Top 10 Best Wicket-Keeper in the World! Ranked By Dismissals

Cricket is called a game of gentlemen, now, women too. While the fans usually tend to focus and rate the best batter, bowler or fielder, we usually do not give much attention to those behind the stumps, with their complete attention to the ball, the wicket-keepers.

Their role is one of the most crucial in the field, such as eyeing and focusing on each move of the batter or taking wickets by stumpings or catches. Meanwhile, every match is crucial, so any player, mainly the wicket-keeper, cannot afford to make any mistakes. There are many great wicket-keepers, and you will be intrigued after reading about their career achievements. Therefore, to learn more about the top 10 best wicket-keepers in the world, keep reading.

Introducing the top 10 wicket-keepers in Cricket

While there are many skilled and flawless keepers in the world, we have curated a list of the best among them based on their number of dismissals.

1. Mark Boucher

Termed as the best wicket-keeper of all time, Mark Verdon Boucher has a fascinating cricketing career as the wicket-keeper for the South African cricket team, holding the title for most dismissals of all time, having close to 1,000 dismissals. The player has recorded 998 dismissals in 467 matches, with a remarkable number of 952 catches and 46 stumpings. Meanwhile, the former cricketer was appointed as the head coach of the Mumbai Indians IPL team ahead of the 2023 season and replaced the former Sri Lankan player Mahela Jayawardene. Further, he bid goodbye to his role as South Africa men’s head coach at the end of the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.

2. Adam Gilchrist

Hands down, Australia’s Gilchrist is one of the best wicket-keeper-batsmen of all time. During his cricketing career in the 1990s and early 2000s, he garnered a huge and loyal fanbase of cricket enthusiasts. For those who were not born in that era, let us tell you that he was one of the most aggressive batsmen of his time, with a historic strike rate. Not only this, but he was rated as the World’s Scariest Batsman in 2004 after an exclusive poll between 20 of the world’s leading bowlers, who termed him to be the scariest person they would bowl to. 

Gilchrist holds a record of 905 dismissals, with 813 catches and 92 stumpings, in just 396 matches.

3. MS Dhoni

Unarguably, Dhoni remains one of the fastest wicket-keepers behind the wickets. No, we are not saying this out of nowhere, as the title comes with solid evidence. MS Dhoni holds the record of 829 dismissals with 634 catches and 195 stumpings. Truly, 195 stumpings is a record in itself that no other wicket-keeper has managed to break. Not only is he a great wicket-keeper, but he is one of the most loved Indian cricketers till now. Having struggled a lot in the initial days of his career, beloved ‘Captain Cool’ has led the Indian team to win the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. 

4. Kumar Sangakkara

This Sri Lankan player is regarded as the most successful wicket-keeper In the ICC World Cup. He holds a record of 54 dismissals in just 36 matches over four world cups. He was known for maintaining calmness and discipline in the field. Moreover, along with being a magnificent wicket-keeper, Sangakkara is the second-highest run-scorer in all formats of cricket. He holds a record of 28016 runs in 594 matches, just behind the “Master Blaster” Sachin Tendulkar.

Further, the cricketer became the president of Marylebone Cricket Club in 2019, the first overseas cricketer to secure the position. He was also added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in June 2021. He has become the only Sri Lankan player to be inducted after Muttiah Muralitharan.

5. Ian Healy

Ian Andrew Healy played a key role in the victories of the Australian cricket team with his focused wicket-keeping. He was a champion behind the stump and held wide popularity and respect from fans and cricketers alike, even years after his retirement. Meanwhile, he holds a record of 628 total dismissals in just 392 innings of international cricket, with 366 catches and 29 stumpings in Test matches and 194 catches and 39 stumpings in ODI matches. His skills would have made him rank first on this list; however, the T20 format was not introduced during his era.

6. Quinton de Kock

As of the time of writing this article, Quinton de Kock has recorded 550 dismissals in 289 matches. The former South African captain is undoubtedly one of the best cricketers of the modern era. He served as an opening batsman for the ODI and T20s and in the middle order in Test cricket. Meanwhile, the player has shown his skills in the Indian Premier League for franchises such as Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, and Lucknow Super Giants. His aggressive batting skills and wicket-keeping have come in handy for the teams in many crucial matches. 

7. Rodney Marsh

Rodney William Marsh was an Australian cricketer who was quite prominent and one of the best during the 1970s and 1980s. In just 188 matches, Marsh was accountable for 479 dismissals, with 463 catches and 16 stumpings, which is quite appreciable. Moreover, he was known for his partnership with Dennis Lillee, with the duo taking 95 test wickets, a record in itself. Their bowler–wicket-keeper partnership led to the famous term “caught Marsh bowled Lillee” during their era. Marsh was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

8. Brad Haddin

Bradley James Haddin is another Australian cricketer on the list, hinting towards the number of skilled wicket-keepers in the country. Holding a record of 474 dismissals in 226 matches, Haddin proved to be a worthy replacement for Adam Gilchrist. While everyone must have thought it would be hard to fill the shoes of the legendary Gilchrist, he did it remarkably. In 2010, in the opening match of The Ashes at Gabba, he played a dedicated inning that helped his team get back on its feet. 

9. Jeff Dujon

It would be wrong not to mention Jeffrey Leroy Dujon as one of the most successful West Indies wicket-keepers. Thanks to his acrobatic wicket-keeping, Dujon holds a record of  474 dismissals with 448 catches and 26 catches in 250 matches. He could easily take wickets from behind the stumps and won 81 test caps for his team. Not only this, but Dujon has never been a part of any losing series. After he retired from the team in 1992, the former cricketer mentored the players as an assistant coach till the early 2000s. 

10. Denesh Ramdin

Ramdin was brought in to fill the shoes of Jeff Dujon and Ridley Jacobs. They were the best wicket-keepers of the West Indies cricket team at that time. Ramdin was a right-handed wicket-keeping batsman. Meanwhile, he holds a record of 468 dismissals with 429 stumpings and 39 catches in 284 international matches he played. Ever since the former team captain announced his retirement, the team has not gotten a keeper as magnificent as him.

Conclusion

In essence, these were the title holders of the top 10 best wicket-keepers in the world. Meanwhile, there are many more remarkable and skilled players who could not make it to the list. They include Jos Buttler, Brendon McCullum, Mushfiqur Rahim, and more. Many aspiring players are striving hard to break the records mentioned above. It would be interesting to know who will smash the record made by these “GOAT” players.