Whenever people talk about wicketkeepers in Indian cricket, they first think of MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant. Most Indians believe one of these two is the best wicketkeeper, but Mohammad Azharuddin thinks differently. Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin praised Syed Kirmani on Monday and said he is the best wicketkeeper in the world.
Kirmani was part of India’s 1983 ODI World Cup-winning team. Azharuddin praised Kirmani, who played 88 Tests for India, at the launch of his autobiography Stumped: Life Behind and Beyond the Twenty-Two Yards. Azharuddin shared the dressing room with Kirmani early in his career. He not only played with Kirmani but also spent a lot of time with him.
Azharuddin Praises Kirmani’s Wicketkeeping Skills
Azharuddin, who played 99 Tests for India, said at the launch, “He is the number one wicketkeeper in the world. Such a wicketkeeper has never been born. It was not easy for him to keep wickets with four spinners. He took many good catches in the 1983 World Cup. In the match where Kapil scored 175 runs, Kirmani (24) supported him well.”
Syed Kirmani played 88 Tests and 49 ODIs for India from January 1976 to January 1986. He scored 2,759 runs in Tests and 373 runs in ODIs. As a keeper, he took 160 catches and made 38 stumpings in Tests. In ODIs, he took 27 catches and made 9 stumpings. Kirmani played all eight matches in the 1983 World Cup. He took 12 catches and made two stumpings in the tournament.
Kirmani ended his career with 234 dismissals (187 catches and 47 stumpings) for India in 199 innings across 137 matches. Among Indian wicketkeepers, only MS Dhoni (823), Nayan Mongia (261), and Rishabh Pant (244) have more dismissals than him.