Wicket-keeping is a crucial aspect of cricket. A wicket-keeper needs to be vigilant and lightning-fast. A good wicketkeeper gives confidence to the bowler and reduces the margin of error for the batter. A keeper’s input is significant while taking a review or setting up the field for a particular batter. Let us have a look at the Top 10 Best International Wicketkeepers at the moment (only active international wicketkeepers)-
1. Quinton De Kock (South Africa)
Quinton de Kock is an elegant left-handed opening-batter. But he is superb behind the stumps as well. His excellent while taking catches, stopping the ball down the leg side, or stumping in a flash. He has inflicted 479 dismissals in his international career across all three formats. He holds the record for the most dismissals in an ODI inning (6).
2. Rishabh Pant (India)
There was a time when Rishabh Pant was criticized for his shoddy work behind the stumps. But since last 2-3 years, he has improved into one of the best keepers in business. Since 15 June 2019, Pant has had the 2nd most dismissals across all three formats (62 catches and 6 stumpings). He is the fastest Indian keeper to reach 100 dismissals in Test cricket.
3. Jos Buttler (England)
Jos Buttler, without a doubt, is one of the greatest wicket-keepers to have played cricket. He holds the record for the most dismissals in a Test series (30). He has affected the most dismissals across all three formats since 15 June 2019 (124).
4. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
Mohammad Rizwan is one of the rising wicket-keepers of modern-day cricket. As far as batting is concerned, he is the only batter to score more than 1000 runs in a calendar year in T20I. His wicket-keeping, too, is a delight to watch. Since June 2019, he has had the most number (31) of dismissals in T20I cricket.
5. Tim Paine (Australia)
Tim Paine left the captaincy of Australia recently. He led his team to victory in the Ashes 2019, their first major title after the Sandpaper incident. As a wicketkeeper, too, he is brilliant. Since June 2019, he has taken 63 catches and inflicted one stumping and is one of the safest keepers today. As a wicketkeeper, he has captained Australia in 23 Test matches, the 3rd most.
6. Alex Carey (Australia)
Alex Carey recently made his Test debut in the Ashes 2021-22. In this series, he claimed 23 catches. He is very athletic and has taken quite a few blinders in the past. He has 88 catches and 15 stumpings in his international career and it’s safe to say that his graph will only rise.
7. Regis Chakabva (Zimbabwe)
Since his international debut in 2008, Chakabva has inflicted 94 dismissals in 72 innings. He is a brave and athletic wicket-keeper. In an ODI against Bangladesh in 2015, he inflicted 3 stumpings, a record for a Zimbabwean wicketkeeper.
8. Jonny Bairstow (England)
When it comes to athletic wicketkeepers, this man cannot be left out. A burly wicket-keeper batter from Yorkshire, Jonathan Marc Bairstow, has the 5th most number (220) of international dismissals for an English keeper. Although he is a 2nd choice keeper for England today, he is too good a keeper to be a backup.
9. Niroshan Dickwella (Sri Lanka)
Since his international debut in 2014, Niroshan Dickwella has been involved in 164 catches behind the stumps and 33 stumpings, which sum up to the 3rd most number of dismissals for a Sri Lankan keeper. An unorthodox attacking batter, he holds the record for the 2nd most runs scored in a Test career without a century. His constant chirping and loud appeal are his trademarks.
10. KL Rahul (India)
Rahul may not have kept wicket in many matches. He may have just 20 international wickets in his kitty as a keeper but there is no denying that he is one of the most agile and quick keepers. In the IPL, he has kept wickets in 62 innings and inflicted 47 wickets in those.
