In cricket, batsmen are dismissed in three ways – clean bowled, catch, and stump. In stumping, the wicketkeeper plays a crucial role because the wicketkeeper is allowed to dismiss a batsman standing out of the crease. For stumping, a wicketkeeper needs to display amazing skills like noticing the footwork of a batsman and dismissing the stumps as soon as the batsman crosses the crease.
If you see the history of cricket, you will find that wicketkeepers have helped win matches by dismissing key batsmen with stumping. An alert wicketkeeper can be a big asset for a team as the player would miss no opportunity to stump a batsman. Also, an alert wicketkeeper will keep batsmen under pressure and prevent them from going for long shots.
Here we’ll discuss the best stumping events that highlight the importance of an alert wicketkeeper on the ground. Also, we’ll list the stumping kings whose presence is sufficient to keep batsmen in check.
10. Adam Gilchrist Stumps Craig McMillan
MUST LISTEN | @gilly381 relives his #Ashes memories with @simon_odonnell and @Harmy611 on this week’s edition of Road To The Ashes.@1116sen @1170sen @talkSPORT2 @Cricket_TS #ENGvAUShttps://t.co/PJBjB8NvsP pic.twitter.com/d9m8OqumjE
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) May 10, 2023
It was a 2005 match between Australia and New Zealand. Craig McMillan was batting for New Zealand and had already made 37 runs off 30 balls when he was stumped by Adam Gilchrist on McGrath’s ball. McGrath is a pacer but Gilchrist showed the courage to pick a pace ball from close the stumps so he can dismiss the batsman. Also, it was the first time that McGrath was stumped in his career.
9. Dinesh Karthik Stumps Michael Vaughan
Let’s #BringTheEnergy to the #WTC23 @aramco @HaydosTweets#Powermoves #Collab pic.twitter.com/1oFeI9uZNc
— DK (@DineshKarthik) June 7, 2023
India was playing with England at Lord’s. Michael Vaughan was at the crease batting for the English team. The 19-year-old Dinesh Karthik was the wicketkeeper. An overconfident Michael Vaughan went ahead to take a long shot on the Harbhajan Singh. He missed the shot and by the time he could return to the crease, the young Dinesh Karthik had already blown the stumps. Michael Vaughan misjudged the abilities of Dinesh Karthik despite himself being a wicketkeeper.
8. Kumar Sangakkara Stumps Brian Lara
It was a great pleasure being there at such an auspicious signing @PriyaAH_Vedanta the benefit that this project will bring cricket in India and Rajasthan is immense. #AnilAgarwalStadium https://t.co/Ri8PTLJjlg
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) March 30, 2023
In the 2007 World Cup, Sri Lanka was playing with West Indies. Brian Lara was batting confidently when the left-hander was caught unaware and stumped by an alert Sangakkara. Brian Lara went for an off-drive on Chaminda Vaas when he missed the ball and provided Sangakkara an opportunity to dismiss him. Sangakkara noticed Lara out of the crease and dismissed the stumps before Lara could land in the crease.
7. Bradley Barnes Stumps Saurabh Tiwary
The @ICC technical committee has approved Brad Barnes as a replacement for injured Raymond Perez. Perez sustained an ankle injury which will likely rule him out from the remainder of the U19 @cricketworldcup #U19CWC pic.twitter.com/s5xqPe7z4G
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) January 18, 2018
In 2018, the Indian U-19 team was playing with South Africa U-19. Saurabh Tiwary was on the crease with his Tanmay Srivastava ready to take runs. He was provided a runner due to a leg injury. Yaseen Vallie bowled a low full toll over Tiwary but Tiwary missed the ball and it went into the gloves of Bradley Barnes. Barnes flicked the wickets on seeing the runner outside the crease.
6. Kumar Sangakkara Stumps Jimmy Maher
Viyaskanth is leaving the @rajasthanroyals bowling group today. It was such a pleasure having him with us. He bowled at the best and learnt from the best. Such an impressive talent. Hope to see him in Sri Lankan colors soon representing his country with this same smile pic.twitter.com/cFYm77a38I
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) April 11, 2023
In 2003, the Australian team was playing with Sri Lanka at Gabba. Jimmy Maher was the opening batsman of Australia. He went down the pitch on a ball by Muttiah Muralitharan but miscalculated the spin maestro as the ball went far wide of the crease. But Sangakkara made no mistake in catching the ball by jumping to his right and throwing the ball to stumps before Jimmy Maher could return to the crease safely.
5. Brendon McCullum Stumps Ricky Ponting
Happy Bday to my mate, my brother, my mentor @SPFleming7 ❤️🍷 pic.twitter.com/HVtYaWSUgB
— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) April 1, 2022
In the 2011 World Cup, Australia was playing with New Zealand. Ricky Ponting was on the crease facing pacer Tim Southee. The Australian skipper was looking for some long shots to reach the double figure but Southee had some other plans in mind. He changed the bowling to round-the-wicket. The ball went far wide out of the reach of Ponting but within the reach of McCullum who quickly flicked the stumps on noticing Ponting out of the crease.
4. Mark Boucher Stumps Marvan Atapattu
@ShaneWarne @ABdeVilliers17 @708gin well done Warney! Great gin brand! Well done champ! pic.twitter.com/dLxArXnTqk
— Mark Boucher (@markb46) September 28, 2019
Mark Boucher displayed amazing foresight during a 2016 match against Sri Lanka. Marvan Atapattu missed a shot and came out of the crease on seeing Mark Boucher appealing for a caught behind. Suddenly Boucher changed his appeal to run out by flicking the wickets. He saw Marvan Atapattu standing far out of the crease and stole the moment to stump Atapattu. Even Atapattu couldn’t realize what made him lose his wicket.
3. MS Dhoni Stumps Shaun Marsh
MS Dhoni – still the fastest hand behind the stumps. pic.twitter.com/57xOM77nEh
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 29, 2023
In 2012, India was playing with Australia. Shaun Marsh was batting and MS Dhoni had already dropped a catch on Kedar Jadhav’s bowling. Dhoni asked Jadhav to lure Marsh to come out for a long shot. Jadhav delivered a leg-side wide ball luring Marsh to step out. The plan worked as Marsh missed the ball and Dhoni stumped Marsh out. Dhoni made no mistake in the second time.
2. Ben Cox Stumps Callum MacLeod
Dismissal number 4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ in First-Class cricket for our joint @WorcsCCC rep!
— PCA (@PCA) May 7, 2022
3️⃣8️⃣5️⃣ Catches
1️⃣5️⃣ Stumpings
Big numbers, @BenCox10!#LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/3E25P733aD
Callum MacLeod played the first ball of the match by Ed Barnard towards the third man for a single and set out to take a run. Behind the wicket, the ball hit one of Cox’s pads while he was trying to save the single and rebounded to the pitch. The ball went straight to the wickets and stumped MacLeod. The things happened at such a speed that MacLeod couldn’t time to return to the crease.
1. MS Dhoni Stumps Keemo Paul
Thanks. It was fun. More maybe? Who knows! https://t.co/5gUPGZme9X
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 23, 2023
In 2018, India was playing with West India. Keemo Paul was at the crease when MS Dhoni stumped him out within a record time of 0.08 seconds. It was the fastest stumping by MS Dhoni. This move surprised everyone including the batting team. Also, it was the fastest stumping of the world. MS Dhoni displayed amazing foresight in noticing the opportunity and taking advantage of it before it is gone
Conclusion
Stumping win matches. Smart wicketkeepers can take important wickets by showing alertness. They act fast and dismiss batsmen within moments. They need only a fraction of a second to hit the stumps with balls in their gloves. Considering their role in cricket, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that wicketkeepers form the backbone of a bowling attack.
