India has introduced some of the most skilled bowlers and batsmen in the international cricket scene throughout the years but has had a tough time finding all-rounders for their team. No team can excel with players proficient in only one department of the game. A team requires good fielders as much as a great batting and bowling line-up.
This article is a walk down memory lane mentioning the top 7 best fielders that the country has ever produced. Keep on reading to know more about the players and their records. Also, don’t forget to check out today match live videobelow.
- RAVINDRA JADEJA
There’s a reason why Jadeja is among the elite players of the Indian cricket team, despite people trolling him for not translating his massive domestic score into the international cricket scene. For starters, he can field at any position, whether it’s the inner ring, the close catching infield, or the outfield. Secondly, while the majority of the players try their hardest not to get their team into any crisis, Jadeja’s attitude, determination, and fire make him thrive under pressure conditions. He has been a savior for the Indian cricket team, thanks to his fielding prowess.
He doesn’t shy away from diving around the field, getting his knees and elbows scratched because of his rigorous training in the fielding department since his childhood. Moreover, his unique under-arm throw lessens the time taken by the ball to reach stumps and thereby increases the chances of the batsman getting run out. Over the years, he has proved why he is considered the best Indian all-rounder of all time.
- SURESH RAINA
A destructive batsman and an even better fielder, Raina was among the few modern cricketers who gave importance to the fielding department for their country. He doesn’t mind performing aerobatics on the pitch and has turned several matches upside down with his jarring catches. His powerful stamina, combined with impeccable accuracy, let him pluck the ball in an effortless fashion. Apart from taking stunning catches, Raina did not fear taking a direct hit at the stumps. His role in the Indian cricket team was not limited to his prolific batting, and team India has still to find a replacement for a powerhouse player like Raina.
- EKNATH SOLKAR
Eknath Solkar was among the very first few people who understood the importance of fielding in the game. The man who revolutionized cricket in India with his impeccable fielding prowess in the long format matches. Solkar was one of the finest fielders that the country has ever produced, and this list would have been incomplete without him. He might not have the best batting and bowling records on his side, but when it came to fielding, there was nobody quite like him. In his 10-year-long career, Solkar played 27 Test matches and knocked off eighteen wickets. He also took 53 Test wickets, which, by far, is the highest number taken by any cricketer per match.
- YUVRAJ SINGH
It takes courage, passion, and dedication to fight a disease as deadly as cancer and continue to make stellar scores. Yuvraj Singh’s fielding was a league of its own. The 2016 T20 International against the Aussies at the Adelaide Oval saw Singh unleash his fielding prowess for the last time, wherein he took a long dive for what seemed like an impossible catch and knocked the wicket off. Apart from his exceptional batting skills, Singh was praised for his fielding heroics in the early 2000s. Some of his most memorable fielding moments from this era include the stunning catch that dismissed Harley off the ground during the 2000 ICC knockout 1st quarter-final against Australia and the catch that sent Moeen Khan to the pavilion during the ICC Champions Trophy match against Pakistan in 2004.
- MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN
The man with the highest number of catches to his name in the history of Indian cricket, Mohammad Azharuddin, makes No. 5 on this list. The former Indian cricketer was effortlessly good in the fielding department, especially at the covers and midwicket. He was phenomenal at slip-catching, and plucking the ball from the thin air beyond the reach of the wicketkeeper. Azharuddin had the stamina of an athlete, and his fielding consisted of lightning velocity, super clean throws, and effortless catches. He stood out in the mid-80s and early 90s from his peers not only for his prolific batting but also for being a commendable fielder. His statistics are just a part of his contribution to Indian cricket, as he gave rise to a wave of fit cricketers in India.
- KAPIL DEV
The man who took the World Cup trophy home for the first time in history and was named the Indian Cricketer of the Century by the Wisden in 2002. He was also among the first Indian cricketers to become a part of the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009, along with Bishan Singh Bedi and Sunil Gavaskar. Kapil Dev was undoubtedly the greatest all-rounder produced by the country and the stellar records on his side are proof of this theory. With the velocity of a cheetah, Dev was ready to put every ounce of strength into chasing the ball, if it meant saving even a single run for his team. He reinvented the trend of swing bowling, which inspired the younger generations to train themselves in all three departments of the game and not just bat. He not only helped India win multiple international matches but also raised the standards for fielding for the upcoming cricketers. Apart from some so-called ‘Kapil’s Replacements’, India has still not found a player as dedicated, fit, and an overall package as Kapil Dev.
- VIRAT KOHLI
India might not have found anyone as dedicated and lethal as legendary players like Kapil Dev and Eknath Solkar, but as long as it has Kohli by its side, its terror in the international cricket scene will continue to rise. Apart from being an explosive batter, Kohli’s aggression on the pitch has also led him to take some of the best catches of this decade. He doesn’t mind getting his knees scraped to save runs for his team. With the eyes of an eagle and the speed of a tiger, Kohli has people in awe whenever he tries to save a boundary.
