IPL 2022: Ranking top 10 fielders of this season

With the virtue of talent coming in across geographical boundaries, it is no wonder that the Indian Premier League (IPL) adjudges a number of stunners every year. Cricketers put up a great show of athleticism to pull a catch out of thin air. The way the 15th edition of IPL has progressed so far shows that we are set to witness a lot more stunning catches. From catching big fishes short of their crease to pulling a blimey at the boundary ropes, the fielding factor has helped teams get that upper hand irrespective of the behaviour of the pitch. Cricket is a game of small margins and especially in the shortest format, a single run saved also has a major impact on the final scorecard. Players who are yet to show their full potential as batters or bowlers are taking wickets by being the X-factor in the field. In this team game, contributions can come in any form – be it a run-out or a catch at the slips or a boundary saved. On that note, let’s see the top 10 fielders of IPL 2022 who did not fail to engross the audience on their TV screens. Ranking top 10 fielders of IPL 2022 10. Manish Pandey (LSG) Manish Pandey. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar VIP) Pandey has not been performing up to the mark since the past few editions of IPL. His performance as a batter has surely gone down, but as a fielder, he remains one of the best in the business. Playing for Lucknow Super Giants this season, Pandey has not been among the runs but has made some brilliant saves on the field. He is known to be a livewire both inside the 30-yard circle or in the boundary. In the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pandey kept his eyes on the high rise ball that Abhishek Sharma had hit straight up between mid-wicket and mid-on. It was an easy catch for the repute of Manish Pandey. The veteran cricketer also plucked onto a scintillating catch of Ravindra Jadeja against Chennai Super Kings and saved his side a couple of extra runs in the death overs. While it is important that Pandey needs to hit the strides with the bat, but there is no denying his abilities on the field. 9. Suryakumar Yadav (MI) Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Besides his consistency with the bat, the Mumbai Indians (MI) cricketer is a very handy fielder. He puts in his 100 percent efforts to save a boundary or a single every time the ball came his way. Even for the national side, Suryakumar Yadav fields at crucial positions and captains trust in his fielding abilities. In the four matches he has played in IPL 2022, he has grabbed two catches, including a catch to dismiss Punjab Kings captain Mayank Agarwal. Mayank had hit the ball high up in the air and Yadav caught it near mid-off. The 31-year-old also plucked a good catch to dismiss Faf du Plessis. His athleticism can also be seen in the previous editions with respect to his flexibility near the boundary as well as in the inner circle. The 31-year-old from Mumbai has been representing Mumbai Indians for five years now and the franchise has continued to trust the player. 8. Glenn Maxwell (RCB) Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Maxwell joined Royal Challengers Bangalore late this season and has played only three matches so far. He has already shown that he is in form with the bat and is ready to mask up the absence of AB de Villiers. Besides, Maxwell is also well known for plucking onto blinders on a consistent basis. Even in this edition of IPL, Maxwell has proved his fielding skills. The Aussie all-rounder produced a stunning direct hit to run out Mumbai Indians’ Tilak Varma. He also unleashed a couple of brilliant saves, both in the cover region and in the boundary already this season. Maxwell’s reputation as a big hitter has often made bowlers go under pressure. His bowling has also made a great impact on the result at times. But, his performance in the field has always been noteworthy throughout the season. 7. David Miller (GT) David Miller. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) David Miller is popularly known as ‘Killer Miller’ for his breathtaking knocks with the bat. When on song, the southpaw can destroy any bowling attack and it was on show during Gujarat Titans’ last fixture against Delhi Capitals. Although Miller’s performance as a batter might have taken a dip over the last couple of years, his fielding has been unmatched throughout. IPL 2022 has been no different for the veteran South African cricketer. He sprinted a couple of yards to pick up the ball and unleashed a bullet throw to catch Shivam Dube short of his crease. It eventually made the difference as the game boiled down to the last over before Gujarat pocketed the tie. The Proteas veteran also produced a stunning effort when he jumped to his left to grab a catch and end Ravichandran Ashwin‘s in the middle, who was sent in at No. 3 to maximize the powerplay. All eyes will be on David Miller, who will bring out many efforts as the tournament progresses. 6. Kane Williamson (SRH) Kane Williamson. (Photo Source: Disney + Hotstar) Williamson is well known for his calm and composed nature on the field. His captaincy has often been overshadowed by his world-class batting. The New Zealand skipper is also a gun fielder and has often produced stunners on the field. This season has been no different for the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain. Kane already has a total of five catches in his name in six matches he has played in IPL 2022. Williamson produced a stunning effort at short cover to dismiss Quinton de Kock in the game against Lucknow Super Giants. The 31-year-old cricketer displayed his acrobatic skills effectively with forward movements to dismiss Liam Livingstone, who was unleashing carnage with a 30-ball 60. It helped Hyderabad pull the brakes on the flow of runs and eventually win the match by seven wickets. 5. David Warner (DC) David Warner. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Another veteran of the game, this mini-dynamite from Australia has been famous long enough for his consistency in hitting big at the start of the game. However, there has been a drought of runs in the last season. Even though, his presence in the field still remains noticeable through his fielding efforts. Warner has an amazing body balance, so you often find him standing at the ropes. He has played only three matches this season where he has saved many boundaries. He converted a six into two runs as he threw the ball inside and recollected it in fractions of seconds against KKR. The 35-year-old Warner has plucked some masterpieces over time for his national team and in IPL. He is also one of the most feared fielders in the Indian Premier League. 4. Faf du Plessis (RCB) Faf du Plessis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Royal Challengers Bangalore’s captain Faf du Plessis has converted easy sixes into simple catch-outs on numerous occasions almost in all editions of IPL he has been part of. The veteran South African has never disappointed his side and has taken the role of guarding the rope. His age-defining efforts while fielding inspires many young cricketers to work on their fielding skills as well. His two catches against KKR made a considerable impact on the result. He grabbed a catch just above his head height on the boundary to dismiss Shreyas Iyer, who tried to launch one of Wanindu Hasaranga’s delivery over the fielder’s head. Faf du Plessis’ outstanding efforts on the field have inspired his teammates to put the best foot forward on the ground and give their 100 per cent to every ball. The Bangalore franchise will look to perform like a well-oil machine to win their maiden IPL title. 3. Hardik Pandya (GT) Hardik Pandya. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Hardik Pandya has been a great all-round asset for any team he has played for. But IPL 2022 has been extremely special for him, playing for Gujarat Titans (GT). The ace all-rounder has thrived on the leadership responsibilities and has emerged as a better batsman than in previous editions. But his fielding efforts never had a dip. The zest to contribute to the team result is even more powerful this season for this maestro. Nicknamed as Kung-fu-Pandya, he ran out his rival captain Sanju Samson in the match against Rajasthan Royals. His rocket throw broke the middle stump of the bowling end halting the play for a while. With two catches in five games, he has placed himself at back. The new skipper seems to be in fine tune with the bat and has scored 228 runs in the five matches he played. The right arm allrounder averages 76 this season with a strike rate of over 136. 2. Virat Kohli (RCB) Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar) Virat Kohli, known for bringing the fitness revolution to the Indian cricket team has repeatedly justified his tag with his passion and aggression while fielding. Kohli’s fitness has never gone unnoticed as he has managed to mark his presence in the game with one or the other role. While being one of the finest batters of all time, his endurance while preventing the opposition to have those extra runs stays unmatched. Placed at the most important position in the field, Virat has managed to pull four catches in IPL 2022. A special mention to his one-hand stunner against Delhi Capitals this season. Rishabh Pant was batting at 34 as Delhi needed 48 to win off 22 deliveries and was looking for a comfortable win. Kohli leaped fully with one hand and plucked a screamer to send Pant back. A great value to the team, Kohli has always expected the same passion from his teammates. Some brilliant efforts at stopping boundaries have made his team win with certain runs to spare even this season. 1. Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Ravindra Jadeja, one of the best fielders in the game of cricket has continued years over years to show his worth in the field. With the safest hands in IPL, he has pulled some unbelievable catches throughout the tournament. Not to forget, batters even fear his rocket throws and resist taking singles against him. The newly-appointed CSK captain has caught a total of five catches in the six matches he had played this season, including that ice-cool catch at the ropes against RCB to dismiss the dangerman Dinesh Karthik. With 46 runs left to win on 17 balls, Karthik hit Bravo long hoping for a six but found Jadeja’s well-judged hands a few inches short of the boundary. Adding onto his all-rounder skills of batting and bowling, Jadeja’s precision in going all out to stop a boundary has always given his team an edge on the field. The 33-year-old royal from Gujarat has set fielding standards really high in the IPL. His efficiency in balancing his body while holding on to the ball has surprised cricket fans again and again. Written by Nishtha Gupta

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IPL 2022: Ranking top 10 fielders of this season

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