When it comes to cricket, we often pay attention to who is striking, bowling, or fielding, but we often miss the person who keeps wickets—the guy who stands watch behind the stumps. Top 10 International Wicket keepers are the greatest wicket keepers of the game of cricket.
- The greatest wicketkeeper in the world is someone who pays close attention to every little thing and is a keen observer of the entire game.
- Behind the stumps, a wicketkeeper needs to be alert, flexible, and quick. It has the potential to make all the difference in a match, win or lose. Therefore, every team needs a strong wicketkeeper in their playing 11 of the game.
- Below is the list of the top 10 International wicket keepers in world who have played significant roles behind stumps in matches and wins for their respective countries.
1). Mark Boucher
(Tests – 555 Dismissals, ODIs – 424 Dismissals, T20Is – 19 Dismissals)
Mark Boucher, South African player, is regarded as one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batsmen of all time, having participated in all three forms of cricket. Mark holds the record for the most dismissals ever by a wicketkeeper (532 Catches and 23 stumpings) and is the first person in history to attain 400 dismissals in test cricket.
Till date, he is the best wicketkeeper in the world because of his skill, prowess, and outstanding career behind the stumps. He is first in the list of top 10 international wicket keepers.
2). Adam Gilchrist
(Tests – 416 Dismissals, ODIs – 472 Dismissals, T20Is – 17 Dismissals)
Adam Gilchrist has undoubtedly been regarded as one of the greatest left handed batsmen and the world’s best wicketkeeper. He is second on the list of the top 10 wicket keepers.
Gilchrist’s dismissals have brought pride to the Australian cricket team, with 379 catches & 37 stumpings in the Test, 417 catches & 55 stumpings in the ODI, and 17 catches in the T20I. He is one of the three players to ever hit 100 sixes in test cricket. In 2002, he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year. In 2003, he received the Allan Border Medal. In 2004, he was named the World’s Scariest Batsman.
3). MS Dhoni
(Tests – 294 Dismissals, ODIs – 444 Dismissals, T20Is – 91 Dismissals)
Without a doubt, the best wicketkeeper in the world is MS Dhoni. He is among the most successful, respected, and recognized captains of the Indian Cricket Team.
He is recognized around the world not just for his batting skills but also for being an excellent wicketkeeper. The Indian cricket team has won one Champions Trophy, two Asia Cups, and two World Cups under his leadership. Dhoni holds the world record for most stumpings (123) in ODI cricket. He is third on the list of the top 10 international wicket keepers.
4). Kumar Sangakkara
(Tests – 151 Dismissals, ODIs – 482 Dismissals, T20Is – 45 Dismissals)
One of the best wicketkeepers the Sri Lankan cricket team has ever had is Sangakkara. In terms of his wicketkeeping, he has done justice to his ability behind the stumps with 182 catches and 20 stumpings in Test cricket and 402 catches and 99 stumpings in ODI cricket.
Sangakkara has the most wicketkeeping dismissals in ODI history and is the second-highest scorer in ODI history. He was an outstanding captain as he guided Sri Lanka to multiple World Cup finals. He is fourth in the list of top 10 international wicket keepers.
5). Ian Healy
(Tests – 395 Dismissals, ODIs – 233 Dismissals)
Ian Healy was an Australian cricketer whose primary goal in his day was to keep wickets. He was an expert behind the stumps, even when facing fast bowlers and spinners. Shane Warne called him one of the best wicketkeepers ever, and his supporters still like and respect him.
Overall, he has 628 dismissals in international cricket: 366 catches & 29 stumpings in Tests and 194 catches & 39 stumpings in ODIs. He is fifth on the list of the top 10 international wicket keepers.
6). Rodney Marsh
Australia
In the 1970s and 1980s, Rod Marsh was one of the most well-known wicketkeepers in the game. He represented Australia in 92 One-Day Internationals and 96 Tests. In 188 international games, he was behind 479 dismissals, which is really exceptional.
He is sixth on the list of top 10 international wicket keepers.
7). Brad Haddin
Australia
Along with Rodney Marsh, Adam Gilchrist, and Ian Healy, Brad Haddin was also one of Australia’s greatest wicketkeepers. He is ninth on the list of top 10 internationa wicket keepers.
He played as a replacement for Adam Gilchrist during his initial days in international cricket. His career spanned 14 years, in which he played 226 international matches and accounted for 474 dismissals.
8). Jeff Dujon
West Indies
Most people agree that Jeff Dujon is the finest wicketkeeper in West Indies cricket. Dujon performed while the renowned West Indian pace battery was in action. Over his career, he has been responsible for 474 dismissals. He to make part of top international wicket keepers list.
9). Quinton de Cock
South Africa
Quinton De-Cock is one of the greatest wicket keepers in modern-day Cricket and a very good attacking opener who plays for South Africa in T20s and ODI’s. De-Cock announced retirement from Test Cricket in 2021 to focus more on white ball cricket and his family.
As of this day, De-Cock has played 283 International matches and was instrumental in 537 dismissals. It is the second highest by any South African Wicketkeeper after Mark Boucher.
He is also a top class batsman having scored 11986 runs in 319 innings at an average of 40.85 across Tests, ODIs and T20’s with 26 centuries.
10). Denesh Ramdin
West Indies
In the 10th position of the greatest wicket keepers in Cricket, we have Denesh Ramdin who played for the West Indies during 2005-2019. In a career span of 15 years, he played 284 International matches representing West Indies and has grabbed 483 dismissals which is the highest by a West Indies Wicketkeeper and places him second in the list of best wicket keepers in West Indies only behind the great Jeff Dujon .