Ranking the top 10 wicketkeeper-batsmen of all time

2. Mark Boucher (South Africa)

Mark Boucher

A serious eye injury on 9th July, 2012 put an end to a legendary career. Mark Boucher was perhaps the last of the classical wicketkeeper-batsmen of the past generation.

Widely considered as one of, if not, the greatest keepers of all time, Boucher held the record for most number of dismissals as keeper at the international level – 998! And if not for the serious eye injury which put an end to his career, he would have become the first gloveman to affect 1,000 dismissals in international matches.

Boucher effected 555 dismissals in Tests (the highest by anyone till date) and 444 in the shorter formats including 424 in ODIs (behind only Sangakkara and Adam Gilchrist) and 19 in T20Is. He averaged just below 30 across both formats, which may not be considered great, but his value to the team as a crisis batsman was unrivalled.

Boucher scored just one ODI hundred in his entire career, but that one sent shock waves across the ground – it came off just 44 balls, the second fastest ever in ODI history! He guided South Africa during the marathon 434-run chase against Australia in 2006, finishing the game off with a sweet boundary and bringing up one of the best and most nervy half-centuries ever.

1. Adam Gilchrist (Australia)

Adam Gilchrist

No guesses, no arguments for the sweet No. 1 spot; this one belongs to, the one, the only – Adam Gilchrist. With strike-rates of 81.98 in Tests, 96.94 in ODIs, and 141 in T20Is, Gilly is considered to be one of, if not, the most destructive batsmen of all time. He powered Australia to several wins across all formats with his breath-taking hitting with the bat and skilful mastery behind the wickets.

Gilchrist had to keep to one of the deadliest pace batteries ever – McGrath, Lee and Gillespie, apart from tackling the spin of the magician named Warne. He averaged 47.60 and 35.89 respectively in the Tests and ODIs and was Australia’s vice-captain across all formats, captaining the side in the absence of regular captains.

Gilchrist holds second place in the list of most ODI dismissals as a keeper with 417 catches and 55 stumpings. In Test cricket, just as in overall international cricket, he is one place behind Mark Boucher, with 379 catches and 37 stumpings to his name in the longer format.