Top 10 best slip fielders at the moment

As mentioned several times by various cricket experts and analysts, fielding is one of the most underrated and underappreciated parts of cricket. “Catches Win Matches” is a phrase used by one and all. Thus, it is safe to say that every team needs good fielders who could field at the toughest of the toughest positions on the cricket field. However, fielding in the slips is arguably one of the toughest jobs. Slip fielders always have to be at their best as the pace at which the ball comes is really quick. Captains generally have a slip cordon which includes their best slip fielders. Over the years, we have seen a lot of world-class slip fielders such as Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, and Mark Waugh. However, what about this generation? Who are the best slip fielders of this generation? In the article, we shall be taking a look at the Top 10 best slip fielders at the moment: 10. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Is any cricketing list even complete without Virat Kohli? We think not. The Indian captain is good in whatever he does. The batting maestro is a sensational fielder as well. Although he is good in almost any position he fields, the slips are one of his most preferred fielding position. Since 2015, his catch success percentage as a slip fielder is around 75%. His career catch success percentage as a slip fielder is around 60%. However, the one criticism Kohli has faced as a slip fielder is his tendency to drop a few sitters occasionally. This has stopped him from being placed higher on this list. Nevertheless, India’s superstar is still one of the best slip fielders. 9. Angelo Mathews Angelo Mathews Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Angelo Mathews is one of the most underrated cricketers of our era. Be it with the bat or ball, he always contributes to his team irrespective of the situation. However, if there’s one quality of Mathews which goes unnoticed then it has to be his fielding skills. Mathews is a gun slip fielder and seldom misfields in that position. Since 2015, he has a catch success percentage of close to 87% as a slip fielder in Tests. Overall, his catch success percentage is around 74% in all formats of the game. An important point to be noted is that Mathews is injury-prone. Despite that, he has been a superb slip fielder and that deserves applause. His credentials as a slip fielder further enhance his image as a world-class player. 8. Dhananjaya de Silva Dhananjay de Silva Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) As mentioned earlier, being a slip fielder in Indian conditions isn’t easy due to the amount of spin. Similarly, the conditions in Sri Lanka are spin-friendly and thus, it is really hard for the slip fielders in Sri Lanka to do well. Despite this, Dhananjaya de Silva’s fielding skills in the slips have been superb, to say the least. Despite the ball turning square in mostly all the pitches in Sri Lanka, de Silva has still managed to pick stunners while fielding in the slips. He has a catch success percentage of more than 90% since 2015. It gets shocking when you realize that he manages this alongside his batting and bowling. You know how good Dhananjaya has been as a slip fielder when his stats as a slip fielder are better than the likes of Virat Kohli. Since 2015, there haven’t been too many slip fielders having a better catch success percentage than him. Thus, he remains one of the best slip fielders currently. 7. Jermaine Blackwood Jermaine Blackwood Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Players from the Caribbean are generally very athletic in nature and thus, are superb on the field. Thus, having a West Indies cricketer on this list was an absolute no brainier. Blackwood has been sensational at the slip cordon and seldom drops a catch. While one might be shocked to see his name on this list, those who have watched him field would be shocked as to how he isn’t higher on this list. The right-handed batsman has a catch success percentage close to 88% as a slip fielder. His slip catching has helped the seamers more often than not. Blackwood is one of those few slip fielders who has managed to maintain his catch success over the years. While most of the other Caribbean fielders are at their best in the boundary ropes, Blackwood is best in the slip cordon. Thus, he makes this list. 6. Ben Stokes Ben Stokes Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Is there anything Ben Stokes cannot do? Batting, bowling, and even slip fielding! He has been revolutionary as a slip fielder and has taken a lot of stunning catches at that position. In a team consisting of a lot of good fielders, Stokes has been one of the best. Although the English all-rounder has dropped 31% of catches that came his way in his career as a slip fielder, He is still one of the most trusted slip fielders from England. The vice-captain of England has taken 76 % of the slip catches that have come to him since 2015. He has improved himself as a slip fielder of late. Stokes is athletic as a fielder and hence is occasionally preferred in other positions. However, considering England’s slip-catching woes, it won’t be surprising to see him in the slips again. Besides, Stokes has a good habit of doing things right more often than not. 5. David Warner David Warner. (Photo Source: Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) Australia's David Warner is known for his supreme ability with the willow in hand and once he gets going the opposition skipper is seen making field adjustments every now and then. Having proven his worth as an opener across formats, Warner has come a long way since his debut for Australia and won numerous games at times single-handedly. The southpaw has earned plenty of acclaim and accolades for his batting might but what often goes unnoticed is that how acrobatic he is in the slip cordon and rarely puts down chances that come his way. Warner has unbelievably amazing reflexes and that makes him a safe house while plucking screamers and dollies alike in the slip cordon alongside compatriot Steven Smith. Warner not only fields in the cordon when pacers operate but also stands at first slip when a spinner like Nathan Lyon comes to snare a scalp. 4. Joe Root Joe Root Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) If we were to make a list of the Fab 4 slip fielders, Joe Root would make it into that list as well. The English batting genius has been a superb slip fielder. He hardly drops any catches. It would be safe to say that Root is one of the most underrated slip fielders as his catching skills aren’t spoken much as compared to the likes of Faf, Smith, and Rahane. He silently does his job and ensures that he doesn’t make any errors while fielding in the slips. Bowlers would generally hope to have a slip fielder as good as Root. Since 2015, he has a catch success percentage of 82 in the slip region. Overall, the English batting great has a success rate of 75 as a slip fielder. Thus, like a true captain, he leads by example. 3. Ajinkya Rahane Ajinkya Rahane Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Many cricket pundits have termed Ajinkya Rahane as the modern-day Rahul Dravid when it comes to slip fielding. India’s vice-captain in the longest format of the game has been one of the best slip fielders for quite a while now. His catching abilities are one of the major reasons why Ravi Ashwin has picked up so many wickets. Slip fielding in India is harder as the ball tends to spin a lot more than it spins in other parts of the world. Thus, Rahane is more than just a very good slip fielder. He has a catch success percentage of around 75. In 2015, he become the fielder to hold the record of most catches in a Test match. Before Rahane, the record-most catches were recorded by Greg Chappell. He took eight catches while fielding at first slip. 2) Steve Smith Steve Smith Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Steve Smith is not only one of the best batsmen of our era but is also one of the best fielders. You wouldn’t find too many fielders better than him currently. However, he is at his best when he is fielding in the slips. Over the years, we have seen the former Aussie captain take some absolute blinders in the slips. Be it in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2017 or the Ashes 2019, no series is complete without a Steve Smith stunner in the slip cordon. The legendary Aussie has a catch success percentage of 84 since 2020. Overall, his catch success percentage in the slip region is 80 Thus, calling him one of the greatest slip fielders of all time wouldn’t be an overstatement. 1. Faf du Plessis Faf du Plessis Fielding. (Photo Source : Gettyimages) Faf du Plessis is unarguably the best slip fielder of our era. It would be safe to say that he has one of the safest pairs of hands. It’s an absolute tragedy that he doesn’t always field at the slips. He is such a good fielder that many skippers place him near the boundary line as he has a knack for taking absolute stunners. However, he’s at his best when he is a slip fielder. The former Proteas skipper has a catch success percentage of 96 since 2015. Can you beat that! That catch success percentage is unreal, to say the least. His superb reflexes make him such a trustworthy slip fielder. With the Proteas rockstar approaching the fag end of his career, one would hope to see him in the slips more often.

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Top 10 best slip fielders at the moment

Over the years, we have seen a lot of world-class slip fielders such as Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, and Mark Waugh.

9. Angelo Mathews

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