In cricket, we tend to focus on who is batting or bowling or which players are fielding but forget who is wicketkeeping, the one player who is taking care behind the stumps. The world’s best wicketkeeper is someone who is an exceptional observer and attentive during the entire match.
A wicketkeeper must be aware, agile, and quick with his responses behind the stumps. It can be the difference between a win or a loss in any match. Therefore, every team needs a strong wicketkeeper in their playing 11.
List of Top 10 World’s Best Wicket Keepers in Cricket History
Below is the list of the top 10 best wicket keepers in world who have played significant roles behind stumps in matches and wins for their respective countries.
| No. | Players | Country | Matches | Dismissals | Catches | Stumpings |
| 1 | Mark Boucher | South Africa | 467 | 998 | 952 | 46 |
| 2 | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 396 | 905 | 813 | 92 |
| 3 | MS Dhoni | India | 538 | 829 | 634 | 195 |
| 4 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 594 | 678 | 539 | 139 |
| 5 | Ian Healy | Australia | 287 | 628 | 560 | 68 |
| 6 | Quinton de Kock | South Africa | 268 | 511 | 472 | 39 |
| 7 | Rob Marsh | Australia | 188 | 479 | 463 | 16 |
| 8 | Brad Haddin | Australia | 226 | 474 | 449 | 25 |
| 9 | Jeff Dujon | West Indies | 250 | 474 | 448 | 26 |
| 10 | Denesh Ramdin | West Indies | 284 | 468 | 429 | 39 |
Mark Boucher (Tests – 555 Dismissals, ODIs – 424 Dismissals, T20Is – 19 Dismissals)
South Africa’s Mark Boucher has played all three formats of cricket and is recognized as one of the best wicketkeeper-batsman of all time. Mark is the first wicketkeeper in the world to reach 400 dismissals in test cricket, and He holds the record for the most dismissals ever by a wicketkeeper (532 Catches and 23 stumpings) in Test. His prowess, ability as a batsman, and outstanding career behind the stumps make him the world No. 1 wicketkeeper to date.
Adam Gilchrist (Tests – 416 Dismissals, ODIs – 472 Dismissals, T20Is – 17 Dismissals)
Adam Gilchrist has undoubtedly been regarded as one of the greatest batsman and the world best wicketkeeper. Gilchrist has made the Australia cricket team proud for his dismissals – 379 catches & 37 Stumpings in Test, 417 catches & 55 Stumpings in ODI, and 17 catches in T20I. He is one of the three players to ever hit 100 sixes in test cricket. He was awarded Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2002, the Allan Border medal in 2003, and World’s Scariest Batsman in 2004.
MS Dhoni (Tests – 294 Dismissals, ODIs – 444 Dismissals, T20Is – 91 Dismissals)
MS Dhoni is hands down the no. 1 wicketkeeper in the world. He is among the most successful, respected, and recognized captains of the Indian Cricket Team. He is not only known for his batting abilities but also known as a brilliant wicketkeeper across the world. Under his leadership, the Indian cricket team has won 2 World Cups, 2 Asia Cups, and 1 Champions Trophy. Dhoni holds the world record for most stumpings (123) in ODI.
Kumar Sangakkara (Tests – 151 Dismissals, ODIs – 482 Dismissals, T20Is – 45 Dismissals)
Sangakkara is among the best wicketkeepers the Sri Lanka cricket team could have. Talking about his wicketkeeping, he has 182 catches & 20 stumpings in Test and 402 catches & 99 stumpings in ODI, doing justice to his abilities behind the stumps. Sangakkara is the 2nd highest scorer in ODI history and holds the most dismissals in ODI by a wicketkeeper. He led Sri Lanka to several World Cup finals making him an exceptional captain.
Ian Healy (Tests – 395 Dismissals, ODIs – 233 Dismissals)
In the era of cricket he played, Australian Ian Healy’s main objective was keeping wickets. Even while facing quick bowlers and spinners, he was a master behind the stumps. He was recognized as one of the best wicketkeepers by Shane Warne and is still loved and appreciated by his fans. Overall, he has 628 dismissals in international cricket – 366 catches & 29 stumpings in Test and 194 catches & 39 stumpings in ODI.
