Ricky Ponting picks his 5 best fielders of IPL 10

The 10th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) saw the emergence of many new players who took the tournament by storm with their all-round show. While David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the likely winners of orange cap and purple cap awards, there has been several great fielding efforts throughout the tournament which have turned the game on its head. While Ravindra Jadeja’s heroics in the field against Mumbai took the match to the super over, it was the one-handed screamer from Martin Guptill which kept Kings XI Punjab in the tournament.

Former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting after picking his best batsman and best bowler of the tournament picked his top 5 fielders of the tournament who played a pivotal role in his team’s cause. During an exclusive interview with cricket.com.au. Ponting took the name of 5 fielders whom he thinks outclassed the other fielders in the tournament. The names included Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Kieron Pollard.

Hardik is bit different from the rest

Ponting conceded that Hardik was a bit different from the younger lot and the Indian future is in good hands. “You don’t normally associate young Indians as being gun fielders, but he’s a little bit different. He’s a good athlete, he’s quick, he’s got good hands, he’s got a good throwing arm and he can field infield and outfield. He’s the standout young Indian fielder as far as I’m concerned”

Warner was disappointed after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Speaking on Warner Punter said, “He might be a bit disappointed he’s that low in the pecking order, but he’s just a solid all-round fieldsman. He’s got great hands, quick across the ground, a great throwing arm. He hits the stumps when he needs to and he can field in any position. Flexibility is what you’re after in a team.”

Jadeja was the best outfielder in the tourney

Jadeja was arguably the best outfielder in the tournament and his twin run outs against the Mumbai Indians was a genius at work. He is also got the strongest arm in the world. “He ticks most the boxes as well but is probably more known for his out fielding than he is for his in fielding. A left-arm thrower, he’s probably got the strongest throwing arm I can ever remember seeing through all of my time playing. It’s a bullet arm. I remember him (running) me out in a one-day game early on in his career and I was out by three or four yards taking him on from the boundary. I learnt my lesson pretty quick,” the former Aussie captain said.

Maxwell moves laterally very well

The Kings XI Punjab captain Glenn Maxwell also had a good season in the field despite his team failing to qualify for the playoffs. “A pretty complete package. Very good in the in-field moves laterally very well, good left-hand and right-hand, hits the stumps a lot in the inner circle. (He’s got) a powerful throwing arm from the deep and safe hands” quipped Ponting.

I’ve seen Pollard pull off some amazing things in the field: Ponting

Last but not the least he included Kieron Pollard who has been a livewire in the field for the Mumbai Indians ever since he is with the franchise. “I’ve seen him pull off some amazing things. He tends to field long on and long off for the last 10 or eight overs of an innings. He’s a six-foot-five, six-foot-six athlete. The amount of times I’ve seen him jump on the boundary and pull in a one-hander… is pretty amazing. Some of his diving saves along the fence are quite spectacular,” Ponting concluded.