Every team knows the importance of having good fielders in the team. There is an old saying that ‘catches win matches’ and for that, one needs to have sharp fielders in the team who can turn the outcome of any game with brilliant catching and ground fielding.
Fielding has become a crucial feature in T20 cricket, and the same thing is being witnessed in the IPL.
Franchises are laying more emphasis on buying good fielders to add more value to the team.
Teams are now considering the agility and athleticism of a player before bidding for him or buying him in the auction.
Since the last few seasons, there has been an overall enhancement in fielding which has become all the more skilful and technically prudent.
In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 best fielders in IPL history. These fielders have exhibited their quality on the field and have inspired their teammates, bringing the best out of them.
Also Read: The Top 20 Best Fielders in the World of Cricket
The fielders we are about to mention in our list have done exceptionally well on the field, thus winning the game for their respective franchises with their fielding brilliance.
The Top 10 Best Fielders in IPL History
These fielders have shown tremendous consistency and fitness to be on par. Here are the top 10 best fielders in IPL history:
| S.no. | Player | Catches | Run-Outs |
| 1. | Virat Kohli | 94 | 19 |
| 2. | AB De Villiers | 92 | 10 |
| 3. | Suresh Raina | 109 | 15 |
| 4. | Ravindra Jadeja | 88 | 21 |
| 5. | David Warner | 74 | 9 |
| 6. | Kieron Pollard | 103 | 12 |
| 7. | Faf Du Plessis | 70 | 6 |
| 8. | Dwayne Bravo | 80 | 15 |
| 9. | Steve Smith | 53 | 9 |
| 10. | Glenn Maxwell | 40 | 4 |
1. Virat Kohli
Kicking off our list of the best fielders in IPL history is Virat Kohli. The former Indian skipper, like his batting, has always set high standards on the field with his excellent fielding skills.
The 33-year-old has been playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2008 and in 2013, was made the captain of the side.
Kohli always wants his team to be on par with the opposition on the field and pushes them to keep on improving their fielding standards.
Kohli himself fields at mid-off or covers, but sometimes we can see him fielding at boundary.
Kohli has taken 94 catches in 221 IPL games so far, and the former Indian skipper hasn’t slowed down a bit.
The right-hander has taken some brilliant one-handed catches inside the circle, and it’s quite amazing to see so much intensity in him even during overcast conditions when even good fielders tend to become sloppy.
2. AB De Villiers
An aggressive skipper, a destructive batsman, a fine wicketkeeper and a brilliant fielder, you just can’t keep this man out of the game.
The 37-year-old has set a prime example on the field as far as his swiftness and speed are concerned.
Like his electric batting, ABD is an enigmatic fielder. Whether it is fielding at the slips, boundary line, covers or any position, De Villiers has showcased outstanding sharpness and agility in all positions.
His coordination with Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli is quite brilliant as both have worked well on the field, motivating each other and motivating their teammates to push hard.
De Villiers is quite sharp and spot-on when it comes to aiming direct hits at the stumps, which makes him even more dangerous.
De Villiers has taken 90 catches in 184 IPL games. De Villiers still possesses tremendous agility at this age.
He has got this unique awareness to spot the movement of the batters during the run of play and can execute some lightning-quick throws to outsmart them.
3. Suresh Raina
Arguably one of the best fielders in limited-overs and the shorter formats. Raina was touted as a fielder who could be employed in any position and will provide positive results.
His primary fielding position was inside the inner ring but he was a handy fielder at the boundary.
Raina scored heavily with the bat during his association with the Chennai Super Kings, but along with this, he was one of the best fielders in the history of IPL.
Raina’s agility and intensity on the field were like a panther, and he has taken some fantastic catches. Raina also fielded at the slips, where he exhibited some fine fielding skills.
When it came to going for the run outs with his direct throws, the 35-year-old was equally dangerous with his precise throws. Raina has taken 105 catches in 205 IPL games.
Raina took a brilliant one-handed catch against Kolkatta Knight Riders at slips in 2016, which can’t be forgotten.
4. Ravindra Jadeja
Next up on our list of the best fielders in IPL history is Sir Jadeja. When Ravindra Jadeja started his IPL career in 2008 for Rajasthan Royals, the 33-year-old left his impression with some brilliant fielding.
Chennai Super Kings bought the left-arm spinner in 2012, and since then, Jadeja has been a pivotal figure in every department for CSK.
Jadeja’s adaptability allows him to field in any position, but he usually is fielded at the mid-wicket area.
Jadeja possesses a powerful left arm throw as he can be a threat for the batsman during the run of play with his direct throws.
Jadeja has taken some outstanding catches, but he took a fantastic catch in 2020 against Kolkata Knight Riders with the help of his teammate Faf Du Plessis which would have left an impression in every fan’s mind.
The left-hander has taken 88 catches in 210 IPL games.
5. David Warner
The Australian is known for intense vibrancy on the field as he has pocketed some brilliant catches in the history of IPL.
No one can forget that one-handed diving catch against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015 when Sunrisers Hyderabad played against RCB.
Warner can field in the inner ring and at the slips, but when it comes to chasing the ball to the boundary, Warner is off the block like a bullet.
Like a committed batsman, the charismatic cricketer is also committed as a fielder.
Batsman must be careful while converting twos into threes when Warner is fielding at the boundary line. The left-hander has taken 73 catches in 161 IPL games.
At the age of 34, Warner is still going strong with his athletic fielding and is one of the best fielders in the Sunrisers Hyderabad outfit.
Read More: David Warner Net Worth, Salary Australia, IPL Salary, Wife, Age, House, Car Collection, Biography
6. Kieron Pollard
The Trinidadian is still one of the most dashing fielders in the IPL as the 35-year-old still possesses the agility and athleticism to take some blinders.
Pollard is known for his effortless batting and how he clears the boundary with ease.
The same can be said for his electric fielding at the boundary, where he tends to pull off some magnificent catches and be involved in runouts with his powerful throws.
Pollard is mostly employed inside the circle at mid-off or the point area.
Pollard’s biggest strengths are his ability to time the jump to perfection and his quick thinking on the field.
Pollard’s brilliant take against Rajasthan Royals during the 2014 season will be afresh in the fans’ minds.
His reach allows him to make a start, especially while taking catches at the deep or the boundary.
Still, at the age of 35, the Trinidadian is one of the best fielders in the Mumbai Indians lineup. He has taken 103 catches in 189 IPL games.
7. Faf Du Plessis
Next up on our list of the best fielders in IPL history is Faf Du Plessis. The South African is just like his former South African teammate AB De Villiers; you can’t keep him out of the game.
Whether it is his effortless strokeplay with the bat or his flexibility on the field, Du Plessis is arguably amongst the best fielders in IPL.
The 37-year-old has pulled off some fantastic catches at the boundary but possesses the flexibility to field in any position.
The Melbet (a sports betting site) ambassdor, Du Plessis possesses a strong arm and has this reputation of getting the opposition batters run out.
The right-hander can hit the stumps with his accurate vision and combine well with other fielders to save crucial runs during the run of play.
He has shown tremendous reliability as a fielder and is known for his out of the box thinking on the field.
He has taken 69 catches in 114 IPL games. He took a memorable catch of David Warner during the 2020 IPL season, which is unforgettable.
Du Plessis can time his dive brilliantly inside the circle and also at the deep to save crucial runs.
8. Dwayne Bravo
The Trinidadian is a fearless cricketer and is known for his larger than life attitude. Whether it is his fearless batting, clever bowling, or fielding, Bravo is a complete package.
The 38-year-old has pulled off some mind-blowing catches and has set high standards with some electrifying performances on the field.
Like his dancing moves, Bravo has caught everyone’s attention with his all-round play, including his fielding.
The all-rounder has made some terrific saves on the boundary line with his slides and is capable of creating runouts with his powerful direct hits that can disrupt the stumps.
Even at the age of 38, he possesses the swiftness to dismiss the batters through caught and bowl dismissals. His committed work ethics on and off the field are unquestionable.
Bravo has showcased excellent awareness of creating runout chances with his intense running while fielding. Bravo has taken 80 catches in 161 IPL games.
9. Steve Smith
One of the best one down batters in World Cricket, Steve Smith is a superb fielder. The 33-year-old is quick on the ball and has made some magnificent saves.
The Australian is a gifted batsman with loads of talent. Smith possesses a variety of shots in his stroke play but is equally skilful with his lightning-quick fielding.
Whether fielding at the outfield, inner ring, point or slips, Smith makes it look easy with his athletic dives and quick throws.
The right-hander has taken some outstanding catches and can time the dives well to save crucial runs.
Smith has taken 41 catches in 91 catches. More than his catches, he can save crucial runs with his slides, which are pretty valuable.
Batters can’t take a chance to go for extra runs with Smith’s parallel throws from the deep or long-on.
10. Glenn Maxwell
We all know about Glenn Maxwell’s capabilities as a batsman and a bowler.
The right-hander can be destructive with his powerful hitting abilities and is an unpredictable bowler. However, the all-rounder is also an outstanding fielder.
The charismatic cricketer is known for his never say die attitude and his will to give 100 per cent on the field.
The 33-year-old can be deployed in any fielding position, and you can’t undermine his sharpness on the field.
Read More: Glenn Maxwell Net Worth, Wife Name, IPL Salary, Income, House, Endorsements
Maxwell has taken some brilliant catches at the deep and can guard the point and the cover region with his electrifying fielding.
Maxwell is a fine fielder at the boundary who can execute some brilliant throws from the boundary line.
Maxwell has taken 40 catches in 108 IPL games. Maxwell can cover a lot of ground with his accelerating running.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Who is the best fielder in IPL career?
Suresh Raina is the best fielder in IPL career based on his fielding stats. Raina has the highest number of catches (109) in the tournament and the 2nd highest run-outs (15).
Who is the best fielder in IPL 2022?
Riyan Parag took 17 catches in IPL 2022, making him the best fielder in IPL 2022. He also took 4 catches in a single match, the highest by any fielder in IPL.
Which player has the most run-outs in IPL?
Ravindra Jadeja has 21 run-outs in IPL, the highest by any player in the league.
Conclusion
So there you have it, folks! This was the list of the top 10 fielders in IPL history. Hope you would have enjoyed reading this list as much as we liked writing about it!
Did we miss out on your favourite IPl fielder? Do let us know by tweeting us @weknowcricket.
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