There is a palpable sense of joy and excitement when a batsman or a wicket-keeper takes a wicket, be it at any level of cricket. Because they already get chances seldom to bowl, and picking up a scalp in that would be a big surprise to everyone, not least to the batsman himself who might even feel embarrassed to be getting out to a wicket-keeper turned part-time bowler.
In the history of the game, there have been a few legendary wicket-keepers who have grasped the opportunity to bowl in international cricket and even took a wicket.
Here are top 5 wicket-keepers taking an international wicket:
MS Dhoni
In a career spanning 538 international matches, former India captain MS Dhoni bowled 9 times in international cricket and sent down 132 balls to take one wicket – in the 2010 Champions Trophy match against West Indies in Jo’burg, Dhoni bowled West Indies batsman Travis Dowlin and celebrated it animatedly.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tAs9yaYFt-8
AB de Villiers
Legendary South African batsman and keeper AB de Villiers has taken 7 wickets in the 9 times he bowled in ODIs, and 2 Test wickets in his career.
de Villiers was a medium-pacer. Here, check out as he gets rid of New Zealand batsman Tom Latham before castling Trent Boult.
Brendon McCullum
Former New Zealand captain, opener and wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum has taken only one Test wicekt in his 101-Test career. He dismissed Pakistan batsman Sarfraz Ahmed with a brilliant caught and bowled in a Test in the UAE.
Mark Boucher
Former South African great Mark Boucher holds the record for most international dismissal affected by a wicket-keeper with 998 dismissals. He also had one wicket to his name: Dwayne Bravo. In the Test at Antigua in 2005, Boucher came on to bowl with West Indies at 747/9 and got rid of Bravo as the last wicket of the innings, caught at mid-off, and his only wicket in Test cricket.
ABD also had a wicket in that same innings, he bowled Powell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL-HKYPozoo
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid bowled in 8 ODI innings, taking 4 wickets, and also has a lone Test wicket. An off-spinner, Dravid’s only Test wicket is West Indies’ RD Jacobs, while his ODI scalps include the great Saeed Anwar, Lance Klusner, Gary Kirsten, and Shaun Pollock.
Here, watch Rahul Dravid takes his international wickets:
