IPL : Who is the best fielder in the Indian Premier League?

As the adage goes - catches win matches, and it has become even more crucial in the modern era of cricket. In tournaments like IPL, which have numerous close games, it is often the sides with a better fielding display that comes on top. Let us look at the top 5 IPL in terms of fielding prowess.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore are arguably the best fielding side in this year's tournament. They have fielders that can fly. The departure of AB De Villiers is undoubtedly a dent as he was a phenomenal fielder, but this void is filled by Faf de Plessis, a real match-winner fielder at the long-off position. In the game against KKR, he took two stunning catches above his head at the ropes, including one of Shreyas, which turned the game upside down.

Virat is also a great fielder and is very energetic on the field. In a match against DD, he leaped fully and took a beauty with just one hand to send back Pant at a crucial juncture in the game. They also have the athletic services of Glenn Maxwell, who made a tremendous direct hit to send Tilak Varma of MI back to the pavilion.

Gujarat Titans

This is their debut season in the IPL. On paper, they look to be a very balanced side and have performed decently with both bat and ball, but their fielding this season was phenomenal. Shubman Gill's catch that he took while running back and then diving is considered the catch of the tournament. Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya has always been a live wire on the field and has a safe pair of hands. In the match against RR, he ran out Sanju Samson with a deadly throw that broke the stump.

They also have David Miller, a great fielder in the deep who took a stunning catch while leaping in the air to his left to dismiss R. Ashwin, and the star leg spinner Rashid Khan, who is very quick.

Lucknow SuperGiants

Lucknow SuperGiants are also debuting this season, and after their 1st loss to GT, they are playing well, and we will see them in the knockouts. This is a relatively young side which means a lot of energy on the field. They have one of the best keepers in the world, Quinten de Cock. The skipper KL Rahul is a great fielder, whether inside the circle or deep. 

The best of their lot is Manish Pandey; he has excellent speed and a good throwing arm. He took a scintillating catch off Ravindra Jadeja against CSK and saved crucial runs in the death overs. Another important fielder in their unit is the tall Australian, Marcus Stoinis, who is excellent at the ropes.

Kolkata Knight Riders 

There are a few reasons that Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL trophy multiple times, but one of them is their top-class fielding. In this year's IPL, they fielded one of the fittest teams. The best of their lot is Andre Russell, the star performer for the team in all three departments. Their new skipper, Shreyas Iyer, is relatively young and energetic on the field with a safe pair of hands. They also have one of the best slip fielders in the form of experienced Ajikya Rahane. Other great fielders of their side include Nitish Rana and Venkatesh Iyer.

Chennai Super Kings

Sometimes called the 'dad army' because of the advanced age of many of their players, Chennai Super Kings has proved that age is just a number. They have the best wicketkeeper in the world, MSD, and also arguably the best fielder in the world in the form of 'sir' Ravindra Jadeja. They also have the Caribbean star D J Bravo who is excellent down the ground. Like Rituraj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube, they have some young guns.