Greatest with The Gloves: The 5 Best Wicketkeepers of All Time
The 5 Greatest Wicketkeepers in Cricket History
Wicketkeeping is one of the most essential roles in the game of cricket.
It is a specialist role and an extremely significant position that can affect a game massively. Ever since cricket became professional, expectations on wicket keepers have risen far beyond the player being simply a good ‘stopper’.
We not only expect them to perform well behind the stumps, but we also want them to contribute with the bat.
Also, the efforts of a wicketkeeper are often overlooked, but the collective skills of bat and gloves can make a real difference to the outcome of matches, no matter the format.
In this post, we have listed the five greatest wicketkeepers of all time who were known for their all-round performances.
Adam Gilchrist: Free Swinging Aussie
When it comes to wicketkeeping the first name that pops up in our mind is Adam Gilchrist.
He was part of the Australian team in their golden age, where he used to keep for bowlers like McGrath and Shane Warne.
However, sometimes, his efforts as a wicketkeeper were overshadowed by his brilliant performances with the bat!
The left-hander was known for this attacking batting style and big-hitting abilities. He made his ODI debut back in 1996, and his Test debut three years later in 1999. Gilchrist was also known for this sportsmanship and honest approach to the game.
He averaged 1.67 dismissals per innings at the biggest cricket event (World Cup). Gilchrist’s strike rate in ODIs was 96.94, and in Test matches, it was 81.95. The left-hander has 17 test-match tons and 27 half-centuries to his name, while in ODIs, he got 16 brilliant hundreds and 55 half-centuries!
These unbelievable batting records prove that Adam Gilchrist was certainly the greatest wicketkeeper of all times! He has another unique record of scoring at least 50 runs in consecutive WC finals (1999, 2003, & 2007).
Kumar Sangakkara: Intelligence Personified
Former Srilankan wicketkeeper and batsman Kumar Sangakkara holds the record of most dismissals in ODIs.
His elegant personality and unbelievable performances have led people to describe him as one of the greatest of all time.
Current MCC President Kumar Sangakkara - Courtesy of The Sunday Observer
The left-hander started playing international cricket in 2000 and retired from all formats between 2014 and 2015.
Throughout his career, Sangakkara has been a phenomenal cricketer. In Test cricket, he was involved in 151 dismissals at an average of 1.677 per match (similar to Adam Gilchrist).
In ODIs, he achieved 482 dismissals in 353 innings at an average of 1.365. Besides his brilliant wicketkeeping skills, Sangakkara was a top-order batsman.
He has scored 11 double centuries in total and has the record of most ODI runs (13,262) by a wicketkeeper. He has a test average of 57.4, while in ODIs, his batting average is 42.0.
Mark Boucher: Dynamo Behind the Stumps
The South-African dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman made his Test and ODI debut back in 1997 and 1998, respectively.
A sharp bit of thinking from Mark Boucher
Boucher broke multiple records throughout his career and was regarded as one of the most versatile players by his teammates.
In Test cricket, he achieved record-breaking 555 dismissals while in One Day Internationals, he has the third-highest number of dismissals by any wicketkeeper (424). Boucher was also known for this batting skills.
He scored 5 tons and 35 half-centuries in Test matches, while in ODIs, he managed to score only one century and 26 half-centuries. However, unfortunately, his career ended after receiving a brutal eye-injury in 2012.
MS Dhoni: Captain Fantastic
Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped team India do things that no one else could have done. He is regarded as the best captain for his country, and certainly a dynamic batsman as well.
Yes, he was not elegant to watch but got a reputation as a finisher.
MS Dhoni produced numerous match-winning performances throughout his career. He made his first ODI appearance in 2004 and played his first Test match in 2005.
In ODIs, he has 398 dismissals to his name, and in Test matches, he sent 298 batsmen to the pavilion. The Indian ex-captain has scored 10 ODIs centuries and 61 half-centuries, while in red-ball cricket, he scored 6 centuries and 33 half-centuries.
Brendon McCullum: Inventor of ‘Bazball’
The dynamic hitter with incredible wicket-keeping skills – Brendon McCullum is one of the most respected cricketers of all time.
He was not only a great cricketer but also a very successful captain for New Zealand. He made his ODI debut in 2002, Test debut in 2004, and T20 debut in 2005.
He was known for his aggressive batting, and he is the only player to score two T20 centuries. McCullum is ranked 6th for the highest number of dismissals in ODIs (242).
The right-handed New Zealander scored 12 Test centuries and 5 ODI centuries. He is currently the leading run-scorer in the T20 format with 2,140 international runs.
Check out our opinion on the best swing bowlers of all time, and also the best FAST bowlers of all time, and see whether you agree with our list of the game’s best-ever off-spinners, and crickets greatest leg-spin bowlers.
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