Ranking 10 Best Slip Fielders in Modern Test Cricket

Test cricket is still considered to be the purest form of cricket and winning a Test match is a great honour. Winning a game on just pure, dumb luck is still a thing possible in white-ball cricket but winning one in red-ball cricket requires skill, hard work and patience. And, one of the most underrated yet necessary skills for winning a Test game in cricket is slip fielding. Any lethal bowling attack loses its edge if they are not well supported by the slip cordon and there have been numerous examples of the same where brilliant bowling was shunned down by poor slip fielding. In modern times, where the focus of players around the world has shifted to the money-making formats of the game, there have been a few who have still kept the flame of Test cricket alive. Here is a list of the top 10 modern-day best slip fielders: 10. Tim Southee Tim Southee. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Based on this list, all of the players who have fielded in slips successfully are either all-rounders or pure batters, although Tim Southee is a surprise. Southee is one of the few fast bowlers who fields in the slips, and he has spent the majority of his career doing so with good results. The captain of New Zealand, despite being a pacer, is helped by his innate athleticism and quick reflexes to collect the ball. In general, pacers are not known for their ability to field, but Southee is an uncommon cricket player in that regard. It is amazing that for a pacer, he has taken over 70 catches in Test matches. 9. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli (Photo Source: Twitter) In addition to becoming one of the all-time great batsmen in all forms, Virat Kohli has established a reputation as a brilliant fielder who can wreak havoc on the pitch. Kohli has been a successful slip fielder in all formats of the game, despite his all-around fielding ability. Though he occasionally drops some sitters, he has taken blinders in that role. This does detract from the reality that, with over 111 Test catches under his belt, he is among the most complete cricketers of all time. 8. Ben Stokes Ben Stokes and Jake Leach. (Photo Source: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images) Test cricket and Ben Stokes has been an old saga, one to remember. The England all-rounder is thought to be one of the most dynamic and adaptable players in modern cricket, capable of doing just about everything on the field. Ben Stokes fields in slips infrequently, but when he does, he always leaves an impression. Being tall, Stokes makes the most of his height when fielding. He makes slip fielding appear so simple thanks to his incredible agility and quick reflexes. Because of his height, he can catch more fish and has a longer range. 7. Dean Elgar Dean Elgar. (Photo Source: X(Twitter) Elgar is a name one does not expect much to be in this list as he slips under the radar most of the time. He has been highly successful as a slip fielder, possessing one of the safest pair of hands not just in South Africa but across the world as well. Now being retired from the longest format of the game, he played a total of 86 games in his career where he took away a total of 92 catches managing 0.582 catches per innings as a fielder. 6. Dhananjaya de Silva Dhananjaya de Silva. (Photo Source: X(Twitter) One of the most underappreciated slip catchers in cricket right now, Dhananjaya de Silva currently occupies that fielding position for Sri Lanka in all formats of the game. His record indicates that he is a highly safe fielder, and he frequently stands in the slips for the Lankans. Dhananjaya's amazing skill with the bat and ball is matched by his over 64 catches in Test matches. 5. Ajinkya Rahane Ajinkya Rahane Fielding. (Photo Source: Gettyimages) Especially in Test cricket, Ajinkya Rahane is regarded as one of the top fielders at the slip position. The former vice-captain of India, who has previously taken the team's captaincy on a few times, is extremely energetic at that cordon and seldom ever lets a catch go. Without doing many stunts, he has a reputation for pulling blinders out of thin air and making them look simple. One of the reasons Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin have been successful is because of his catching. Rahane broke the previous mark for most catches made by a non-wicket-keeper in a Test match at Galle in 2015, having walloped eight catches during the contest. 4. Ross Taylor Ross Taylor. (Photo by MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images) The term "underrated" is often associated with Ross Taylor. His fielding is equally ignored, just like his batting. He has rarely let a catch slip by, making him one of the best slip fielders in any of the game's formats. The veteran's contribution to New Zealand's standing as a strong fielding team has been significant. In the slip cordon, there aren't many fielders with a stronger record than Taylor. Additionally, he has an incredible overall record as a slip fielder. He is an excellent slip fielder with a success percentage of above 75%. 3. Faf du Plessis Faf du Plessis Fielding. (Photo Source: Gettyimages) Known for his athleticism, the former Proteas captain seldom has a terrible game when fielding, often managing to rescue some runs for his team. To put it succinctly, Faf du Plessis is an active player. Faf is a reliable hand at any position, but especially in the slip cordon when it comes to ground fielding. When bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, and Morne Morkel come roaring in, a slip catcher has to be alert, and Faf does just that with great ease. He is one of the greatest at his position, but Faf fields everywhere since he is the best fielder in South Africa. 2. Joe Root Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root Dropping Catch. (Photo Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images) Right now, Joe Root is among the greatest batters in the world. However, he is also a superb fielder, particularly while playing next to the wicketkeeper. Get a bowl of popcorn and watch him catch the edges while he's in his slips. It's entertaining to observe his deft hands, eagerness for the ball, and foot movements during the catch. He has taken advantage of almost 85% of the possibilities presented to him in the slip cordon since 2015. With 183 receptions under his belt, he now holds the top spot among all active players on the all-time list at number five. 1. Steven Smith Steve Smith catch off Joe Root. (Photo Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images) Steve Smith rarely lets slips get away with a tough opportunity, much less a dolly. As an outstanding close-range fielder, Smith ought to have one of the softest pairs of hands. Typically occupying the first or second slip position, Smith has the highest catch per innings score on the list (0.869), which is incredible. Being the first fielder who does not maintain wickets to have taken three catches in each of the first fourteen Test innings, Smith had grabbed 173 catches in slips as of January 12, 2024. In the history of Test matches, he and Root are the only two active players listed in the top 10.

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Ranking 10 Best Slip Fielders in Modern Test Cricket

Here is a list of the 10 best modern-day slip fielders.

8. Ben Stokes

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