Best Cricketers in the World
Enjoy listening to the life of cricket legends in the world
Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport in which two teams of 11 players compete against one other. This field game is played on a 22-yard pitch with two bails balanced on three stumps at each end, and a wicket at each end. Cricket is the second most popular sport on the planet, despite not being a worldwide sport. It is well-liked all across the globe.
Cricket is a game that is played and loved across each and every nation making it one of the most widely followed sports in the world. Here we will be talking about the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) players from different countries who have made a name for themselves in the world of cricket and into the hearts of their followers. Be it resilient Indians, passionate Aussies, mighty West Indians, legendary English, or the other major cricketing nations, we handpick some of the best of the cricketing legends and bring their stories directly to you.
About Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the World
This podcast has been conceptualized keeping in mind the cricket fanatics who love the sport and enjoy quality cricket, irrespective of the teams and nationalities. We attempt to recreate some of the most magical moments when the likes of Don Bradman, Vivian Richards, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting etc. played out of their skin to deliver memorable moments which are imprinted on the hearts of the cricket fans. Each of them are considered as the best cricket player in the world.
We discuss their childhood, how they started out, their career highlights and also few aspects of their personal life from public domain. We hope to take you back to those memory lanes while also introducing kids to all these cricketing heroes in a new way.
Disclaimer: Please note that this podcast is not meant to be comprehensive or authoritative on who was and wasn’t fit to be included in this podcast series. While the game has seen so many great players, this is just our attempt to inspire the next generation of sportsmen to the achievements of some of these greats and ignite the hunger to succeed by telling their stories.
List of 19 Greatest Cricketers of All Time
Scroll down to read and listen to the life of some famous/best cricketers in the world
Table of Contents
1. Kapil Dev
Full Name: Kapil Dev Nikhanj
Born: January 6, 1959
Nationality: Indian
Role: All Rounder/Right Arm Batsman & Right Arm Bowler
Biography: Former cricketer and Indian cricket team captain Kapil Dev is one of the popular cricket icons. He is considered India’s best fast bowling all-rounder. He was a right-arm fast bowler and right-handed batsman who was nicknamed as the Haryana Hurricane. He is till now remembered for his fearless batting, for India in World Cup triumph in 1983.
Achievements: In the year 2002, Wisden named him “Indian Cricketer of the Century.” The Indian government has also presented him with the Arjuna Award and the Padma Bhushan award.
Remarkable Career: In 1979, Kapil Dev established himself as a key member of the Indian cricket team by taking two five-wicket hauls against Australia in a home series.
In the 1979-80 season, he rose to prominence during a six-test home series against Pakistan. In that series, he led India to two victories. Once for his 69-ball knock and again for his fearsome bowling where he took 10 wickets in Mumbai and Chennai respectively.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Kapil Dev, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Greatest Cricketers of all time”.
2. Sir Don Bradman
Full Name: Donald George Bradman
Born: August 27, 1908
Nationality: Australian
Role: Batsman/Right Hand Batsman
Biography: Donald Bradman is a former Australian batsman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He batted with his right hand and bowled with his right arm. His batting style changed cricket forever, and his brilliance baffled oppositions. Sir Donald Bradman is unquestionably one of the finest cricketers of the twentieth century.
Achievements: Australia’s Prime Minister John Howard named him the “greatest living Australian” in 1997. Bradman’s picture has featured on postage stamps and coins of Australia, and while he was still alive, a museum was dedicated to his life.
Remarkable Career: The average of 99.94 in test cricket encapsulates Bradman’s cricketing career. With 961 points, he is the most highly rated test batsman in cricket history. Bradman holds the record for most runs scored in a series with 974.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Bradman, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Greatest Cricketers of all time”.
3. Brian Lara
Full Name: Brian Charles Lara
Born: May 2, 1969
Nationality: Trinidadian
Role: Batsman/Left Hand Batsman
Biography: Brian Charles Lara is the Harry Potter of cricket, wielding his bat like a wand on the pitch. He is regarded as one of the finest batsmen of the current age. Lara had a voracious thirst for greatest scores.
Achievements: “The Prince of Port of Spain” or simply “The Prince” is a famous nickname for Brian Lara. On November 27, 2009, Brian Lara was appointed a member of the Order of Australia. In January 2012, Lara was elected into the ICC Hall of Fame.
Remarkable Career: Brian has a number of three-digit runs under his belt. In first-class cricket, he scored 501 not out for Warwickshire and 375 not out for the West Indies in a test match against England.
Lara is the only player in test cricket history to score 400 runs. He has nine double test centuries, third most in the world after Donald Bradman and Kumar Sangakkara.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Brian, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Greatest Cricketers of all time”.
4. Sunil Gavaskar
Full Name: Sunil Manohar Gavaskar
Born: July 10, 1949
Nationality: Indian
Role: Opening Batsman, Commentator, Right-hand batsman, Right-arm medium
Biography: Sunil Manohar Gavaskar is a former cricketer who played for India and Bombay from 1971 to 1987. Gavaskar is largely regarded as the all great opening batsmen of all time.
Achievements: In December 1980, he was given the ODI captaincy. In his 38-match captaincy tenure (14 wins, 19 losses), winning the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985 was a glorious success.
Remarkable Career: Gavaskar broke the 1000-test run record four times in a single year (1976, 1978, 1979, 1983). He was the first batsman to reach 1000 runs in a test match and had the most test tons (34), until Sachin Tendulkar exceeded him. He was a member of the World Cup-winning team in 1983.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Gavaskar, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Greatest Cricketers of all time”.
5. Curtly Ambrose
Full Name: Sir Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose KCN
Born: 21 September, 1963
Nationality: Antiguan
Role: Bowler/Right arm fast & Left handed batsman
Biography: Sir Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose is an Antigua-born former cricketer who represented the West Indies. He has played 98 Test matches for the team.
Achievements: In the ICC player rankings, Ambrose was ranked as the best bowler in the world for the first time in 1991. In 2014, he was awarded the Knight Commander, an Antiguan and Barbudan order of chivalry.
Remarkable Career: England toured the West Indies for a Test series in early 1990, and Ambrose was named Man of the Match after taking eight wickets for 45 runs. He bowled brilliantly in a later series against England, taking five wickets in each innings twice and averaging six for 52 runs. For the West Indies team, he was named the man of the match and man of the series.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Curtly, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Greatest Cricketers of all time”.
6. Sir Ian Botham
Full Name: Sir Ian Terence Botham OBE
Born: November 24, 1955
Nationality: English
Role: All-rounder, Right-handed Batsman, Right-arm fast-medium Bowler
Biography: Ian Botham is unquestionably one of the greatest all-rounders to excel in the game of cricket. Botham was a key figure in the rise of English cricket and teams of the 1970s and 1980s. He is a member of the House of Lords and an English cricket commentator.
Achievements: In 2009, he was named to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Cricket Hall of Fame. In 2007, Botham was given the title of “Sir Ian Botham” on the Queen’s Birthday.
Remarkable Career: Botham assisted England in becoming the first team in history to win a test match after batting second. He smashed an incredible 149 runs against Australia to keep England in the game. After scoring 399 runs, 34 wickets, and 12 catches, he was rightfully named Man of the Series.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Botham, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Greatest Cricketers of all time”.
7. Sachin Tendulkar
Full Name: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born: April 24, 1973
Nationality: Indian
Role: Batsman/Right-handed, Right-arm medium, leg break, off break Bowler
Biography: He’s considered one of the best batsmen in the world. Sachin Tendulkar was primarily a right-handed opening batsman, but he also batted in the middle order. In both Test and One-Day International cricket, he holds the record for most runs. In the white ball game, he was the first batsman to hit a double century.
Achievements: Tendulkar was awarded the Arjuna Award for excellent sporting achievements in 1994, the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour, in 1997, and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awards, two of India’s highest civilian awards, in 1999 and 2008, respectively.
Remarkable Career: He became the second youngest player to score a test century against England at Old Trafford in 1990. In 1992, he cemented his place in the Indian team by scoring an unbeaten 148 in Sydney against Australian team.
In Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1994, the Master Blaster, as he is widely regarded, scored his first ODI century after 78 games against Australia. In the 1996 World Cup, he continued his purple patch, becoming the tournament’s leading run scorer.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Tendulkar, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
8. Arjuna Ranatunga
Full Name: Deshamanya Arjuna Ranatunga
Born: December 01, 1963
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Role: Batsman/Left-handed
Biography: He is credited with transforming Sri Lankan cricket from a backwater to a global powerhouse. His ingenious captaincy guided Sri Lankan team that had been given little chance before the competition for cricket’s most prestigious prize. At the age of 18, he made his Test debut for Sri Lanka, scoring the first half-century for his country.
Remarkable Career: Arjuna Ranatunga is regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s most illustrious captains. In the 1996 World Cup, he led the national team to victory. He played in 93 Tests and 269 One-Day Internationals for Sri Lanka (ODIs). During Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning campaign, Ranatunga scored 241 runs and had the highest average in the tournament. Other batsmen scored more runs than Ranatunga in the game, but his average of 120.50 continued to stand out.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Ranatunga, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
9. Dennis Lillee
Full Name: Dennis Keith Lillee
Born: July 18, 1949
Nationality: Australian
Role: Bowler
Biography: Many people regarded Dennis Lillee as “the complete bowler.” He won the nation’s crowds’ loyalty through a combination of ability, showmanship, and sheer hard work. Lillee also broke Lance Gibbs’ world record of 309 Test wickets and finished with 355 dismissals in just 70 matches, securing his place among the all-time greats.
Remarkable Career: He was also the first bowler to reach the 350-wicket mark in Test cricket. He was also Australia’s leading wicket-taker, with 107 wickets. He is still ranked third among Australians thirty years after retiring, behind Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563).
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Dennis, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
10. Sir Viv Richards
Full Name: Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards
Born: March 7, 1952
Nationality: Antiguan
Role: Batsman/Right Hand Batsman
Biography: Sir Viv Richards was the name to reckon with during his heydays. This West Indian batsman was a superb attacking batsman and a great captain too. Having scored the fastest test century in just 56 balls, from picking up the ODI World Cup 2 times, his name is etched in the memory of all cricket fans from the 70s and 80s.
Remarkable Career: With an average of 47 and a strike rate of 90.20, he scored 6721 runs in 187 innings in ODI. In 1984, he played an unbeaten 189-run knock against England, which was his best innings. Until 2017, that innings had the record for the highest percentage of a team’s total (69.48 percent).
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Richards, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
11. Lala Amarnath
Full Name: Nanik Amarnath Bharadwaj
Born: September 11, 1911
Nationality: Indian
Role: Batsman/Right Hand Batsman
Biography: Lala Amarnath was one of the very few cricketers who played for India both pre and post-independence. He was the first Indian player to score test century and set the stage for future cricketers to build on that. Known for his batting prowess as well as hot-headed behavior, this player also had Sir Don Bradman as one of his fans.
Remarkable Career: Amarnath was not only a good batsman, but he was also a good bowler. He has the distinction of being the only bowler to ever get Donald Bradman to hit the ground running. Amarnath made 848 runs at an average of 24.38 in 24 Tests for India. He took 45 wickets in 35 Test innings at an average of 32.91 as a bowler.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Amarnath, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
12. Jonty Rhodes
Full Name: Jonathan Neil Rhodes
Born: July 27, 1969
Nationality: South African
Role: Batsman/Right Hand Batsman
Biography: Jonty Rhodes (born Jonathan Neil Rhodes) is a former South African cricketer. This right-handed batsman is regarded as one of the best fielders of all time, and no one has ever fielded in backward point position better than him. In the 1990s and 2000s, his name became synonymous with fitness and athleticism on the cricket field.
Remarkable Career: His match-winning innings against Australia in 1997 was 83 runs in 76 balls. He scored 95 off 94 balls a year later to help his team win the ODI series against Pakistan. On 15 January 1999, he scored 103* against the West Indies in one of the best Test innings ever.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Rhodes, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
13. Adam Gilchrist
Full Name: Adam Craig Gilchrist
Born: November 14, 1971
Nationality: Australian
Role: Wicket-keeper-batsman, Left handed Batsman, Right-arm off break Bowler
Biography: Adam Gilchrist is the name that epitomises the passion and grit of the invincible Australian team of the 2000s, as well as a high level of gentlemanly behaviour both on and off the field. In cricket, he is known as Gilly and is credited with changing the game for the better with his aggressive stroke-play and athleticism. Gilchrist was the spearhead of the mighty Australian team when they reigned supreme, earning the title of “World’s Scariest Batsman” in a poll of international bowlers in 2004.
Remarkable Career: Gilchrist’s Test cricket highlights include a devastating double century against South Africa in 2001, when he hit 204 off just 213 balls, then the fastest double tone in Test cricket. Gilchrist didn’t just deflect attacks; he subjugated them. In 2001, his 122 against India lifted Australia from a shambolic 99/5 to a 173-run lead.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Adam, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
14. Shane Warne
Full Name: Shane Keith Warne
Born: September 13, 1969
Nationality: Australian
Role: Right-handed Batsman, Right-arm leg break, Leg spin bowler
Biography: Shane Warne is a former Australian cricketer who is widely regarded as the game’s greatest leg spinner. Warne was a leg break bowler who bowled with his right arm. By popular consensus, his ball, which perplexed Mike Gatting in 1993, is regarded as the greatest bowling delivery ever.
Until 2007, he held the record for most Test wickets (708). He has been named Wisden Cricketer of the Year twice in the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, as well as Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World twice.
Remarkable Career: Warne took 12 wickets in the second Test match against South Africa on January 2, 1994, establishing himself as a key part of the Australian bowling attack. One of his best performances came against England in Brisbane in 1994, when he took 8/71 in a match where the English had to chase 508 runs but fell short by 184 runs due to Warne’s heroics.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Warne, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
15. Vinoo Mankad
Full Name: Mulvantrai Himmatlal “Vinoo” Mankad
Born: 12 April 1917
Nationality: Indian
Role: Right-handed Batsman
Biography: Mulvantrai Himmatlal Mankad, also known as Vinoo Mankad, was one of India’s greatest all-rounders. From 1946 to 1959, he was an international cricketer for India. Prior to Kapil Dev, he is widely regarded as the first great all-rounder. He had excellent concentration and defence, and he could hit the ball hard when needed. He was perhaps the first Indian batsman to loft balls into vacant areas in the outfield without attempting to clear the ground, thanks to his good cover drive and strong leg side strokes.
Remarkable Career: The Indian opening batsman to score 231 runs, which was the highest score by an Indian Test player at that time. Vinoo went on to play 44 test matches for India between 1946 and 1959 and was inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame in 2021.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Vinod, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
16. Virender Sehwag
Full Name: Virender Sehwag
Born: October 20, 1978
Nationality: Indian
Role: Opening Batsman/Right Hand Batsman
Biography: Virender Sehwag has gracefully earned the title of one of the best batsmen the world has ever seen. He was the fearless Indian opening batsman who revolutionized the definition and style of Indian cricket opening batsmanship.
Sehwag, who was born in Najafgarh, Delhi, was known around the world for his explosive batting. The Indian national team, Asia XI, Delhi, Delhi Daredevils, ICC World XI, India Blue, Kings XI Punjab, Leicestershire, Marylebone Cricket Club, and others are among the major teams for which he has played.
Remarkable Career: His ascension to greatness came when he scored 114 runs off 87 balls against Bermuda, leading India to victory in the 2007 World Cup, which was India’s only victory. Sehwag went on to become the only Indian to score two triple centuries for India, as well as the highest ODI run-scorer for a brief period.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Sehwag, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
17. Brendon McCullum
Full Name: Brendon Barrie McCullum
Born: September 27, 1981
Nationality: New Zealand
Role: Opening Batsman/Right Hand Batsman
Biography: Brendon Barrie McCullum, better known by his nickname “Baz,” is a former New Zealand international cricketer. Born into a cricketing family, he has gone on to become one of his country’s most decorated cricketers. With his quick reflexes and flexibility, he is considered one of the best fielders in cricket. During the tri-nation VB series in January 2002, McCullum made his ODI debut for New Zealand against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Remarkable Career: In his last Test appearance on February 20, 2016, McCullum scored the fastest ever Test century in 54 balls. In a Test match, he became the first New Zealander to score a triple century. He also made history by becoming the first New Zealander to score 1000 test runs in a calendar year, with 1164 runs in 2014.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Brendon, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
18. Sourav Ganguly
Full Name: Sourav Chandidas Ganguly
Born: July 8, 1972
Nationality: Indian
Role: Former Indian Captain, Left-Handed Batsman
Biography: Sourav Ganguly, nicknamed Dada of the Indian cricket. If anyone can be attributed to bringing the fire into the belly of Indian cricket then it has to be the ex-Indian cricket captain. Whether it was giving an earful back to any opponent trying to bully the team, to taking off his shirt and swinging it on the Lord’s balcony, the passion that this player had for cricket and for India, was second to none. Sourav Ganguly is a former Indian cricket captain and the country’s second-highest ODI run scorer. Because of his exceptional skill at playing shots on the off side, he was dubbed the “God of Offside.”
Remarkable Career: At Lord’s, he made his test debut and scored the highest score (131) by any batsman on debut. In the first innings of his second test, he scored another century, becoming only the third batsman in history to score centuries in both innings of their career.
From 1997 to the 1999 World Cup, Ganguly scored 1533 test runs, including four hundred and eight fifties, and 3237 ODI runs, including six hundred and twenty-three fifties. During the 1999 World Cup, he had his best ODI score of 183 runs.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Ganguly, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
19. Glenn McGrath
Full Name: Glenn Donald McGrath
Born: February 9, 1970
Nationality: Australia
Role: Bowler/Right arm fast-medium, Right-handed Batsman
Biography: Glenn McGrath, famously called Pigeon or Pidge for short by his teammates, has been one of the deadliest fast bowlers to have played the game of Cricket. He was not known for his speed but accuracy and consistency which often ended up frustrating the batsmen who in irritation to being unable to move the scoreboard, will end up challenging him and throwing away their wicket.
Remarkable Career: He won three World Cups in a row, becoming the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history in the process. McGrath finished his Test career with 563 wickets, second most for an Australian behind Shane Warne and the most by a fast bowler in the game’s history.
Career in Glimpse: To know about the cricket career of Glenn, listen to our sports podcast, “The Cricket Legends- Best Cricketers in the world of all time”.
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