Faf du Plessis and Jonty Rhodes pick the greatest fielding XI
When you put Jonty Rhodes and Faf du Plessis in a room and hand them a blank pitch map with 11 fielding poisitions and ask them to assemble the greatest fielding XI in cricket history, you know you are in for a masterclass.
The premise was simple but the stakes were high: The Rotterdam franchise co-owners had to set a Powerplay field for two right-handed batters at the crease.
They managed to assemble arguably the most agile, sharp-shooting and gravity-defying cricketers to ever step onto the grass.
Wicketkeeper and First slip:
The foundation of any elite fielding side starts behind the stumps. For Faf and Jonty, there was some deliberation before they settled on MS Dhoni to take the gloves. Unmatched in his lightning-fast stumpings and raw reflexes, Dhoni was the pick for the quickest hands in the game. Next to him at slip is the elegant Australian, Mark Waugh. Perhaps the safest pair of hands in the cordon, the game has ever witnessed the junior Waugh brother was a no-brainer. Jonty smiled as he praised his famously soft hands and legendary ability to pluck edges out of thin air.
In off-side ring:
If a batter manages to survive the edge, they have to try and pierce the off-side ring, a task this XI makes virtually impossible. Unsurprisingly, Jonty Rhodes slots into his iconic backward point position. Partnering with him at cover point is his former South African teammate, Herschelle Gibbs, creating an impenetrable wall of flying athleticism.
Moving slightly down to cover, they selected the ultimate direct-hit specialist in Ricky Ponting. As they noted during the draft, if there’s a run-out opportunity, Ponting is the man you want throwing the ball because he simply doesn't miss the stumps. Rounding out the off-side at mid-off is Faf du Plessis himself, a well-deserved self-selection given his phenomenal ground fielding and catching ability.
Leg Side and Outfield
Transitioning to the leg side, the team brings in pure, intimidating power. Patrolling mid-wicket is the imposing figure of Andrew Symonds, hailed by the duo as arguably the best all-round fielder the game has ever seen. Out on the boundary at long-on stands Kieron Pollard. The towering West Indian was a trailblazer, showing the world what was physically possible when defending the boundary ropes with his incredible leaping catches.
For deep square leg, you need a rocket of a throw, and there is no better arm in world cricket than Ravindra Jadeja. The Indian all-rounder is a guaranteed run-out threat from the deep, turning tight twos into suicidal risks for the batters.
Then comes a beautiful luxury pick. AB de Villiers tucked in at short fine leg. While AB could field brilliantly anywhere on the park, placing a fielder of his caliber in a secondary position like short fine leg just proves the absurd, overflowing talent of this side.
The Bowler:
Finally, who delivers the ball for this elite unit? The answer is Jacques Kallis. Known for possessing one of the safest pairs of hands in the sport, Kallis is the ultimate bowler who doubles as an elite fielder in his follow-through.
Looking at this completed XI, it’s a lineup that wouldn't just take spectacular catches; it would likely save 30 runs an innings on sheer intimidation alone.