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Jonty Rhodes Hails Shreyas Iyer's Catch, Calls Himself 'Grandfather of Fielding'

Fielding icon Jonty Rhodes praised Shreyas Iyer's breathtaking boundary catch and dismissal of Hardik Pandya in the IPL. Rhodes reflected on the evolution of fielding, noting that such acrobatic boundary efforts were not a focus during his playing career. He credited modern players like Kieron Pollard and Glenn Maxwell for pioneering these "airborne saves." Rhodes concluded that such impactful fielding is essential in today's T20 game and highlighted the influence of head coach Ricky Ponting.

Key Points: Jonty Rhodes on Shreyas Iyer's IPL Catch: Fielding Evolution

  • Shreyas Iyer's acrobatic catch stuns IPL
  • Rhodes notes evolution of boundary fielding
  • Modern "airborne saves" inspired by players like Pollard
  • Impact fielding crucial in T20 cricket
  • Ricky Ponting's coaching influence praised
3 min read

I felt like the father of fielding but Shreyas' catch makes me feel like 'grandfather of fielding': Jonty Rhodes

Fielding legend Jonty Rhodes praises Shreyas Iyer's spectacular boundary catch, reflecting on how modern fielding makes him feel like the "grandfather."

"I felt like the 'father of fielding'... makes me feel like the 'grandfather of fielding'! - Jonty Rhodes"

New Delhi, April 18

A breathtaking fielding effort from Shreyas Iyer during the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026, with the Punjab Kings skipper pulling off a remarkable boundary save-cum-catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya recently, has caught the attention of Jonty Rhodes, widely regarded as one of the finest fielders the game has seen.

The sheer athleticism of the moment left players from the Mumbai dugout, including Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma, visibly stunned, underlining just how extraordinary the effort was.

Several former cricketers and experts, including batting great Sachin Tendulkar, praised Iyer for his brilliance on the field.

The latest to weigh in was South African great Jonty Rhodes, who reflected on the evolution of fielding standards and shared his thoughts in a post on X.

"Watching Shreyas Iyer perform that acrobatic fielding to assist in taking the 'team catch' made me appreciate how fielding has evolved since my retirement. For a long time, I felt like the 'father of fielding', but watching these modern athletes with their timing and awareness on the boundary line, makes me feel like the 'grandfather of fielding'!" Rhodes wrote.

Rhodes also spoke about how boundary fielding has evolved over time, noting that such skills weren't always a major focus during his playing days.

"I spent 99% of my career fielding in the inner circle, and when I started working as a fielding coach, there was no focus on the modern-day 'hotspots' on the boundaries. It was only when I started working with Mumbai Indians and saw Kieron Pollard, and then Glenn Maxwell, performing these incredible 'airborne saves' on the boundaries that we started focusing on not only taking catches off balls that were already beyond the rope, but even saving the ball from going for a sixer, and forcing the batters to run only 1 or 2," the Proteas legend added

Highlighting the broader significance of such moments, Rhodes explained how impactful fielding efforts can energise a side, particularly in the modern T20 game.

"With impact players transforming the way that batters can continuously attack the bowling, even with the loss of 4-5 wickets, bowlers need to be backed up by their fielders, and Shreyas' spectacular 'catch and release' was a perfect example of that. But let's face it; when your head coach is Ricky Ponting, one of the greatest fielders in the game, it should not come as a great surprise to see such incredible feats in the field!," he concluded.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan living in India, I've watched fielding evolve so much. From Jonty's era of diving stops to these airborne boundary saves, it's a different sport now. Shreyas was phenomenal, but let's also credit the coaches and the IPL ecosystem for pushing these standards.
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Vikram M
Respect to Jonty for his gracious words. But honestly, while the catch was brilliant, our Indian fielders still drop too many sitters in pressure situations. We need this level of consistency, not just one-off moments of magic. The team needs to work harder.
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Priya S
That moment was insane! My whole family jumped off the sofa 😂. Jonty will always be the OG father of fielding for us 90s kids. But yes, the game has changed. Now every run saved is crucial, especially with the Impact Player rule.
R
Rohit P
Jonty sir's analysis is spot on. Fielding is now a proper, specialized skill. Earlier it was just about stopping the ball. Now it's about geometry, anticipation, and saving every single run. Hats off to all the fielding coaches out there!
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Michael C
Watching from the US, the athleticism in modern cricket is unbelievable. That catch was NFL-level stuff. Jonty recognizing the evolution shows what a great ambassador he is for the sport. The IPL really is a spectacle.

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