The world of cricket has often been focused around the batsmen and the bowlers, but there’s another class of players, the wicket keepers who often get ignored in discussions. And one of the most important modes of dismissals for this class of players is the catches they take. So, here’s a look at the 5 wicket-keepers who have taken more than 500 catches in international cricket.
1. Mark Boucher (South Africa, Africa XI, ICC World XI)
One of the best wicket keepers to have played cricket, Mark Boucher tops the list of the wicket-keepers who have taken more than 500 catches in international cricket. In his career that spanned between 1997 and 2012, he played in 467 games where he took as many as 952 catches and maintained an average of 1.674 dismissals per innings.
A fine batsman, whose antics on the field awed many and the reactions behind the stumps were the fastest of the time, Boucher had a great career, which did not meet the end that he and his fans would have wanted to, after he incurred a terrible eye injury that affected his vision adversely.
2. Adam Gilchrist (Australia, ICC World XI)
Following Mark Boucher in this list of wicket-keepers who have taken more than 500 catches in international cricket is the Australian cricketing sensation of his time, Adam Gilchrist with his tally of 813 catches.
Gilchrist had started playing cricket in the year 1996 and called it a day on his international career in 2008, and in that time, he played in 396 games at the highest level and managed to contribute at least 1.865 dismissals in every inning. He batted with flair and kept the wickets for Australia for the most part of his career and that too successfully, before calling it a day on his international career the year 2008.
3. MS Dhoni (Asia XI, India)
Arguably the best finisher to play for India in the years of the nation’s cricketing history and the fastest and most reliable pair of hands behind the stumps, MS Dhoni joins in this list of wicket keepers to have taken more than 500 catches in international cricket.
Dhoni, who captained the team, led the batting attack and then strategized and contributed as a wicket-keeper, made sure that the Indian team was always in a safe spot before he could rack up the stats for himself. He played 538 international games for India where he took 634 catches, while on the field.
4. Ian Healy (Australia)
The second entrant from Australia in this list of wicket keepers to have taken more than 500 catches in international cricket, Ian Healy holds the 4th spot in this all-time leaderboard. One of the first truly iconic wicket keepers in the world of cricket, even today, years after his retirement, he is looked up to by the fans and analysts of the sport for what he was able to achieve at the time.
With 560 catches to his name in the 287 matches he played for the Australian cricket team, making his average dismissals per innings 1.602, Healy is the second most successful Aussie in this regard, falling behind Adam Gilchrist who holds the second spot in this list.
5. Kumar Sangakkara (ICC World XI, Asia XI, Sri Lanka)
A batsman of the highest order, a wicketkeeper who was a class apart, Kumar Sangakkara made an impression in his playing days. And, these impressions were not only in the minds of the people who watched him play but also in the record books as he is the player with the 5 highest number of catches to his name in international cricket.
Kumar Sangakarra in his international career played in 594 games and took 539 catches to his name at an average of 1.358 dismissals per innings.
