Top 5 wicketkeeper-batsmen of all-time

Evolution is necessary for any form of sport to remain relevant and since its inception, the game of cricket has evolved a lot in order to remain engaging to the audience. Timeless Tests evolved into 5-day Tests and uncovered pitches were replaced with 22 yards protected central strip. As the game changed, new shots were invented and bowlers began developing a wider range of skills. In the midst of all this, the one thing that has remained the same without any major change is the art of wicketkeeping.

Up until the 90s, players got into the team purely on the basis of their keeping alone but the arrival of a golden set of wicketkeeper-batsmen during the late 90s and early 2000s changed the trend. In T20s, wicketkeeping has become an additional skill rather than a necessity as teams prefer a destructive batsman to a pure wicketkeeper.

Very few players in the history of cricket have balanced their batting and keeping in an effective manner and this article features 5 such players who made a huge impact on this game.

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#5 Brendon Mccullum

The first thing that comes to a cricket fan’s mind on hearing the name McCullum is that fearless sprint to the middle of the pitch to a fast bowler. That sprint epitomizes McCullum’s whole career. Bold, fearless and unstoppable when on the song.

He was a show stopper and one of the most crowd-pleasing cricketers of the 21st century. As a wicketkeeper, he compensated for his lack of height with great acrobatic skills which resulted in some insane diving catches. Once he gave up wicketkeeping, He turned out to be a great fielder too. Even at 36, there are very few who chase the ball in the field like McCullum does.

His fearless captaincy revolutionized cricket in New Zealand and was praised even by his opposition. As a batsman, he played many memorable knocks. If you are a fan of India, you are never going to forget his match-saving a triple hundred and anyone who witnessed his 158* in the IPL opener will cherish that memory for a long time.

Eight years after that IPL century, he scored the fastest century in Test cricket history as he demolished the Aussie bowlers in his own inimitable style and left a lasting legacy on this game.

#4 Mark Boucher

There are many wicketkeepers in the world who are more skilled than Boucher but when it comes to longevity and the hunger to succeed, Mark is a class apart. He was not a gifted batsman like Sangakkara or a natural gloveman like Healy but he contributed whenever his team needed him the most and that quality sets him apart from others.

He was the ultimate team man and was capable of playing any kind of role. Particularly in test matches, he was capable of grinding out a tough spell or counter-attack when needed. His hard work resulted in a record 556 dismissals in Tests which are going to be unbreakable for a long time to come. He finished with 998 dismissals will remain the most reliable wicketkeeper to set foot on a cricketing turf.

#3 MS Dhoni

Probably the most popular wicketkeeper of all-time, MSD has his own style let it be batting, wicket keeping or captaincy. One of the greatest batsmen in the history of ODI, MSD is the most successful captain in Indian cricket history. Under his captaincy, India has won all three ICC major trophies and numerous other trophies.

As a batsman, he is capable of batting at any position in the middle order and his achievements as a finisher are only matched by Bevan. His match-winning six in the 2011 world cup is the most favourite cricketing memory of many Indians. As a captain, He was very unorthodox with his field set and his street-smart cricketing brain and his reading of the situation is unmatched.

His lightning fast reflexes are the stuff of legend and his no-look flick to run out batsmen is one among many things that only MSD can do.

#2 Kumar Sangakkara

No cricketer has dominated the cricketing world in their twilight years like Sangakkara did in his last few years. His appetite for runs just kept growing as his career progressed and resulted in an incredible four centuries in the 2015 world cup at the age of 37.

Even though he averages 41.80 in ODI, His ODI record pales in comparison with his outstanding achievements in Test cricket. He struggled a lot in overseas conditions during the initial phase of his career but when he retired, he cemented his place among the legends of the game.

He was also a very reliable wicketkeeper. His captaincy almost inspired Sri Lanka to another world cup and the way he managed his workload by balancing glovework and batting for the majority of his career is simply outstanding. The sight of him leaning into that gorgeous cover drive will remain etched forever in the memory of cricket fans.

#1 Adam Gilchrist

Has there ever been a more entertaining cricketer than Gilchrist? There are very few in the history of this game that can take on any attack on any pitch and rip them apart to shreds like Gilchrist did until he hung up his boots. He was an integral part of the invincible Aussies of the early 2000s. The Aussies followed a pattern in their victories. Hayden will wound the opposition, Ponting will rub salt on that wound and Gilchrist will put the nail on the coffin.

The ODI opening pair of Gilchrist and Hayden was a bowler’s worst nightmare and no bowling attack in the world could resist that attack. That Aussie Test team was unbeatable because as a bowler even if you run through that legendary top order, Gilchrist will walk in and attack so mercilessly that all hope will be lost in a session or two. His best knock came in the 2007 rain-hit WC final against SL when he smothered the Lankan bowling attack with an imperious century and that knock is regarded by many as one the best WC innings ever.

As a keeper, he was a tad inconsistent but will make up for his errors while batting. His gentleman attitude earned him admiration from all quarters. Simply put, Gilchrist gave a new definition to the term “ wicketkeeper-batsman” and inspired a whole generation of keepers and batsmen alike with his aggressive, uncomplicated batting.