Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves Explained: An India Buying Guide
The most under-bought item in an Indian keeper's kit. What chamois padding does, how to size inners, and which pairs are worth buying.
Wicket keeping inner gloves explained: an India buying guide
Wicket keeping inner gloves are the most under-bought item in an Indian keeper's kit. They cost between ₹220 and ₹899, they sit invisibly inside the outer gloves, and they decide whether your hands last four sessions or four overs. If your palms sting after a spell behind the stumps, or your outer gloves smell after a week, the inners are usually the problem.
This guide covers what chamois padding actually does, how inner gloves differ from batting inners, how to size them, and which options are worth buying in India right now.
What do wicket keeping inner gloves do?
Three jobs, in order of importance:
- Shock absorption. Keeping inners are padded across the palm and fingers — far more than batting inners — because a keeper takes the ball into the hands hundreds of times a session. That padding is what stops the deep palm bruising that ends seasons.
- Moisture control. In Indian conditions, sweat is the main enemy of an expensive pair of keeping gloves. Cotton inners absorb it, so the leather palms of the outers stay dry and do not harden.
- Fit. A good inner takes up the slack inside the outer glove so your hand and the glove move as one unit. A loose glove twists on impact, and that is how fingers get jammed.
Chamois vs cotton padding: which should you buy?
You will see two broad constructions in Indian shops.
| Type | Feel | Best for | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton foam padded | Softer, lighter, dries fast | Club and school keepers, hot dry grounds | ₹220–₹760 |
| Chamois padded | Denser, moulds to the hand over time | Longer spells, harder balls, humid coastal grounds | ₹679–₹899 |
Chamois padding is the traditional keeper's choice because it compresses and then holds its shape around your palm. It is heavier and takes longer to dry, which matters if you are playing back-to-back matches. Cotton foam is the sensible default for most club keepers in India, and you can simply own two pairs and rotate them.
How to size wicket keeping inner gloves
Inner gloves come in youth and men's sizes, and the rule is simple: they should feel like a second skin with no bunching at the fingertips. If there is loose fabric at the end of a finger, that fabric will fold under impact and create a pressure point.
Buy the inners before you finalise your outer gloves if you can, or at least try both together. A padded inner adds real bulk — a keeper who sizes outer gloves bare-handed often ends up with gloves that are a size too small.
Best wicket keeping inner gloves in India right now
- SS AX Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves — ₹220. Cotton foam padding with a breathable back. The budget pair to keep as a spare in the kit bag.
- Kookaburra Pro 3.0 Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves — ₹475. The value pick for school and age-group keepers.
- SS SuperTest Chamois Padded Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves — ₹679. Genuine chamois padding at a club-cricket price. The best-value chamois pair on this list.
- Kookaburra Pro 2.0 Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves — ₹759. A step up in padding density for keepers doing full-day formats.
- Kookaburra Pro 1.0 Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves — ₹859. Kookaburra's top inner, for keepers standing up to seam on hard tracks.
- Kookaburra Pro Players Replica Youth Inner Gloves — ₹899. The youth-sized option for junior keepers who need real padding.
How to make them last
Rinse inners in cold water after every match — not hot water, which shrinks cotton and hardens chamois. Air dry in shade, never in direct sun and never on a radiator. Own two pairs if you keep more than once a week, so one is always dry. And replace them the moment the palm padding flattens: a compressed inner offers almost no shock absorption, and you will feel it the next time you take a quick bowler standing up.
Shop the gear
- SS AX Wicket Keeping Inner Gloves — ₹220
- Kookaburra Pro 3.0 Inner Gloves — ₹475
- SS SuperTest Chamois Padded Inner Gloves — ₹679
- Kookaburra Pro 2.0 Inner Gloves — ₹759
- Kookaburra Pro 1.0 Inner Gloves — ₹859
- Kookaburra Pro Players Replica Youth Inner Gloves — ₹899
Related reading
- Best wicket keeping gloves in India
- How to choose wicket keeping pads (India)
- Cricket inner gloves explained: why they matter more than you think
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between batting inner gloves and wicket keeping inner gloves?
Keeping inners are padded much more heavily across the palm and fingers, because a keeper absorbs repeated impact in the hands rather than through a bat handle. Batting inners are thinner and prioritise sweat absorption and grip. Using batting inners for keeping leaves your palms badly under-protected.
Are chamois padded keeping inners worth the extra money?
They are if you keep for long spells or on hard, fast tracks, because chamois compresses and then moulds to your palm for better shock absorption. For occasional club keeping in hot, dry conditions, cotton foam inners at ₹220 to ₹760 are usually enough and dry faster between games.
How often should wicket keeping inner gloves be replaced?
Replace them when the palm padding no longer springs back after a session — typically one season for a regular club keeper, sooner if you keep twice a week. Flattened padding transmits impact straight into the hand, which is when bruising starts.
