As the IPL 2025 season races past its halfway mark, fielding performances have become a focal point of discussion. In what has become the edition with the most dropped catches since 2020, teams are now realizing just how costly every missed chance can be. From Chennai Super Kings’ poor catching to Mumbai Indians’ exceptional fielding discipline, here’s a comprehensive look at the numbers after 40 matches.
Dropped Catches: CSK and DC Struggle the Most
With 111 dropped catches recorded after just 40 matches, IPL 2025 has already set a dubious record. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) top the list for the most dropped catches, having missed 16 opportunities. Their catching efficiency sits at just 62.7%—the lowest among all teams. Delhi Capitals (DC) aren’t far behind with 15 dropped chances and a catching efficiency of 68.7%.
In contrast, Mumbai Indians (MI) have dropped only 8 catches, boasting a tournament-best catching efficiency of 83.6%. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) follow closely with 83.3% each, highlighting the clear gap between the best and worst fielding sides in the competition.
Fielding Blunders Making a Difference
The cost of dropped catches has never been more evident. A case in point: during the 40th match of the season, Tristan Stubbs of DC dropped Ayush Badoni in the 16th over. Badoni capitalized on the error, scoring an additional 33 runs. Stubbs now shares the record for most dropped catches in the season (4), along with Khaleel Ahmed.
Other examples include CSK dropping Rajat Patidar three times during his crucial 51-run knock, a performance that broke a long-standing 2008 record and helped RCB to a famous win.
Run-Outs and Misfields: A Growing Concern
Dropped catches aren’t the only fielding issues plaguing teams. The season has also seen 247 misfields and 172 missed run-outs—both more than double compared to similar stages in 2024. These figures bring the overall catching efficiency down to 75.2%, the lowest in five years.
Comparative Fielding Stats Since 2020
| Edition | Catches | Dropped | Catching % | Misfields | Run-Outs Missed | Run-Out % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 306 | 95 | 76.3% | 213 | 1 | 64.5% |
| 2021 | 328 | 93 | 77.9% | 198 | 30 | 37.9% |
| 2022 | 393 | 104 | 79.0% | 200 | 36 | 38.6% |
| 2023 | 351 | 78 | 81.8% | 152 | 79 | 26.7% |
| 2024 | 367 | 110 | 76.9% | 116 | 69 | 17.9% |
| 2025 | 337 | 111 | 75.2% | 247 | 172 | 11.0% |
Team-wise Fielding Performance (After 40 Matches)
- MI: 83.6% catching, 14 misfields, 24 run-outs missed
- RCB: 83.3% catching, 31 misfields
- KKR: 83.3% catching, 18 misfields
- GT: 78.8% catching, 21 misfields
- SRH: 75.6% catching, 25 misfields
- RR: 73.8% catching, 26 misfields
- LSG: 72.5% catching, 35 misfields
- PBKS: 69.0% catching, 23 misfields
- DC: 68.7% catching, 28 misfields
- CSK: 62.7% catching, 26 misfields
Final Thoughts
The old cricket adage, “Catches win matches,” still holds true, but in IPL 2025, fielding errors are tilting the balance. With only a marginal difference often separating playoff hopefuls, teams like CSK and DC will need to clean up their act quickly. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians’ sharp fielding could prove vital in close contests ahead.
Category: IPL 2025, Cricket Analysis, Sports Statistics, Team Performance
Tags: IPL 2025, dropped catches, CSK, DC, Mumbai Indians, fielding stats, catching efficiency, misfields, run-outs, cricket analysis, IPL records
