10 bowler-fielder combinations with most dismissals in Tests

Cricket has always been known to be remembered by great batting or bowling partnerships - a few of the modern ones which the world most recall are pairings like Hayden-Langer, Wasim-Waqar, Tendulkar-Ganguly, Kumble-Harbhajan, etc - but what misses out is attention to the fielder, who invariably ends up contributing to a wicket for the bowler.

Sportskeeda recalls 10 of the most successful bowler-fielder combinations which have brought most dismissals together as a pair in Test match cricket.

#10 Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis – 35 (1998 - 2009)

One of South Africa’s pace spearheads throughout the early twenty-first century, Makhaya Ntini not only became the first black African to play Test cricket for his country but also produced one consistent performance after another in a career spanning over 11 years. Mingling good pace with accurate line and length, Ntini’s deliveries often landed in the safe hands of behind the wicket fielders, with most of them being pouched by veteran Jacques Kallis.

The all-rounder who superbly held the responsibility of fielding at one of the most crucial positions formed an association with Ntini where both would end up affecting 35 dismissals in total. While Ntini finished with 390 Test wickets, Kallis got 200 catches in his longtime serving South Africa.

#9 James Anderson and Alastair Cook – 36 (2008 - 2017)

James Anderson and Alastair Cook have formed the best bowler-fielder association for England in Tests

England’s talisman with the new as well as the old ball, James Anderson has no wonder risen to become his country’s leading wicket-taker in the longest format. Even before retiring, one of the ends at his home ground Old Trafford has been dedicated to him, and all for his accuracy to repeatedly hit the right areas.

When the ball is swinging and the track is assisting seam, few can match Anderson’s ability to move the ball around and find the edge of the bat. At the same time, securing the first slip for long has been Alastair Cook, with secure fielding behind the stumps.

The pair has aggregated 36 wickets so far, with Anderson sitting pretty at 523 wickets and Cook possessing 156 catches, and have already formed the best bowler-fielder association for England in Tests.

#8 Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting - 36 (1995 - 2006)

Shane Warne's pinpoint turners inevitably found their way into Ricky Ponting's hands

Undoubtedly, one of the finest spinners that the world has seen, Shane Warne ruled opponents like few others managed to do with the ball. Part of the legendary Australian team that began its dominance with the 1999 World Cup win, Warne had long announced his arrival with the Ball of the Century in 1993. Soon, he would have a captain in Ricky Ponting, who would write down a legacy with one triumph after the other both home and away.

Warne and Ponting formed one of the most dependable combinations for a bowler and a fielder, accumulating 36 dismissals in total. With his captain often at second slip or silly point, Warne’s pinpoint turners inevitably found their way into frequently Ponting’s hands. And with his athletic fielding, there is little wonder then that Ponting ended with 196 catches.

#7 Shane Warne and Matthew Hayden - 39 (2001 - 2006)

Shane Warne combined with Matthew Hayden, to effect 39 dismissals in only five years

A great spinner and a great slip fielder’s pairing gave Australia a fine edge over their opponents. Shane Warne pitched it bang on target and Matthew Hayden did the rest with his safe fingers to bring their team success. Not surprisingly, they found 38 such dismissals together where Warne bowled the right line and Hayden grabbed the opportunity at first slip.

In a period spanning just five years, it was not surprising that they ended with as many dismissals.

While Warne would retire as Australia’s most successful bowler – and the second in the world thus far – Hayden would go down having taken 128 catches.

#6 Shane Warne and Mark Waugh - 39 (1992 - 2002)

Mark Waugh bagged 181 catches for Australia, 39 of which came off Shane Warne's bowling

One of Shane Warne’s oldest friends on the field, his combination with Mark Waugh began in 1992 and lasted for a decade. The elder Waugh was extremely successful in pouching catches that his way off Warne’s bowling, tallying 39 combined dismissals with him. In the days when Australia were slowly rising as a unit with the fall of the mighty West Indies, the duo’s contribution went a long way in securing crucial wickets resulting in eventually convincing wins.

Waugh bagged 181 catches, second only to Ricky Ponting for his country by 15 catches, having played as many as 40 matches fewer.

#5 Lance Gibbs and Garry Sobers - 39 (1961 - 1973)

Lance Gibbs (front, fifth from left), Garry Sobers (front, third from left) got together for 39 Test dismissals

A brilliant off-spinner in the company of deadly fast bowlers like Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall et al, Lance Gibbs’ most outstanding feature in the longest format of the game will be his exceptional economy rate of 1.98 after 79 Tests. On the other hand of his achievements lay the talismanic all-rounder Garry Sobers, with whom he joined hands to get 39 dismissals. Gibbs got 309 Test wickets – the fourth highest for the West Indies – while Sobers’ 109 catches also remain behind three of his countrymen.

The most successful bowler-fielder pairing from their nation, however, unfortunately, could not witness a repeat of their journey with West Indies’ status as the rulers of cricket dwindling from the early 1990’s.

#4 Harbhajan Singh and Rahul Dravid - 51 (1999 - 2011)

Rahul Dravid bagged 51 catches off Harbhajan Singh

The lanky off-spinner Harbhajan Singh gelled extremely well with Rahul Dravid, the best pair of hands that India have had in the history of the game. Dravid stood at first slip for the spinners and was one of the most dependable catchers to have fielded for the country. Each time that Harbhajan extracted substantial from the surface to induce an outside edge, Dravid’s presence behind assured that India would be claiming a wicket.

Their combination of 51 dismissals remains the fourth best in Test history, with Harbhajan, who last played a Test in 2015, having grabbed 417 wickets so far while Dravid got 210 catches, a record for any non-wicketkeeper in the format.

#3 Shane Warne and Mark Taylor - 51 (1992 - 1998)

Shane Warne and Mark Taylor's bowler-fielder pairing remains the most successful for Australia

Yet another pairing for Australia to have found fantastic success, the combination of Shane Warne and Mark Taylor yielded a whopping 51 dismissals for them. Warne, with 708 Test wickets, remains Australia’s highest wicket-taker, while Taylor took 157 catches, the third-most from his country after Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh.

In fact, Taylor was considered as such an expert at opening the batting, fielding at slips as well leading Australia from the front that many believed him to be a great all-rounder by itself. Warne, himself at slip to the pacers towards the latter part of his career, found a great ally in Taylor, who would later captain the leg-spinner after the leadership role was passed on from Allan Border.

#2 Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid - 55 (1996 - 2008)

For twelve years, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid combined to give India 55 dismissals, an Indian record

The duo from Karnataka often went unnoticed when it came to their association in the field. Anil Kumble, India’s most successful bowler in Test cricket, and Rahul Dravid, the world record holder for most catches by a fielder in the format, are the second best bowler-fielder pairing to have graced the game in Tests.

Each time that Kumble found the thinnest of outside edges from the batsman, Dravid grabbed the opportunity to give India a wicket.

The story is told by 55 dismissal - an Indian record - itself: in total, Kumble got 619 wickets, and in 12 years after first having one caught by Dravid, finally ended the tale with his sudden retirement in 2008.

#1 Muttiah Muralitharan and Mahela Jayawardene - 77 (1997 - 2010)

An aggregate of 77 combined Test dismissals is a world record set by Muralitharan and Jayawardene

Sri Lanka’s spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, the world’s highest wicket-taker in Test match cricket, and another of his country’s stalwarts, Mahela Jayawardene, have achieved as a pair what no other duo is even close to – the record for most dismissals together. The magician Muralitharan bowled the off-spinner, the doosra, as well as the top spinner with equal efficiency and Jayawardene, obliged each time the ball came his way at first slip.

A record 77 dismissals together is a massive achievement considering Sri Lanka were never known to produce high-quality fielders. But in Jayawardene, they found 205 catches which were pouched – a figure second only to Rahul Dravid – while Muralitharan’s record 800 wickets still stand as the most in Test cricket.