From MS Dhoni to Mark Boucher: Know the best wicket-keepers of all time

Cricket is highly recognised as a game of batters and bowlers. But, a position that plays an equally important role is wicket-keeping. 

A wicket-keeper is one of the 11 players on the fielding side who stands behind the batters’ stumps and takes wickets by stumpings and catches. 

Remarkable agility and rapid reflexes are two of the most important skills of a great gloveman.

Over the years, players like Mark Boucher and Adam Gilchrist have raised the bar of wicket-keeping in international cricket, with close to 1000 dismissals. Here, we look at some of the finest fielders behind the stumps.

Best wicket-keeper in the world

Mark Boucher | 998 Dismissals

South Africa’s March Boucher is considered the best wicket-keeper in the world for his 998 dismissals across 467 matches in international cricket. 

He has played a part in 555 wickets from behind the stumps in 147 Tests, 425 in 295 ODIs and 19 in his short 25-match T20I career. 

The Protean played international cricket for 15 years before an unfortunate accident put a hard stop on his career. He injured his eye during a warm-up game in 2012. 

Along with the record for most dismissals as a wicketkeeper in international cricket, Boucher also leads the list for the most number of catches, 952, out of which 532 were taken in Tests. 

Adam Gilchrist | 905 Dismissals

In his 12-year-long international career, Adam Gilchrist’s 416 dismissals in 96 Tests stands out as one of his top achievements as a wicket-keeper. He also has 489 dismissals to his name in white-ball cricket, making him the best wicket-keeper from Australia.

Popularly known as “Gilly”, he has taken the most catches, 813, and the most stumpings, 92, by any Australian. Gilchrist retired in 2008 as the leading wicket-keeper in Test cricket.

MS Dhoni | 829 Dismissals 

MS Dhoni’s electric reflexes behind the stumps make him the third-best wicket-keeper in the world with more than 800 dismissals. In his international career from 2004 to 2019, a whopping 444 wickets were taken in ODIs, 91 in T20Is and 294 in Tests. 

With 829 dismissals and extraordinary captaincy, Dhoni guided his national team to three ICC trophies namely, T20 World Cup 2007, World Cup 2011, and Champions Trophy 2013. 

Kumar Sangakkara | 678 Dismissals

Kumar Sangakkara is a memorable name from Sri Lanka for taking 678 dismissals as a wicket-keeper. The aggregate of 151 in Tests, 482 in ODIs and 45 in T20Is is the highest ever by any player from Sri Lanka. 

Sangakkara’s total of 383 catches and 99 stumpings is the highest number of dismissals from a keeper in ODIs. He is also the second keeper from his national team to have done three stumpings in a single One-Day International match. 

Ian Healy | 628 dismissals

Another Australian who makes it to the list of best wicket-keepers in the world is Ian Healy. He was the fastest to reach 600 dismissals, taking less than 300 international matches to achieve this feat.

Being the first-choice keeper for the Australian cricket team in the late 20th century, Healy ended with 395 dismissals in Tests and 233 in ODIs 

The Aussie is also one of the few wicket-keepers to produce three stumpings in an ODI inning. In his career of about 11 years, Healy effected close to two dismissals per innings in Tests.

Photo credit: Alamy