New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has eclipsed Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli to be the player making the most difference in the field during the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 as per the latest ICC Rankings. The Left-handed all-rounder has been the standout performer for Kiwis, making a significant impact for the team in the mega event.
Although the Blackcaps all-rounder has only made four catches in six games so far in the current World Cup, his impact on the field goes beyond that. The seasoned spinner from New Zealand has also left his mark in several fielding divisions alongside taking a stunning catch against Afghanistan.
During the game against Afghanistan, Hashmatullah Shahidi was forced to play the pull shot after Lockie Ferguson surged in, and Mitchell Santner seemed to run sideways, eluding the ball and jumping into the air toward the end and reaching out with his left hand, grabbing hold of the ball.
The 31-year-old leads the league in run-out attempts, pressure ratings, and excellent throws made, and also saved nine runs for his side in the field. After six ODI World Cup games for each country, he leads the race for total fielding influence by a narrow margin thanks to his on-field heroics, with Australia’s David Warner and South Africa’s David Miller challenging him to that position.
With 43.28 rating points, Mitchell Santner is ranked highest, followed by Miller (41.19) and Warner (40.82) in that order. Virat is now in sixth place with 33.46 rating points, and the players would look to up their game going into the business end of the tournament, where fielding can be crucial for the team’s success in the World Cup.
After three games in the tournament, Virat Kohli was the player who had the greatest influence in the field, but following the sixth game, he fell to sixth place, and the former Indian skipper was overtaken by teammate Ravindra Jadeja, who moved up to the sixth spot.
South Africa leads the way in the overall team fielding ratings, The Proteas have saved the most runs on the field (44 runs) and grabbed a total of 44 catches, seven more than any other team. The Netherlands are in second place, while defending champions England are in third position, despite being the bottom-placed in the points table.