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Cricket Field Positions — Complete Fielding Guide

Every fielding position in cricket explained — where they stand, why captains use them, which bowlers benefit and the famous fielders who owned each spot.

30+ Positions Explained

Understanding cricket field positions is essential for players, captains, coaches and fans. Whether you're a beginner learning how to play cricket or an experienced fantasy cricket player analyzing match-ups, knowing where fielders stand — and why — gives you a deeper appreciation of the game's tactical depth.

A cricket field is roughly oval-shaped with the rectangular pitch at its centre. The batting end (where the striker stands) is the reference point for all fielding positions. Positions are described as “off side” (the side the batter faces when in stance) and “leg side” or “on side” (behind the batter). They are further categorized by distance: close catchers (within ~15 yards), the inner ring (15-30 yards) and the boundary.

Cricket Field Position Diagram

Below is a visual representation of the cricket field with all major fielding positions marked. The batter stands at the centre of the diagram. Off side is to the right, leg side to the left (for a right-handed batter).

Off SideLeg SideLong-OffDeep CoverLong-OnDeep PointDeep MidwicketSweeperDeep Sq LegThird ManFine LegLong LegMid-OffMid-OnCoverExtra CvrMidwicketPointSquare LegShort 3rdShort FineSilly PtShort LegGullySlipsLeg SlipBATTERWK

Field positions shown for a right-handed batter. Off side = right of diagram, Leg side = left.

Close Catchers (Within 15 Yards)

Close catchers are positioned very near the batter, typically within 15 yards (about 14 metres). These positions are primarily used to take catches from edges, bat-pad deflections and mis-hits. Fielding here requires courage, sharp reflexes and good concentration. In Test cricket, you'll often see 2-4 close catchers; in T20 cricket, rarely any.

1st Slip

Where: Directly next to the wicket-keeper on the off side, about 2-3 metres from the batter.

When used: Used when fast bowlers or spinners are looking for edges. Almost always in place during Test matches and the opening overs of limited-overs games.

Best for: Fast bowlers who swing or seam the ball benefit the most. Spinners use it when getting turn and bounce.

Famous fielders: Rahul Dravid held the record for most catches in Tests, largely from the slip cordon. Mark Taylor and Mark Waugh were legendary Australian slip fielders.

2nd Slip

Where: Adjacent to 1st slip, slightly wider, about 3-4 metres from the batter on the off side.

When used: When the ball is moving laterally and the captain wants a wider catching net. Common in the first hour of a Test match.

Best for: Swing bowlers like James Anderson thrive with a 2nd slip, as the ball angles away from the batter.

Famous fielders: Ian Botham and Jacques Kallis were famous for their safe hands at 2nd slip.

3rd Slip

Where: Wider than 2nd slip, approximately 5-6 metres from the batter on the off side.

When used: On green pitches with lots of seam movement, or when the bowling attack is generating consistent edges.

Best for: Fast bowlers on helpful pitches. Rarely used with spin unless conditions are extreme.

Famous fielders: Ricky Ponting was often stationed at 3rd slip for Australia.

Gully

Where: Between the slips and point, at roughly a 100-110 degree angle from the batter, about 5-8 metres away.

When used: When the ball is cutting or moving off the seam. Catches at gully often come from square cuts that find the edge.

Best for: Fast bowlers with a back-of-a-length line. Also useful for cutters and cross-seam deliveries.

Famous fielders: Andrew Symonds was renowned for his athleticism at gully. Herschelle Gibbs was another superb gully fielder.

Leg Slip

Where: Behind the batter on the leg side, equivalent to where 1st slip is on the off side.

When used: When bowlers are angling the ball into the pads and expect deflections off the glove or thigh pad. Common for spinners bowling into the rough.

Best for: Leg spinners and left-arm orthodox bowlers who get the ball to turn sharply into the right-handed batter.

Famous fielders: MS Dhoni often positioned himself close to leg slip as a keeper to take those deflections.

Short Leg

Where: Very close to the batter on the leg side, about 1-2 metres from the bat, usually at a 45-degree angle.

When used: Primarily in Test cricket against spinners. The fielder wears a helmet and shin guards due to the danger.

Best for: Spinners benefit the most. The short-leg fielder catches balls that pop off the bat face to the leg side.

Famous fielders: Eknath Solkar was legendary at short leg for India in the 1970s. More recently, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul have fielded here.

Silly Point

Where: Extremely close to the batter on the off side, about 1-2 metres away, at roughly a 45-degree angle.

When used: Against spinners in Test cricket, especially on turning pitches. The fielder is in a dangerous position and usually wears protective gear.

Best for: Off-spinners and left-arm spinners who expect bat-pad catches on the off side.

Famous fielders: Sadagoppan Ramesh and Venkatapathy Raju were known for their brave fielding at silly point for India.

Silly Mid-On

Where: Close to the batter on the on side, straighter than short leg, about 2-3 metres from the bat.

When used: Rarely used in modern cricket. Seen occasionally in Test matches when spinners are bowling a tight line.

Best for: Off-spinners bowling to right-handers or left-arm spinners to left-handers.

Famous fielders: This position is used sparingly, but Tony Lock of England was known for fielding very close on the on side.

Silly Mid-Off

Where: Close to the batter on the off side, straighter than silly point, about 2-3 metres from the bat.

When used: Extremely rare. Used on turning pitches when the spinner expects the batter to push at the ball defensively.

Best for: Slow bowlers on deteriorating pitches in Test cricket.

Famous fielders: This is one of the rarest positions in cricket, used only in very specific tactical situations.

Bat Pad (Forward Short Leg)

Where: Between silly point and short leg, very close to the batter, positioned for catches off the bat-pad.

When used: Used against spinners, particularly when the batter is defending. The fielder is looking for the ball to deflect off the bat onto the pad and pop up.

Best for: Spinners of all kinds, especially in Test cricket.

Famous fielders: David Boon was an excellent bat-pad fielder for Australia.

Inner Ring (15–30 Yards)

The inner ring comprises fielders positioned between 15 and 30 yards from the batter. In limited-overs cricket, the 30-yard circle is physically marked on the field with white paint, and powerplay rules dictate how many fielders must be inside this circle at various stages of the innings. Inner-ring fielders save singles, stop twos and create run-out opportunities with direct hits.

Point

Where: Square on the off side, about 20-25 metres from the batter, at roughly 90 degrees.

When used: One of the most common fielding positions. Point stops the cut shot and picks up singles on the off side. Present in almost every field setting.

Best for: All bowlers benefit from a good point fielder who cuts off boundaries from the square cut.

Famous fielders: Jonty Rhodes revolutionized fielding at point with his spectacular diving catches and run-outs. He is widely considered the greatest fielder in cricket history at this position.

Cover

Where: Between point and mid-off, about 25-30 metres from the batter, at roughly a 60-70 degree angle on the off side.

When used: Always occupied. Cover stops the cover drive, one of cricket's most elegant shots, and saves runs in the gap between mid-off and point.

Best for: Fast bowlers on a good length and spinners benefit from a cover fielder cutting off drives.

Famous fielders: Ricky Ponting and AB de Villiers were exceptional in the covers with their ground fielding and throwing accuracy.

Extra Cover

Where: Between cover and mid-off, slightly wider than cover, about 25-30 metres on the off side.

When used: When the captain wants to cut off drives between cover and mid-off. Common in limited-overs cricket to prevent scoring in the arc.

Best for: Medium-pacers and spinners who bowl a tight off-stump line.

Famous fielders: Suresh Raina was known for his sharp fielding at extra cover in Indian cricket.

Mid-Off

Where: Straight-ish on the off side, about 25-30 metres from the batter, between the bowler and cover.

When used: Almost always in the field. Mid-off prevents straight drives and lofted shots back past the bowler on the off side.

Best for: Every bowler benefits from mid-off. It is one of the two positions (along with mid-on) that are almost never left vacant.

Famous fielders: Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards were famed for their prowess at mid-off during the West Indies' dominant era.

Mid-On

Where: Straight-ish on the leg side, about 25-30 metres from the batter, between the bowler and midwicket.

When used: Nearly always occupied, like mid-off. Prevents straight drives and on-drives down the ground on the leg side.

Best for: All bowlers. Mid-on works in tandem with mid-off to close the straight hitting corridor.

Famous fielders: Andrew Flintoff was excellent at mid-on with his strong throwing arm.

Midwicket

Where: On the leg side, about 25-30 metres from the batter, between mid-on and square leg, at roughly a 45-degree angle.

When used: One of the most common positions in all formats. Midwicket stops the flick, pull and on-drive shots.

Best for: All bowlers. A good midwicket fielder saves countless runs from the batter's favorite scoring zone.

Famous fielders: Ravindra Jadeja is considered one of the best fielders in the midwicket region in modern cricket with his bullet arm and acrobatic diving.

Square Leg

Where: Square on the leg side, about 20-25 metres from the batter, at roughly 90 degrees.

When used: Always present. Square leg stops the pull, sweep and cut shots played on the leg side. The square-leg umpire stands near this position.

Best for: Fast bowlers bowling short benefit from square leg stopping the pull shot. Spinners use it to prevent sweeps.

Famous fielders: Mark Waugh and Carl Hooper were agile at square leg during their careers.

Short Fine Leg

Where: Behind square on the leg side, close to the batter, about 15-20 metres at a fine angle (roughly 135-150 degrees).

When used: Very common in T20 and ODI cricket. Catches top-edges from hook/pull shots and stops fine glances and leg-side deflections.

Best for: Fast bowlers bowling bouncers love a short fine leg to catch top-edges. Spinners use it for sweeps that go fine.

Famous fielders: In IPL, short fine leg is a crucial catching position. Many top-edge wickets come from this spot.

Short Third Man

Where: Behind the wicket on the off side, about 15-20 metres, at a fine angle between the keeper and point.

When used: In limited-overs cricket, used to cut off edges and deliberate dabs behind the wicket. Saves singles rather than catching.

Best for: Fast bowlers and medium-pacers who bowl outside off stump. Cuts off the late cut and thick edges.

Famous fielders: This is a utility position rather than a specialist spot.

Boundary Fielders

Boundary fielders patrol the rope, preventing fours and catching mis-hits from big shots. In T20 cricket, you'll often see 5-6 fielders on the boundary during the death overs. These fielders need speed, a good arm and the ability to judge high catches under lights.

Deep Point

Where: On the boundary at square on the off side, directly behind where the inner-ring point fielder would be.

When used: In the death overs of T20s and ODIs to stop cut shots reaching the fence. Also when a specific batter favors the square cut.

Best for: Fast bowlers bowling short or wide. Spinners sometimes use deep point against big-hitting batters.

Famous fielders: Deep point is a standard T20 boundary position in the death overs.

Deep Cover

Where: On the boundary between point and long-off, roughly a 60-degree angle on the off side.

When used: When batters are lofting over cover. Common in middle and death overs of limited-overs cricket.

Best for: Spinners who get hit over the top and fast bowlers during the death.

Famous fielders: A key position in modern T20 cricket for catching mis-hits over the infield.

Sweeper Cover

Where: On the boundary, between deep point and deep cover. The fielder patrols a wide area, "sweeping" the boundary.

When used: Very common in ODIs and T20s, especially during the middle overs. Prevents boundaries in the cover-point region.

Best for: Spinners and medium-pacers during the middle overs. The sweeper cover stops the batter from freely driving.

Famous fielders: Almost every team uses a sweeper cover in limited-overs cricket as a standard defensive measure.

Long-Off

Where: On the boundary directly behind the bowler on the off side.

When used: Always present in limited-overs cricket. Stops straight lofted drives over the bowler on the off side. Critical in the death overs.

Best for: All bowlers, but especially spinners and death-overs specialists who get hit straight.

Famous fielders: Long-off is one of the most important boundary positions in T20 cricket.

Long-On

Where: On the boundary directly behind the bowler on the leg side.

When used: Like long-off, nearly always occupied in limited-overs formats. Stops lofted straight drives on the on side.

Best for: All bowlers. Long-on and long-off work together to close the straight boundary.

Famous fielders: Some of the most famous catches in IPL history have been taken at long-on.

Deep Midwicket

Where: On the boundary between long-on and deep square leg, at roughly a 45-degree angle on the leg side.

When used: When batters are targeting the midwicket region with slog sweeps and flicks. Common against spinners in the middle overs.

Best for: Spinners who get slog-swept and fast bowlers who stray on the pads.

Famous fielders: Deep midwicket is a critical catching zone in IPL for mis-timed slog sweeps.

Deep Square Leg

Where: On the boundary at square on the leg side, directly behind where the inner square-leg fielder would be.

When used: Against batters who favor the pull and sweep shots. Very common in T20 cricket during the power-hitting phases.

Best for: Fast bowlers bowling short and spinners being swept. Essential in the death overs.

Famous fielders: Many spectacular boundary catches in IPL are taken at deep square leg.

Fine Leg

Where: On the boundary behind square on the leg side, at a fine angle (about 135-150 degrees from the batter).

When used: Almost always in the field in limited-overs cricket. Stops leg glances, flicks, and deflections that run to the boundary.

Best for: Fast bowlers benefit from fine leg as a safety net for balls on the pads. Also stops hook shots that go fine.

Famous fielders: Fine leg is one of the standard positions in every format of cricket.

Third Man

Where: On the boundary behind the wicket on the off side, at a fine angle (about 150-170 degrees from the batter).

When used: Very common in all formats. Stops edges, late cuts and deliberate dabs behind the keeper on the off side.

Best for: Fast bowlers, especially those bowling with an off-stump line, benefit from third man stopping edges and slashes.

Famous fielders: Third man is one of the most frequently patrolled boundary positions in cricket.

Long Leg

Where: On the boundary behind square on the leg side, between deep square leg and fine leg.

When used: When the bowler is bowling bouncers or short-pitched deliveries and the batter is hooking. Less common in modern T20 cricket.

Best for: Fast bowlers bowling a bouncer strategy. Long leg catches mis-hooks and top-edges off the pull shot.

Famous fielders: Long leg was a more prominent position in the era of aggressive West Indies fast bowling in the 1970s and 80s.

How Captains Set Fields in T20 vs Test Cricket

The art of setting a field varies dramatically between formats. In Test cricket, the emphasis is on taking wickets, so captains often set attacking fields with multiple slips, a gully, short leg and silly point. A typical Test match field for a fast bowler might include 3 slips, a gully, short leg, point, cover, mid-off and fine leg.

In T20 cricket, the priority shifts to containing runs. Captains spread fielders to the boundary, especially in the death overs. A common T20 death-overs field has just 2 fielders inside the circle (as permitted by the rules) with the rest patrolling the boundary at long-on, long-off, deep midwicket, deep point, fine leg and third man.

ODI cricket sits somewhere in between. During powerplays only 2 fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle, forcing an attacking inner ring. In the middle overs (11-40), a maximum of 4 fielders can be outside the circle. In the death overs (41-50), 5 fielders can be on the boundary.

Powerplay Fielding Restrictions

Powerplay rules are a crucial aspect of limited-overs cricket that directly affect field placements. Here is how they work across formats:

T20 Powerplay (IPL/International)

  • Overs 1-6: Maximum 2 fielders outside the 30-yard circle. This forces the captain to stack the inner ring, creating gaps on the boundary for batters to exploit.
  • Overs 7-20: Maximum 5 fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Captains can now spread the field defensively.

ODI Powerplay

  • Overs 1-10 (Powerplay 1): Maximum 2 fielders outside the circle.
  • Overs 11-40 (Middle Overs): Maximum 4 fielders outside the circle.
  • Overs 41-50 (Death Overs): Maximum 5 fielders outside the circle.

Impact on Strategy

During powerplay overs, batters have a massive advantage because the boundary is unprotected. This is why T20 openers try to score quickly in the first 6 overs. Captains respond by using their best powerplay bowlers (usually swing bowlers who can beat the bat) and setting aggressive catching fields with slips rather than boundary riders.

Best Fielders in IPL 2026

Fielding has become a game-changer in modern T20 cricket. A single brilliant catch or run-out can turn a match. Here are some of the best fielders lighting up IPL 2026:

  • Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) — The “Sword Man” remains the gold standard for fielding in the IPL. His bullet throws from deep midwicket and diving catches at backward point are legendary. Jadeja has taken more direct-hit run-outs than any other player in IPL history.
  • Suryakumar Yadav (MI) — SKY is an outstanding fielder in the inner ring. His quick reflexes at point and cover make him a vital asset in the powerplay overs.
  • KL Rahul — Beyond his keeping, Rahul is an excellent outfielder with safe hands and a strong arm. He has taken some stunning boundary catches in IPL 2026.
  • Faf du Plessis (RCB) — At 41, Faf continues to defy age with his ground fielding and catching. His experience in reading the game makes him invaluable at any position.
  • Rashid Khan (GT) — Often overlooked as a fielder, Rashid is one of the best in the world at backward point and in the deep. His agility and arm strength are exceptional.

Cricket Field Dimensions

Cricket fields vary in size, but there are standard measurements defined by the Laws of Cricket and the ICC Playing Conditions:

  • Pitch Length: 22 yards (20.12 metres) between the two sets of stumps. The pitch is 10 feet (3.05 metres) wide.
  • Boundary Distance: The ICC recommends a minimum of 59 metres (65 yards) from the centre of the pitch to the boundary. The maximum is typically around 82 metres (90 yards). In practice, most international grounds have boundaries between 65-75 metres.
  • 30-Yard Circle: In limited-overs cricket, the inner circle has a radius of 30 yards (27.43 metres) measured from each set of stumps. Two semicircles are drawn and connected by straight lines.
  • Close-Infield: An imaginary area within about 15 yards (13.7 metres) of the batter, where close catchers operate.
  • Straight Boundary vs Square Boundary: Most grounds have longer straight boundaries (behind the bowler) and shorter square boundaries. This asymmetry is a key factor in captaincy — bowlers often try to force batters to hit towards the longer boundary.

For a deeper understanding of cricket terms and jargon, check out our comprehensive glossary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many fielders are there in cricket?

There are 11 players on the fielding side. One is the bowler delivering the ball and one is the wicket-keeper standing behind the stumps. This leaves the captain 9 fielders to place strategically around the ground. In limited-overs cricket, powerplay restrictions determine how many of those fielders can stand outside the 30-yard circle at any given time.

What is silly point in cricket?

Silly point is a close catching position on the off side, just 1-2 metres from the batter. The word “silly” refers to how dangerously close the fielder stands to the bat. This position is used mainly in Test cricket when spinners are bowling, to catch deflections off the bat's face. The fielder wears a helmet and shin guards for protection. It is rarely seen in limited-overs formats because the focus is on run-saving rather than close catching.

What is a slip cordon in cricket?

A slip cordon is a row of fielders standing next to the wicket-keeper on the off side, behind the batter. There can be 1 to 4 slips (named 1st slip, 2nd slip, 3rd slip, 4th slip). They are positioned to catch edges from the batter's defensive or attacking shots. In Test matches against quality fast bowling, you'll often see 3-4 slips forming a “cordon.” In T20 cricket, slips are rarely used because the priority is stopping runs rather than catching edges.

Can fielders stand behind the stumps?

Only the wicket-keeper is allowed to stand directly behind the stumps on the leg side. No other fielder may have any part of their body behind the popping crease on the leg side when the bowler delivers the ball — this is defined in Law 28 of the Laws of Cricket. However, fielders can stand behind the stumps on the off side, which is exactly where the slip cordon is positioned. If a fielder other than the keeper is behind the crease on the leg side at the moment of delivery, the umpire calls a no-ball.