Best Wicketkeepers in Cricket History
Wicketkeeper plays important role in an innings not only with keeping behind the wickets but also the bat. These 10 Best Wicketkeepers in Cricket History showed the world that they are not only good at keeping but can also bat with impressive strike rate and average making them greatest wicket-keeper batsmen.
Numerous players throughout history have identified and re-identified the wicketkeeper role. Eventually, most teams considered a keeper who could bat like the best option. Historically, players with a good balance of batting and fielding abilities have enjoyed considerable success at the highest level. Several of them have made an indelible mark on the game of cricket and are also regarded as unit leaders.
In cricket, a good wicketkeeper is critical because he has the ability to completely alter the game behind the wickets. While the best wicketkeepers in the world are underappreciated and do not enjoy the same level of popularity as the best batsmen, we have created this article to honor some of the world’s best wicketkeepers.
10 Best & Greatest Wicketkeepers in Cricket History | All-Time List
- Rodney Marsh – Australia
https://t.co/eehb37zZHF pic.twitter.com/UTe6QhIBEs
— Rodney Marsh (@RodneyMarsh10) June 6, 2021
- Catches: 463
- Stumps: 16
By the time former Australian wicketkeeper Rodney William Marsh retired in 1984, he had set a world record of 355 wicket-keeping dismissals in only 96 Tests during his active international test career from 1970 to 1984. “Few bowler-wicketkeeper collaborations have had such a profound effect on the game,” Wisden said of his wicketkeeping-bowling partnership with Dennis Lillee.
Marsh took 343 catches and stumped 12 batsmen at a rate of 1.950 dismissals per match, while also setting a career-high with six dismissals in a single test match. Marsh also had a total of 124 dismissals in 92 innings between 1971 and 1984 in 92 One Day International appearances.
- Andy Flower – Zimbabwe
Andy Flower: “It’s been a real privilege to be part of the England cricket set-up”
The former England head coach is leaving ECB after 12 years working with elite and emerging players:
➡️https://t.co/eE9cn6kcgK pic.twitter.com/VoHtcdpOoW— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 12, 2019
- Catches: 292
- Stumps: 41
Andy Flower’s bat expertise impacted everyone on and off the field, establishing him as possibly the greatest batsman to emerge from the country.
The former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman had 141 catches and 32 stumpings in one-day internationals. Additionally, he amassed 6876 runs in ODI cricket at a strike rate of 35.34 and 4794 runs in 63 Tests at a staggering strike rate of 51.55.
He became the full-time director of the England team following his retirement. England won the ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2010 and both the home and away Ashes during his tenure. They then proceeded to whitewash India and establish themselves as the world’s new No. 1 Test team.
- Moin Khan – Pakistan
A keeper-batsman who captained Pakistan, he took 128 Test catches, 214 ODI catches and scored over 6,000 runs. Happy Birthday to Moin Khan! pic.twitter.com/PGwbUGYJ0p
— ICC (@ICC) September 23, 2016
- Catches: 342
- Stumps: 93
Muhammad Moin Khan, a former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman, served as senior manager of the national team. He was also named head coach of the national team on February 11, 2014. He dismissed 147 batsmen in 118 innings during his active international test career, which lasted 69 matches between 1990 and 2004.
Moin also had 287 dismissals in 209 innings between 1990 and 2004 in his 219 One Day International appearances. He most emphatically deserves to be ranked eighth among the all-time great wicketkeepers. His followers frequently regard him as one of the greatest Muslim players of all time.
- Jeffrey Dujon – West Indies
Happy birthday to Jeff Dujon, one of the greatest wicket-keepers of all time. The Jamaica and West Indies legend is 61 not out pic.twitter.com/kl2j5XAgiG
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) May 28, 2017
- Catches: 450
- Stumps: 26
Occidental Jeffrey Dujon was a pivotal member of an all-star West Indian lineup. During his international test career, which lasted from 1981 to 1991, he was dismissed 270 times in 81 test matches. He took 183 catches and made 21 stumps at a rate of 1.228 dismissals per ODI, and he also set a new best with four dismissals in a single ODI.
He is without a doubt one of the top ten all-time wicketkeepers. Along with his batting abilities, he amassed more than 5000 runs in international cricket. He was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1989, and he is remembered as a key member of the 1980s West Indies team.
- Brendon McCullum – New Zealand
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- Catches: 460
- Stumps: 26
Brendon McCullum is the only cricketer to have scored two centuries and 2,000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals. He was dismissed 179 times in 101 test matches over the course of his international test career, which lasted from 2004 to 2016.
The handsome cricketer averaged 168 catches and 11 stumpings per match and set a personal best with five dismissals in a single test match. He took 227 catches and stumped 15 batsmen at a rate of 1.322 dismissals per ODI, and he also had his best five dismissals in a single ODI. He is without a doubt one of the top ten all-time wicketkeepers.
- Kumar Sangakkara – Sri Lanka
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- Catches (Test+ODI): 584
- Stumps (Test+ODI): 119
Given that wicketkeeper and skipper Kumar Sangakara is regarded as one of the game’s most “prolific and sensible hitters,” this implies that he is one of the most refined and well-versed in these characteristics. In One-Day Internationals, he holds the record for the most wickets by a wicketkeeper. Between 2000 and 2015, he was able to dismiss 151 of 130 international matches. He caught a total of 131 balls and was stumped 20 times. Sangakkara amassed 482 total dismissals against 353 in 404 One-Day International matches. He is now ranked among the top ten best wicketkeepers in the world.
- Ian Healy – Australia
I’m pleased to share that I’ll be partnering with @TrilogyFunds again for 2021!
I had a great time joining the Trilogy team and my fellow brand ambassador, Mitch Larkin, for a photoshoot to kick off the year! Here’s a first look.
#TrilogyFunds #MitchLarkin pic.twitter.com/TxsK1vA7pO
— Ian Healy (@Iheals) March 30, 2021
- Catches (Test+ODI): 560
- Stumps (Test+ODI): 68
Ian Healy, widely regarded as one of the greatest wicketkeepers of his generation, was also an accomplished batsman. He scored over 4000 runs in Test cricket and was a match-winner on several occasions for the great Australian side of the 1990s. Around the world, his dexterity with the gloves and bravery on the field were lauded.
Healy claimed 366 catches and stumped 29 batsmen at a strike rate of 1.763 dismissals per match, and he also set a personal best with six dismissals in a single test match. He took 194 catches and stumped 39 batsmen at a rate of 1.386 dismissals per ODI. Healy is ranked fourth on our list of the top ten greatest wicketkeepers of all time.
- MS Dhoni – India
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- Catches: 577
- Stumps: 161
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket, is one of India’s best one-day international captains. He was named one of the world’s “Most Influential People” in Time magazine’s annual Time 100 list. Dhoni took 256 catches and stumped 38 batsmen at a rate of 1.771 dismissals per match, and he also set a new record by dismissing six batsmen in a single test match.
He took 321 catches and 123 stumping’s at a rate of 1.286 dismissals per ODI. Additionally, he set a new record by dismissing six batsmen in a single One-Day International. He is now widely regarded as one of the top ten all-time wicketkeepers.
- Adam Gilchrist – Australia
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- Catches: 796
- Stumps: 92
Adam Craig Gilchrist, commonly referred to as “Gilly,” is a former Australian wicketkeeper and captain who holds the world records for the most dismissals by an Australian in Test cricket and for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in One Day Internationals, making him the second-best Wicketkeeper of all time in cricket history after Mark Boucher. Gilchrist took 379 catches and made 37 stumps during his international test career, averaging 2.178 dismissals per match. Gilchrist also had 472 dismissals in 281 innings between 1996 and 2008.
- Mark Boucher – South Africa
A few special people celebrating the game last night with #africasbigsix beers. @ABdeVilliers17 @Tipo_Morris @albiemorkel @CLBoucherLegacy pic.twitter.com/ZLb0tdtwlH
— Mark Boucher (@markb46) December 17, 2017
- Catches (Test+ODI): 935
- Stumps (Test+ODI): 45
With 935 Catches and 45 Stumps in International Cricket, Mark Boucher is undoubtedly one of the Best Wicketkeepers in Cricket. The former South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher holds the test cricket record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper. He is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s greatest wicketkeepers of all time.
Boucher was dismissed 555 times in 281 innings across 147 test matches between 1997 and 2012. With six catches, he also set a new record for the most dismissals in a single test match. Boucher also had 424 dismissals in 290 innings between 1998 and 2011. Additionally, he set a new career-high with six dismissals in a single One-Day International.
Final Words
This was a list of the best wicketkeepers in the world. Due to the dynamic nature of statistics across multiple sources across multiple sites, the information contained within those sources may vary. Let us know in the comments section below who your favorite wicketkeeper is. I hope that this article is effective in providing the necessary information.