The role of wicketkeepers in cricket has undergone plenty of evolution in the past few decades. For many years, the ability of the player behind the stumps was the defining requisite for the wicketkeepers fielded by every team.
Skills with the wicketkeeping gloves alone, however, are no longer the main benchmark for this role. The exploits of players such as Adam Gilchrist, in particular, has completely changed the outlook of modern-day wicketkeepers.
Wicketkeeper who can also bat well have now become the norm, especially in limited-overs cricket where every single run counts. In the current era, almost every top international side is filled with wicketkeepers who are more than handy with the bat.
Here, we look at the top-eight wicketkeeper batsmen in ODI cricket by separating them into four different tiers.
TIER 4
Kusal Perera – Sri Lanka
While Niroshan Dickwella was persisted in the role for some time, Sri Lanka’s ODI wicketkeeping gloves seem to have settled with Kusal Perera for now.
The left-hander made headlines last year in the Test whites, when he pulled off an all-time great innings of 153 to lead Sri Lanka to the unlikeliest of victories against South Africa in Durban.
He is no mug in the shorter formats either, more suited to his strengths of playing aggressive cricket. An attacking batsman, Perera has registered five tons and 14 half-centuries in 96 ODI innings.
With a batting style similar to that of former Sri Lanka stalwart Sanath Jayasuriya, Perera can muscle bowling attacks off the park when on song. What he lacks is consistency, although an ODI average of 31.04 isn’t too shabby for a wicketkeeper batsman.
His wicketkeeping skills aren’t really elite, but Sri Lanka won’t mind as long as he can do a job with the bat.
Alex Carey – Australia
Having made his ODI debut for Australia in 2018, Alex Carey is still a relatively new entrant to international cricket.
While his form in 2020 hasn’t been the best with an average of just 13.33, the left-hander has shown enough quality in the past two years to prove his credentials for Australia.
He was a key player for Australia last year and registered four half-centuries in their 2019 World Cup campaign in England.
A bustling batsman who comes down the order, Carey is adept at giving Australia the finishing touch in death overs. He is a man for all occasions, and has already bailed the Aussies out of several tricky situations in the past.
He is decent with the wicketkeeping gloves in hand as well, and is a dependable option behind the stumps. He might still be finding his feet in international cricket with just 36 ODI appearances so far, but has the full backing of Justin Langer and the team management to be Australia’s long-term wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket.
TIER 3
Tom Latham – New Zealand
Tom Latham is widely regarded as one of the finest Test openers in the business, and the left-hander has decent credentials in the limited-overs format. While he does not keep wickets in the Test format, Latham’s batting abilities mean he is the first-choice wicketkeeper in the shorter formats.
The 28-year-old is just one match shy of bringing up a 100 ODI appearances for New Zealand, and has done well to bring up four tons and 16 half-centuries.
An excellent player of spin due to his powerful sweep shots, Latham will be disappointed with his batting returns since the turn of 2018. He hasn’t managed to register a single ton during this period, although he does have seven fifties to show for his hard work.
Still, an overall ODI average of 32.88 are decent numbers for the southpaw who has batted in every position from No1 to 9 in limited-overs cricket.
KL Rahul – India
On pure batting ability, KL Rahul would probably feature near the top of the pile. However, the India star has only recently taken over the wicketkeeping duties and needs more time to make an impression in the role.
Despite his undeniable talents, Rahul had struggled to hold down a spot in India’s limited-overs outfits. His ability to keep wickets has proved to be a blessing in disguise recently, with Rishabh Pant’s inconsistent form paving the way for the right-hander to establish himself in the playing XI.
Rahul has grabbed his chance with both hands, and has been in sparkling form with the bat over the past few months. Three centuries and five fifties in his last 19 ODI appearances has seen Rahul’s abilities come to the fore and the right-hander now looks set to become a mainstay for India going forward.
His recent showings on the tour of New Zealand showed that the 27-year-old isn’t too shabby with the wicketkeeping gloves either. Expect him to move up the charts with some more games under his belt.
TIER 2
Mushfiqur Rahim – Bangladesh
As one of only two batsmen to breach the 6,000-run mark in ODIs, Mushiqur Rahim has always been a reliable performer for the Tigers.
With 218 ODI appearances under his belt, the 32-year-old has helped himself to seven centuries and 38 fifties. What has been the most impressive trait about Rahim is his willingness to constantly improve.
Until 2014, he was very much a wicketkeeper who could chip in with runs on the odd occasion. In the last six years, he has averaged over 50 with the bat with six of his seven ODI tons coming during this period.
It has been some transformation from the right-hander in the latter half of his career and Bangladesh will hope that he can keep chugging along in the same vein in the years to come.
Shai Hope – West Indies
Since the turn of 2018, no batsmen apart from India’s Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have scored more ODI runs than Shai Hope.
The Windies opening batsman has accumulated 2,502 runs during this period at a staggering average of over 61. In the same stretch, the right-hander has helped himself to eight tons and 13 fifties in just 50 innings.
With a penchant of scoring runs by the bucketload in Asia, Hope has been a rare bright spark for a Windies outfit which have struggled for results. A composed batsman with a solid technique, Hope loves playing anchor and with his sedate style providing the perfect complement to big-hitters in the Caribbean side.
He is particularly strong against spin and his stellar track-record in the subcontinent is a testament to his skills against the slower bowlers. Hope’s wicketkeeping skills are decent as well, and his age of just 26 means that Windies have world-beater on their hands for several more years to come.
TIER 1
Jos Buttler – England
Despite England’s immense batting riches, Jos Buttler continues to stand out with the sheer consistency of his performances.
In his last 34 ODI innings, the right-hander has amassed 1,338 runs at an average of almost 50 and a strike-rate of over 123. In the same period, he has also five tons and four half-centuries.
Those are stupendous numbers for someone who generally walks in to bat at No5 or 6 for England. His 59 in the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand gets overshadowed by Ben Stokes’ brilliance, but it was equally critical in keeping England in the game after an early wobble.
A stylish batsman with a range of orthodox and unorthodox strokes in his book, Buttler’s ability to score quickly has been a feature of his batting.
That he is also able to keep wickets adds to England’s staggering batting depth and he is athletic enough to do a decent job behind the stumps.
Quinton de Kock – South Africa
While South Africa’s results have dipped over the last couple of years due to a string of high-profile retirements, Quinton de Kock remains a shining light for the Proteas outfit.
Still only 27, the southpaw has already amassed 15 ODI tons and 25 half-centuries in just 121 innings. A destructive batsman who loves to take the game to the opposition, de Kock is on his way to become a South Africa all-time great with 5,135 ODI runs under his belt.
Unlike most players in this list, the South African is a completely natural wicketkeeper who has donned the gloves since breaking into the team in 2013. He is the lynchpin of the Proteas outfit, with the team doing well when he performs with the bat.
It is no surprise that he has been handed the responsibilities of captaincy as well in the limited-overs formats. Given his ability to lead from the front, de Kock should prove to be an able successor to Faf du Plessis.
