Picture Credit: X
Much like the mainstream batters and bowlers in the game, fielding, without much of a doubt is a pertinent part of the game.
Over the years, we’ve seen amazing slip catchers redefine the role of fielding in the slips. Something done ably by the likes of Azharuddin, Mark Taylor and Mark Waugh and the likes.
That said, who are the best names in the current fold of the game? Let’s find out.
Top slip fielders in world cricket
Virat Kohli
A legendary cricketer who has dominated the game with pure class, it is a pitty that Virat Kohli won't be wearing the Test whites anymore for Team India, who are undoubtedly one of the game's hallmark and emphatic sides.
But an aspect that has further elevated Team India's position of prominence in world cricket is just how safe and steady its overall fielding has been and one man responsible for much of that is Kohli, undoubtedly.
Someone utterly unafraid to engage in acrobats and diving all day, if the team needs it, Kohli took 121 catches for India in Tests whilst he also has 161 one-day catches at this point in time.
Kane Williamson
The silence, the quiet grace and oodles of concentration from under those glares; Kane is quiet able where it comes to slip catching duties for his New Zealand team.
The soon-to-be 35-year-old has 209 international catches to his credit alredy and his safe pair of hands could further find more dismissals being added to the BlackCaps bowlers' tally.
Steve Smith
As great a batter as he's an excellent slip fielder, someone who dives all day and simply doesn't get tired, Steve Smith is quiet the enigma especially when placed in the Australian slip cauldron.
Over the years, his safe pair of hands have brought the likes of Mitchell Johnson much success, something that was later experienced and much-celebrated troika of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Thus far, Smith, the Test cricketer has already pouched an exact 200 catches, whilst having also taken 90 catches in ODI's.
Joe Root
An ace of a cricketer and quite frankly, an all-time batting legend not just for English cricket but in world cricket on the whole, Joe has often been the Root cause of troubles for England's opponents. But that isn't just as a batter, which he is of a remarkable skill, but even as a slip catcher.
Root is focused and all concentration when placed in the English slip cauldorn and thus far, from 153 Tests, he's grabbed 208 catches.
That is, quite frankly, a huge tally of catches under his belt.
Brandon King
Rising West Indian batter, Brandon King, someone who has a steady one day career but surprinsingly hasn't yet made his Test debut is a safe pair of hands in the slips. His catching off the spinners and even fast bowlers at any interval of the game is something to cherish where it comes to the Caribbean brand of cricket.
The tall Jamaican has already claimed 45 international catches for the Windies, with 19 in his growing one day career.
Ben Stokes
The current English captain happens to be one of the most daring and popular cricketers in world cricket at the moment. And truth be told, the famed all rounder will have a lot of eyes transfixed on him as he prepares to take on the India challenge in English conditions.
But besides Stokes' all round brilliance, one simply can't undermine the fact that he's also an excellent slip fielder besides being a fine catcher of his own bowling.
It'll be interesting to see how the New Zealand-born English all rounder conducts himself in the slip caludron when facing Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in what could be a great series. So far, Stokes has taken 113 catches in Test cricket, many of which have happened in the slips.
