Top 10 Cricketers With Most Catches In History | All-Time Ranking

July 14, 2021 By Sourav


Top 10 Cricketers With Most Catches In History | All-Time Ranking

Among the most critical jobs in today's game of cricket is fielding, which has been stretched to a whole new level. The teams with quick and nimble players have a better chance of winning games than their clumsy counterparts. The popularity of fitness and athleticism has increased, and so has the ability to field teams. Fielders who excel in cricket are effective catchers as well as superb fielders at ground level. Here we listed the best cricketers with the most catches in their careers.

 

Cricketers With Most Catches | All-Time Ranking

 

10. Allan Border (Australia) – 283 Catches
9. Brian Lara (West Indies) – 284 Catches
8. Mark Waugh (Australia) – 289 Catches
7. Graeme Smith (South Africa) – 292 Catches
6. Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) – 306 Catches
5. Rahul Dravid (India) – 334 Catches
4. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 338 Catches
3. Ross Taylor (New Zealand) – 344 Catches
2. Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 364 Catches
1. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 440 Catches

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Cricketers With Most Catches | All-Time Infographics
FAQs Regarding Cricketers With Most Catches

 

One of the most popular sports in the world and undoubtedly the most popular sport in India, Cricket, has delivered many amazing things to the sports world. Besides the batting prowess, cricketing is also about legendary fielding skills as well. And here are the legends having the highest number of catches.

 

10. Allan Border (Australia) – 283 Catches

 

Role: Left-Handed Middle-Order Batsman
Career: 1978 – 1994
Total Catches In Tests: 156
Total Catches In ODI: 127

Australian cricket commentator and former international player Allan Robert Border was born on 27 July 1955. In addition to being a batsman, Border served as captain of the Australian team for many years. As a player, he was known as "AB." In his test playing career, he played 156 matches, a record until Steve Waugh overtook it.

As a captain, Border holds the world record for the most consecutive Test appearances with 153, which was surpassed in June 2018 by Alastair Cook. He is second on the list of most consecutive Test appearances as a captain. And, he will remain as one of the cricketers who captained most ODI matches in their career.

Batting left-handed, he was also a successful left-arm spinner on occasion as well. In the Test runs, Border amassed 11,174 (a world record until Brian Lara broke it in 2006). Twenty-seven of his test centuries came in the Test era.

Due to his exceptional fielding skills, Border has 283 catches in his career and named himself in top cricketers with most catches. Australia's record holder for most caps in test and ODI cricket, Border retired as the premier run-scorer. Ricky Ponting exceeded him at the Third Ashes Test against England in July 2009.

 

9. Brian Lara (West Indies) – 284 Catches

 

Role: Left-Handed Top-Order Batsman
Career: 1990 – 2007
Total Catches In Tests: 164
Total Catches In ODI: 120

Lara is regarded as one of the greatest left-handed batsmen each generation due to his long career as an international cricketer. He was born on 2 May 1969 in Trinidad and Tobago. His batting has been ranked highest in the Tests on numerous occasions, and he holds several cricketing records.

As an example, Warwickshire's 501 not out against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994 stands as the highest score in first-class cricket history. In the history of first-class cricket, this is the only quintuple hundred ever recorded.

Test cricketer Lara scored 28 runs in a single over against South Africa's left-arm spinner RJ Peterson, holding the world record for most runs in a single over. On 21 November 2006 at Multan Cricket Stadium, he also scored 26 runs off the bowling of Danish Kaneria. Lara has 284 catches in his remarkable career and is known as one of the top cricketers with the most catches.

His achievement in 1994 was to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award. His phenomenal status is accredited to his recognition as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1995.

 

8. Mark Waugh (Australia) – 289 Catches

 

Role: Right-Handed Top-Order Batsman
Career: 1988 – 2002
Total Catches In Tests: 181
Total Catches In ODI: 108

During his career, he was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler for Australia. Born in Campsie, NSW, Australia, Waugh was born on 2nd June 1965 at Canterbury Hospital. Steve Waugh, who was Australia's famous captain during the 1980s, is Mark's twin brother.

During his heydays, he was famously dubbed as one of the greatest cricket captains ever to grace Australian soil. In ODI cricket, Waugh was Australia's highest run-scorer and century-maker when he retired in late 2002.

In Test matches, Waugh batted at the No. 4 position primarily as a right-handed batsman. In addition to being an effective medium-pace bowler, he switched to an off-spin bowler due to back injuries. As a slip fielder, Waugh is considered to be one of the best in history.

He marked 289 catches in his career, and Waugh is regarded as one of the best cricketers with the most catches in international cricket. While playing in the 1996 Cricket World Cup, Waugh scored 130 runs out of 130 deliveries against Kenya and built a 207-run partnership with his brother, which broke the world record for a double-century stand.

 

7. Graeme Smith (South Africa) – 292 Catches

 

Role: Left-Handed Top-Order Batsman
Career: 2002 – 2014
Total Catches In Tests: 169
Total Catches In ODI: 105

A commentator and former cricketer for South Africa, Graeme Craig Smith, was born on 1 February 1981. He played all formats of cricket for South Africa. As captain, he was appointed in 2003. His position as test captain continued until 2014 when he retired.

His performance as a test cricket captain makes him one of the greatest captains of all time. As the youngest captain in South Africa's history, he was appointed at the age of 22. At the time he played (but didn't captain) 102 tests against England, he was the most capped captain ever.

With his imposing stature and left hand, Smith is regarded as one of the greatest openers in cricket history. In 2003, he made double hundreds in consecutive Tests against England: 277 at Edgbaston and 259 at Lord's. As a foreign player, Smith still holds the record for the highest score at Lord's by a foreign player.

The cricketer caught 292 balls during his career and was ranked one of the top cricketers with the most catches. Smith completed 9,000 runs in test cricket on 24 October in his 112th test match, becoming the second South African and the 12th individual to do so.

 

6. Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) – 306 Catches

 

Role: Left-Handed Top-Order Batsman
Career: 1994 – 2008
Total Catches In Tests: 171
Total Catches In ODI: 133

Former New Zealand cricketer Stephen Paul Fleming captained the team in all three forms of the game. Throughout New Zealand's history, he was the most successful test captain. A home crowd in Hamilton enthusiastically watched Fleming play his first Test match in 1994 against India. In 1997 in Auckland, Fleming scored 128 runs against England for his first century in a Test match.

In the early days of his career, Stephen Fleming was in the spotlight. The first match he played was a success for him. His shots are known for their elegance, and he is an expert at flicking off the pads, straight drives, cover drives, and cut shots. Besides, he is also considered one of the greatest fielders in cricket history.

As a slip catcher, he is productive, and he plays close-in positions intelligently. It was at the 2003 Cricket World Cup that he played his best ODI innings, scoring 134 runs unbeaten. This was crucial to New Zealand's victory over local favorites South Africa. As of late, Fleming has scored the most runs for New Zealand, whether it's in Tests or ODIs.

Fleming sent 306 batsmen after catching them, and he is known as one of the top players with most catches. He led New Zealand to the ICC Knockout Trophy in 2000, the only ICC trophy they have won. Captaincy is the main reason for applause for Fleming.

 

5. Rahul Dravid (India) – 334 Catches

 

Role: Right-Handed Top-Order Batsman
Career: 1996 – 2012
Total Catches In Tests: 210
Total Catches In ODI: 196 – 14 (Stump)

The Indian cricketer, former captain of the Indian national team, Dravid, was born on 11 January 1973. At the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru, he is the Director of Cricket Operations. Furthermore, he oversees the progress of the under-19 cricket team of India and India A.

Before this, he was the head coach of the under-19 and A teams for the Indian cricket teams between 2016 and 2019. In the last two years, Dravid coached the under-19 cricket team to runners-up in the 2016 under-19 cricket world cup and winners in 2018. Dravid was appointed as the new head of BCCI's NCA in 2019.

The legendary batsman is known for his sound batting technique and is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history, owing to his 24,177 runs in international cricket. As Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2000, Dravid was among five cricketers to receive the award. Dravid is known as one best cricketers with the most catches in ODIs, having a total of 334 catches in all formats.

In the tough conditions of Toronto, Dravid won the first match of his ODI career against Pakistan in the 1996 'Friendship' Cup. His 220 runs, averaged at 44.00 and a strike rate of 68.53, made him the top scorer during the series.

 

4. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 338 Catches

 

Role: Right-Handed Batting All-Rounder
Career: 1995 – 2014
Total Catches In Tests: 200
Total Catches In ODI: 131

The South African coach, former cricketer Jacques Henry Kallis was born on 16 October 1975. He is known as one of the greatest all-rounders in history as well as South Africa's most successful batsman. Served as a right-handed batsman, Kallis is a right-arm fast-medium swing bowler.

In the history of international cricket, he is the only player in history to score more than 10,000 runs and take more than 250 wickets in ODIs and Tests. Furthermore, Kallis caught 131 ODIs and 338 catches in all formats and is known as one of the top cricketers with most catches. With 13,289 runs and 292 wickets, he also took 200 catches in his career.

The former Australian played 166 Test matches and averaged over 55 runs per innings. In four Test matches spanning October through December 2007, he scored five centuries. After scoring his 40th century during the third Test against India in January 2011.

On the list, Kallis is only one behind Sachin Tendulkar, who has 51 Test centuries. In addition to being named "ICC Test Player of the Year" and "ICC Player of the Year" in 2005 and 2008, Kallis was also named the world's best cricketer by Wisden in 2008 for his performances in 2007.

 

3. Ross Taylor (New Zealand) – 344 Catches

 

Role: Right-Handed Top Order Batsman
Career: 2006 – Present
Total Catches In Tests: 159
Total Catches In ODI: 139

Taylor, born 8 March 1984, is a former New Zealand national cricket captain and international cricketer. His top score in both Tests and ODIs has always come from his bat at number four. It was against India that Taylor played his 100th test match for New Zealand on 21 February 2020. A cricketer for the first time, Taylor played in 100 games in all three formats of international cricket.

New Zealander Taylor became the most-capped player in international cricket when he played in the first Test against Pakistan on 26 December 2020. With this win, he surpasses Daniel Vettori with 438 matches across all three formats.

Furthermore, the third New Zealander to score 7000 runs in ODI cricket scored a century in the first ODI against England. He was named man of the match for his team as a result of his satisfactory performance.

Taylor is known as one of the top cricketers with most catches of 344. During his heydays, he was also considered as one of the most dangerous hard hitters in cricket. His 181 off 147 balls in the 4th ODI was unbeaten, and the team successfully chased 336 runs, the best total of his career.

 

2. Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 364 Catches

 

Role: Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman
Career: 1995 – 2012
Total Catches In Tests: 195
Total Catches In ODI: 160

A former cricketer, coach, and commentator, Ricky Thomas Ponting, was born on 19 December 1974. As a captain, he has won 220 games out of 324, with a winning percentage of 67.91%. Between 2004 and 2011, Ponting commanded Australia's national team in Tests and One Day Internationals (ODIs) during its "golden era."

Besides being a right-handed batsman, he is an excellent fielder of close catches. The year 2000 saw him named "Cricketer of the Decade." He is still dubbed as one of the greatest cricketers of all time due to his prowess in the sport.

Over the three-Test home series against New Zealand in 1997-18, Ponting scored 119 runs at a strike rate of 39.66. As part of this, Australia beat New Zealand by 126 runs in the First Test at Brisbane last Thursday to win the match.

A century against South Africa at the MCG was his first on Australian soil. Next, he scored 50, and he finished the series with 248 runs and a 49.60 batting average. Ponting caught 364 catches in his career. In cricket, some consider his catches to be among the best. Ponting is known as one of the top cricketers with most catches in cricket's history.

 

1. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 440 Catches

 

Role: Right-Handed Top Order Batsman
Career: 1997 – 2015
Total Catches In Tests: 205
Total Catches In ODI: 218

Former Sri Lankan player and head coach Mahala Jayawardene currently coaches the team. Mahala was a premier batsman for Sri Lanka and one of the batsmen with the highest career scores. Test debut in August 1997; he played his first One Day International (ODI) the following year.

His record over 10,000 Test runs is the first in Sri Lankan cricket history, and he is the second player after Sanath Jayasuriya to amass over 10,000 ODI runs. Against South Africa, Sri Lankan batsman Jayawardene scored 374 to record the highest right-handed test score in history.

ICC named Jayawardene the best international cricket captain of 2006. A year after that, he was named one of the greatest Test cricketers of all time. Jayawardene leads the first position of top cricketers with the most catches in all formats as well as ODIs.

The English Cricket Board hired Jayawardene to serve as a batting consultant for the team in August 2015. He has 34 test centuries, 19 ODI hundreds, and one T20I century. Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene is the first player to score a hundred in all forms of the game and the third overall.

 

Final Words

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Cricketers With Most Catches | All-Time Infographics

 

FAQs Regarding Cricketers With Most Catches

Q. Which player has taken the most catches in the ICC World Cup?

There are individual fielding records of Ricky Ponting from Australia and Kumar Sangakkara from Sri Lanka. As a fielder, Ponting has taken the most catches in both World Cup competitions. Meanwhile, Sangakkara has been dismissed the most by a wicketkeeper in the history of the World Cup.

Q. Which player has taken the most catches?

The most ODI catches go to Mahela Jayawardene, who has 218 catches to his name in ODIs. However, players like Rickey Ponting and Ross Taylor are also his close competitors.

Q. Who has the most catches in cricket?

Rahul Dravid became the first non-wicketkeeper to make 200 catches in Tests when he accomplished the feat on 27 December 2010, at Durban.

Q. Who has the most catches in the world?

Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for the most ODI catches, having taken 440 across all formats.

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