Curious about the best fielder in the world of cricket?
Want to know who is the best fielder in world cricket at the moment?
This article will answer all your questions; just keep reading.
In cricket, apart from batting and bowling, fielding is a crucial aspect of play that players need to specialize in. It is a skill often overlooked. However, nowadays, emphasis is given to this skill.
That is why we’ve compiled a list of some outstanding individuals who are known to put their bodies on the line to get the job done on the field. Let’s discuss the world’s No. 1 best fielder in cricket history.
Many players have set high standards with their athleticism, but here we will include the players who’ve transformed the way we’ve been looking at this skill.
Here is the list of the top 10 best fielders in the world of cricket.
Top 10 best fielders in the world:
| S.No. | Name | Catches (All Formats) |
| 1 | Jonty Rhodes | 139 |
| 2 | Ravindra Jadeja | 139 |
| 3 | AB de Villiers | 248 |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting | 364 |
| 5 | Faf Du Plessis | 168 |
| 6 | Herschelle Gibbs | 210 |
| 7 | Steve Smith | 292 |
| 8 | Paul Collingwood | 218 |
| 9 | David Warner | 211 |
| 10 | Suresh Raina | 167 |
Suresh Raina, a solid middle-order batsman from India, was known for his gun fielding. Suresh Raina made it impossible for the batsman to take singles from the cover region. We have always seen him diving, flying, and effecting run-outs.
He has taken some blinders to the field and takes pride in his approach to the game. We can confidently say that he was one of the best fielders in the world in his playing days. Besides that, read our detailed guide on best opener in the world and check if your favorite player is there or not.
We have another Australian on the list, David Warner. He needs no introduction; everyone in this era is familiar with the exploits of David Warner in the field, whether it is with batting or his fielding.
His speed, agility, and ability to take blinders at covers or backward points make him a performer to watch out for. Even at the age of 37, he is still showing all the young kids how it’s done. In the recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023, David Warner was the best fielder for the Australian side.
On the batting front, David Warner is an aggressive opener who shows no mercy to bowlers, whether he is playing international cricket or club cricket. He even features on our list of the most dangerous batsmen in IPL history.
Paul Collingwood, an Englishman, set high standards with his fielding when he was playing for England. He was the best cricket fielder in the world in his formative years.
His fielding and batting were both equally appreciated by his teammates, fans, and cricket experts. He was so impressive that he was handed the reins of the England ODI side from 2007 to 2008. Having scored more than 11,000 international runs, Paul left an indelible mark in English cricket.
Apart from being the best batsman in the world, Steve Smith is also the world no 1 best fielder in cricket. This fidgety Australian is a gun fielder whenever he is posted in the field.
Generally, Smith fielded in the slip position and made it his own. Slip catching is one of the most difficult fielding positions in cricket, but not for Steve Smith. In white ball cricket, he can save runs wherever you want to place him. He can protect the 30-yard circle like a tiger or run hard on the boundary for valuable runs.
Produced by South Africa, Herchelle Gibbs is surely one of the best fielders in cricket history. He has always been electric in the field with his maneuvers and has taken some stunning catches inside the ring. He was always up for the task with his quick reflexes.
Gibbs has collected 210 catches in his international career and has affected many run-outs, too. So, all in all, he was the best fielder in cricket who gave his all to the team.
The right-handed former South African captain, Faf Du Plessis, is an excellent fielder and one of the best batsmen and the world’s best fielder from South Africa. He retired from international cricket; however, he still plays franchise cricket all around the world.
He is a player with a degree of intelligence and can quickly adjust his batting style according to the situation at hand. But in the field, he is quick as a fox—a clever one. You can still see him diving in the field at this age to save some runs for his team. So, the commitment is what impresses us the most about him.
The former and we can say the best captain of Australia, Ricky Ponting, was a beast in fielding. It was one of the aspects he always excelled in. He was known for his slip catches with the extension of his arms.
When fielding in slips, he used to leap towards the ball, whether it was in reach or not. More often than not, he used to grab all those one-handed or at least always managed to get a hand to them. Some of the brilliant run-outs are in the name of Ricky Ponting from his playing days. The wiry body structure helped him become one of the greatest players to ever play the game of cricket.
AB ‘Superhuman’ de Villiers does not seem to be from planet Earth; he is something else altogether. He has revolutionized cricket with his abilities as a batsman, wicketkeeper, and fielder.
There are too many facets to his game. He can field at the deep, backward point, or any other place. His one-handed catches get all the attention from fans and experts alike.
He is one of the most popular cricketers in the world. His fame comes from his ability to play at a superhuman level. When he bats, fans and opponents are taken aback by his antics on the field. That is why he is regarded as one of the best finishers in the world.
The Indian ace cricketer, known for his antics on the field, is a household name in the country. Ravindra Jadeja is a three-dimensional player who can bat, bowl, and be a competent player on the field. Jadeja, nicknamed ‘Sir,’ has gone through a lot of ups and downs in his career. However, one thing remained constant all this while: his fielding abilities and also the best finisher in world cricket history during several matches.
He moves like a cheetah on the ground. It is said not to take a run when the ball is going in the direction of Ravindra Jadeja. Yes, that is why he is often regarded as the best fielder in the world of the modern era.
Apart from his fielding, his bowling is on another level, especially in the sub-continent. Now, he is a permanent member of the Indian cricket team.
Jonathan Neil Rhodes, aka Jonty Rhodes, is a South African cricket legend and most popular cricketer in world. He is also the best fielder in the world was one who started a revolution in the outfield.
He set the standard with his ability to catch and throw quickly from a backward point position. Despite being a great batsman, most of us hail Jonty for being too quick on his feet and making a difference in the field.
His runout of Inzmam-Ul-Haq in the 1992 World Cup game against Pakistan changed the fielding forever. It made the backward point position a very important one. He was very agile on the field, all thanks to playing hockey when he was young. For the first few years, he was on the team for his only contribution as a fielder.
Later, he changed his batting technique to add more variety to his overall skillset as a cricketer.
So, these are our picks for the world’s best fielder in cricket. These individuals showed us how to give more than one hundred percent on the field by throwing their bodies on the line.
We hope you’re satisfied with this list of the best fielders in cricket history. Feel free to share your thoughts on this, and let’s debate about it.
You may also want to read related articles about the best wicketkeeper in the world and the fastest bowler in India.
Ans: Jonty Rhodes is the best fielder in the world of all time, but in the current era, Ravindra Jadeja is right up there with him.
Ans: David Warner and Steve Smith have taken the best catches in recent times.
Ans: Mahela Jayawardene has the most number of catches (440) in all international matches. Ricky Ponting is second on the list with 364 international catches.
Ans: Jonty Rhodes was one of the best fielders in world cricket but he often used to field within the thirty-yard circle. However, Ravindra Jadeja is a beast in close fielding as well as outfield. He is thought to be the complete package when it comes to fielding. Even Jonty Rhodes said this in an Interview.
Ans: There are many contenders for this spot but in the current Indian setup, Shubman Gill is right up there and has the potential to become the world’s best fielder.
