As a captain what’s the best way to know if the slips are positioned correctly?

The slips cordon needs to take the lead from your wicket keeper as where they should be positioned.

The wicket keeper needs to position themselves so they’re catching regulation balls just above the hip from fast and medium pace bowlers. If they are taking most of the balls below their hips, they’re standing too far back which means the slips will be as well.

You want your slips cordon creating chances rather than edges falling short of them.

In terms of first slip. They should be standing say 1.5 to 2 metres to the keepers left or right depending on if it’s a right or left handed batter and say no more than a metre behind the keeper.

2nd slip should be around 1.5 metres to the left or right of 1st slips but parallel with the keeper. If you have a 3rd slip, they should be 1.5 metres from 2nd slip and probably half a metre in front of 2nd slip.

Your wicket keeper needs to take control of where the slips are standing and challenge them to be closer if possible. The keeper also needs to have confidence in their movement so they can take catches to their left or right of first slip which allows first slips to stand a little further away from the keeper. This will help the slips cordon create further opportunities as they are taking up more space.

If the slips cordon are standing too close to each other they run the risk of getting in each other’s way and not knowing whose catch it is.