this direction. The fielder has the responsibility of preventing the ball from reaching the boundary.
Cow Corner
This is another busy fielding position, located in front of square on the leg side of the field. The cow corner fielder is generally positioned slightly straighter than the deep mid-wicket fielder. The player at cow corner is responsible for covering ground to both their left and right in order to prevent boundaries.
Long On
The final and an important boundary-based fielding position is long on, where the fielder is placed primarily as a run-saving option. The long-on fielder can make a significant impact when the batter tries to hit a full-swing shot towards the leg side.
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FAQ
How many fielding positions are in cricket?
There are 35 different fielding in the game of cricket.
What are the Key Fielding Positions in Cricket?
In cricket, fielding positions are numerous and can be broadly categorized into close-in, in-field, and outfield positions. Some key positions include slip, gully, point, cover, mid-off, mid-on, square leg, and fine leg. These positions can vary depending on the type of bowler, the match situation, and the strategy employed by the captain.
How is the Wicketkeeper’s Position Different from Other Fielding Positions?
The wicketkeeper is a specialized fielding position located behind the stumps at the batter’s end. The wicketkeeper is the only fielder allowed to wear gloves and leg pads. Their primary role is to collect the deliveries from the bowler that the batter does not hit, and they are also crucial for stumpings and run-outs. Their position can vary depending on the pace of the bowler, standing closer for spin bowlers and farther back for fast bowlers.
What is the Role of a Slip Fielder?
A slip fielder stands next to the wicketkeeper on the off-side of the batter. The main job of a slip fielder is to catch edges that come off the batter’s bat. The position of the slip fielder can vary, and there can be multiple slips (1st slip, 2nd slip, etc.) depending on the game situation and the captain’s strategy. This is often an attacking position used when a wicket is likely to fall.
How Important is Field Placement in Cricket?
Field placement is a critical aspect of cricket strategy. The captain must consider several factors, such as the type of bowler, the strengths and weaknesses of the batter, the condition of the pitch, and the match situation when setting the field. Correct field placement can not only minimize the number of runs scored but also increase the chances of taking wickets.