In this post, we will check out the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
Cricket is a sport that is loved and celebrated all over the world. One of the most crucial aspects of the game is batting, which requires not only skill but also a lot of patience and perseverance.
Throughout the history of cricket, there have been several legendary batsmen who have left an indelible mark on the sport. These cricketers have not only broken records but have also inspired generations of young players to strive for excellence.
Determining the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history is not an easy task. It requires a comprehensive analysis of the player’s career statistics, their impact on the game, and the quality of opposition they faced.
However, certain players are undoubtedly more exceptional than others and have cemented their place as cricketing legends. In this article, we will delve into the lives and careers of the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
From the explosive hitting of modern-day players to the graceful stroke play of yesteryear, this list comprises some of the most dominant and awe-inspiring batsmen to have graced the cricket field.
Table of contents
Top 10 Best Batsmen of All Time In Cricket History
10. Wally Hammond
Wally Hammond is considered one of the best batsmen to have ever played cricket. He played Test cricket for England as well, where he was known for his ability to score quickly with both power and finesse.
He was considered to be the best English batsman of the 1930s by commentators and one of the best slip fielders ever.
With an average of 58.45 and 7249 runs. He was simply quite useful to the team during the Bradman era. He scored 22 tons in his 85 test match career.
His career total of runs was the highest in Test cricket until overshadowed by Colin Cowdrey in 1970.
his total of 22 Test centuries stayed an English record until Alastair Cook surpassed it in December 2012. Wally Hammond is number 10 in our list of top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
9. Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He is credited for having revolutionized one-day international cricket with his fierce batting technique in the mid-1990s, which commenced the hard-hitting modern-day batting technique of all nations.
He is considered one of the greatest attacking batsmen of all time, Jayasuriya is well known for his strong striking and match-winning all-round performances in all formats of the game.
Jayasuriya was an all-rounder, who had an international cricket career that spread over two decades.
He is the only player to score over 10,000 runs and picked more than 300 wickets in One Day International cricket and is also considered one of the best all-rounders in the history of the game. Sanath Jayasuriya is number 9 in our list of the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
8. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is an Indian international cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. Virat is the former captain of the Indian national cricket team and vice-captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He is often regarded as one of the best batsmen of his era and is widely considered one of the greatest all-format batsmen of all time.
Between 2013 and 2022, he captained the India cricket team in 213 matches across all three formats. With 40 wins out of 68 matches, Kohli is one of the most successful Indian Test captains.
In 2016, he was rated as one of the world’s most famous athletes by ESPN and one of the most valuable athlete brands by Forbes. Virat Kohli is number 8 in our list of the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
7. Brian Lara
Brian Lara is a former cricketer from Trinidad and Tobago. He was one of the greatest batsmen of all time, and he played for the West Indies cricket team.
He topped the Test batting rankings on several occasions and holds several cricketing records.
Lara also holds the record for the highest individual score in a Test innings after scoring 400 not out at Antigua during the 4th test against England in 2004.
Muttiah Muralitharan has hailed Lara as his most difficult opponent among all batsmen in the world. In September 2012 he was inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame.
6. Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis has been one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket. He is also one of the best batsmen of all time, as he has scored centuries in Test matches at every single ground in South Africa.
As of 2022, Kallis is the only cricketer in the history of the game to score more than 10,000 runs and take over 250 wickets in both ODI and Test match cricket.
Kallis was anointed Leading Cricketer in the World in 2008 Wisden for his performances in 2007 in addition to being the “ICC Test Player of the Year” and ICC Player of the Year in 2005.
In August 2020, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Jacques Kallis is number 6 in our list of the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
5. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting is a legend of the game, which makes him one of the best batsmen of all time. He’s also an Australian cricket legend, having played for his country more than anyone else in history.
He is the most successful captain in international cricket history, with 220 victories in 324 matches with a winning rate of 67.91%. Ponting is widely believed to be one of the best batsmen of the modern era.
He also captained the side to the victory at the 2003 and 2007 Cricket World Cups and was also a member of the 1999 World Cup winning team under Steve Waugh.
He led Australia to consecutive ICC Champions Trophy victories in 2006 and 2009. He was named “Cricketer of the Decade 2000” and was named in the country’s best Ashes XI in a Cricket Australia poll in 2017.
4. Garfield Sobers
Garfield Sobers was born in Bridgetown, Barbados. He is a highly trained bowler, an aggressive batsman, and an outstanding fielder, he is widely considered to be cricket’s greatest ever all-rounder and one of the greatest cricketers of all time.
Against Pakistan in 1958, Sobers scored his maiden Test century, moving to 365 not out and setting a new record for the highest individual score in an innings. His record was later broken by Brian Lara when he scored 375 in 1994.
Overall, Sobers played 93 Tests for the West Indies, scoring 8032 runs at an average of 57.78, and taking a total of 235 wickets at an average of 34.03.
He has the fifth-highest batting average in Test cricket in the list of cricketers with more than 5,000 runs. Garfield Sobers is number 4 in our list of the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
3. Viv Richards
The third-best batsman of all time is Viv Richards. He was a right-handed batsman and his best years were between 1976 and 1983 when he averaged an impressive 66.51 with the bat in test cricket.
Richards scored 8,540 runs in 121 Test matches at an average of 50.23, including 24 centuries. As a captain, he won 27 of 50 Test matches and lost only 8.
He also scored a total of 7,000 runs in One Day Internationals and more than 36,000 in first-class cricket.
In December 2002, he was chosen by Wisden as the greatest One Day International batsman and as the third greatest Test cricket batter.
In 2009, Richards was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Viv Richards is number 3 in our list of the top 10 best batsmen of all time in cricket history.
2. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is a retired Indian cricketer widely regarded as the greatest batsman of all time. He is the only player to have scored one hundred international centuries and holds numerous batting records including the highest number of runs in both test and ODI cricket.
Sachin has been named the greatest cricketer of all time by several publications; some consider him to be one of few players who can be called “God”.
He also holds the record for receiving most Man-of-the-match awards in International Cricket with all forms combined.
Wisden ranked him the second-greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Don Bradman, and the second-greatest ODI batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards.
In 2010, Time magazine enclosed Tendulkar in its annual Time 100 list as one of the most influential people in the world.
1. Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman nicknamed “The Don”, was an Australian international cricketer, widely recognized as the greatest batsman of all time.
Bradman’s career Test batting average of 99.94 has been noted as the greatest accomplishment by any sportsman in any major sport.
Before his 22nd birthday, he had set numerous records for top scoring, some of which still stand.
As a captain and administrator, Bradman was dedicated to attacking, and entertaining cricket and drew spectators in record numbers. In 2009, he was inducted as an inaugural member of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
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