Who has taken the most catches in international cricket?

In international cricket, Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene has recorded the most number of catches (440) in 768 innings at the dismissal per innings rate of 0.572.

Who has taken the most catches in international cricket for India?

For the Indian side, across the three formats of the game, Virat Kohli has taken 344 catches, which is the most, at a dismissal-per-innings ratio of 0.512.

Who has made the most dismissals in international cricket in an innings?

New Zealand’s former captain holds the record for making the most dismissals in an innings in international cricket. He grabbed five catches in that innings and a total of 306 catches in 480 innings.

Who has taken the most catches in a single game?

South Africa’s Aiden Markram has taken the most catches in a single game. He recorded nine catches during the Test match against India at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati in 2025.

Top 10 greatest fielders in cricket history

The fielding can often make the biggest difference between a decent cricket team and the greatest side of the game. Undoubtedly, the batting and bowling departments of the game dominate the headlines; a spectacular catch, lightning-fast throw, or even a crucial run-out can completely change the course of a game, as the greatest sides like South Africa, Australia, and India used to do.

Over the years, cricket has produced some incredible fielders in the game who turned athleticism from an expectation into a match-winning skill. Along with standing in the close-in positions to the boundary, the greatest fielders have consistently raised the standard of what’s possible in the cricket field.

The speed, agility, reflexes, and throwing accuracy of the fielders make the toughest challenge a normal routine. Some of their efforts have produced some unforgettable moments in the game’s history. Players like AB de Villiers, Ricky Ponting, Faf du Plessis, and Ravindra Jadeja are a combination of elite athleticism and remarkable consistency.

Throughout the game, the fielders can change the momentum of the game with a superb catch or an unbelievable run-out to put the opposition under serious pressure. They can also reunite the team in their own way. For any top fielder, understanding the angles of the ground becomes very important, which would help them in throwing the ball to the right position.

Top 10 greatest fielders in cricket history — Full ranking

Ranking the greatest fielders of all time is subjective as different eras demanded different skills and playing conditions. The combination of spectacular catches, run-outs, consistency, and the overall impact offers a strong basis for comparing the finest defensive players of the game.

Here is the list of the top 10 greatest fielders in cricketing history, featuring the legends who changed the way fielding was viewed in generations of cricketers, to treat every ball as a chance to make a difference.

#10 Glenn Maxwell (Australia)-

One of the finest fielders of the modern-day game, especially in the two white-ball formats or the premier leagues around the world, Glenn Maxwell brings improvisation to his elite fielding. His reflex catching, ability to reverse-throw, or adjust mid-movement makes him a world-class player in this aspect.

Even though Maxwell has retired from ODI cricket in June 2026 and was out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, his presence continues to make a strong case for the Australian side. In his 14-year career, he has grabbed 158 catches in 290 innings of international cricket at a dismissal per innings rate of 0.544.

#9 Virat Kohli (India)-

Virat Kohli’s career-long fielding intensity has raised everyone across the entire squad. He demanded peak fitness, which helped the side in building one of the best teams of the game in terms of fielding. He has grabbed some superb catches whether he stands in the slip region or in the outfield. Even in the run-out, Kohli has produced some memorable moments.

Overall, he is the most successful fielder of the Indian side with the highest number of catches (344). These came in 671 innings, with a dismissals-per-innings ratio of 0.512. Kohli is fifth in the overall table. It’s never easy to be consistent across the three formats for such a long time.

#8 Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)-

The former captain of the New Zealand side, Brendon McCullum, is the only name in the list who earned the right to be called one of the best fielders of the game due to his speed in running after a ball. Once a batter smashed it into the outfield and it was anywhere near McCullum, he would chase it with his incredible speed.

The nickname ‘Baz’ came as a fielding philosophy. He was equally excellent in catching, even without the wicket-keeping gloves. The former England coach collected 78 catches in 194 innings at the D/I rate of 0.402.

#7 Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)-

The former captain of the Sri Lanka side, Mahela Jayawardene, is one of the safest and best catchers in the slip region against the spinners. His partnership with Muttiah Muralitharan used to be a nightmare for the opposition side, especially when they used to tour in Sri Lanka. The close-in fielders are always vital for the spinners to bowl and keep pressure on the batters for a long time.

Jayawardene is the most successful fielder of the game across the three formats when it comes to catching. He grabbed 440 catches in 768 innings at a dismissal per inning rate of 0.572. These kinds of fielders always inspire the bowlers to bring new creativity with the ball.

#6 AB de Villiers (South Africa)-

The former captain of the South African side, AB de Villiers, is the game’s real 360-degree player. He is the same player who kept wickets in Tests, manned slip in ODIs, and patrolled the deep in the shortest format. His versatility wasn’t just a choice of the coaching management. But it was a tactical cheat code that the Proteas used to rotate their best fielder into whichever gap they wanted their opposition to exploit.

His 1.25 catches-per-side Test ratio outside the wicket-keeping role is among the highest of the 2010s for the pure fielders. Even without the gloves, De Villiers is the third most successful fielder of the Proteas, having grabbed 256 catches.

#5 Steve Smith (Australia)-

Steve Smith is another player from Australia who is known for his superb fielding performance. Standing in the slip region, he never gets afraid of putting his body in the air. He has grabbed some tremendous airborne catches in the slip region to put his team in front of the game.

Smith has bagged 349 catches in 474 innings in international cricket at a dismissal-per-innings ratio of 0.736. He is equally superb in managing the pockets of the field and grabbing the catches on the boundary rope.

#4 Ravindra Jadeja (India)-

Ravindra Jadeja stands out for his consistency and precision, particularly in the inner ring of the 30-yard circle. One of the best abilities of the fielder is how he can easily make a tough catch look very simple for the fans. The Indian star's arm speed on any throw used to be the best, and that’s why he has been superb with the direct hits.

What elevated him is his aura in the field at any position of the game. The best fielders stand at the point region, and Jadeja is one of them. He grabbed 156 catches in 457 innings of international cricket at a dismissal-per-innings ratio of 0.341.

#3 Suresh Raina (India)-

Suresh Raina is another superb all-round fielder for the Indian side across the three formats. He used to stand at the cover region for the national side and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a long time, and it was nearly impossible for the ball to cross him. He was equally superb at grabbing the catches at the slip region.

Raina was a delight for the spinners, because of how easily he used to get low to the ball in the slip region. For India, he grabbed 167 catches in 334 innings at a dismissals-per-innings ratio of 0.50, which is an excellent record to have.

#2 Ricky Ponting (Australia)-

The World Cup-winning captain of the Australian side, Ricky Ponting, was Australia’s inner-ring enforcer in a team that had some superb slip fielders, including Mark Waugh and Mark Taylor. He also used to stand at the covers and held the position for nearly 17 years in international cricket.

He is second to Jayawardene on the list of the most catches with 364 grabs for Australia and the ICC side across the three formats, with a dismissal per innings ratio of 0.507. Ponting had taken some superb catches in his time to change the momentum of the game.

#1 Jonty Rhodes (South Africa)-

The numbers won’t be able to justify this, but Jonty Rhodes remains the best fielder of the game. His genius wasn’t only the airborne dive to dismiss Inzamam-ul-Haq. He made it a habit to challenge the best runners of the game. It was next to impossible for the batters to come back for a single if Rhodes was anywhere near the ball.

Even without contributing with the bat, he used to save eight to 12 runs per innings in the singles and made a massive difference to the entire outcome of the contest. His hockey-trained lateral movement gave the Proteas the first position-specific fielder of the game.