Greatest Batsman of All Time: Top 10 Cricket Legends Ranked

Cricket is one of the most interesting and most played sports in the world, with millions of fans across the globe following this sport. Many changes have been made to the rules of cricket since the beginning of this sport, and most of them have made batting easier. Batsmen get more appraisal than the bowlers, as batsmen are the new faces of cricket. Pitches are also now becoming more batting-friendly than bowling. Batters are now seen as superheroes. In this article, we will cover the all-time best batsman in the world.

Criteria for Ranking the Greatest Batsmen:

There are some specific rankings on which we have done the ranking of the best batsman in the world. Because cricket has not been the same. Earlier, there were 2 bouncers allowed in an over, more fielders now have to be inside the 30-yard circle for most of the overs. The rules have been changed and made batting easier than before.

Here are the factors on which we will be ranking the best batters of all time:

• Total Number of matches played: The total number of matches played tells about the longevity of a player and how long that player played for his country and in his career. This will also describe how essential the batter was for his team.
• Total Runs Score: The total runs scored by the player should be the factor for selecting the best batters of all time, as this is the primary task of the batters to score runs in a game for the team.
• Batting Average in different formats: The batting average tells about the consistency of any batter, how consistent he has been in their career. A batter can only become an all-time great if he has performed consistently for his entire career.
• Number of centuries scored: In cricket, a player is only considered an all-time legend of this game if he has scored many centuries for his team. Cricket is a sport that is obsessed with records and centuries.

Top 10 Best Batsmen of All Time:

Cricket is a sport that is currently dominated by batters, but it wasn’t always this way. In the past, world-class bowlers often ruled the game and were like nightmares for batsmen. Despite the tough conditions, some batters stood out and consistently showed their class against even the most dangerous bowlers. We have ranked the greatest batters in cricket history and created a list of the top 10 best batsmen of all time.

10. Sir Jack Hobbs | England

Sir Jack Hobbs, who is widely known as “The Master,” comes in the 10th position on the list of the best batsman of all time with 61 test matches under his belt. He scored a total of 5410 runs with an average of 56.95, which was quite amazing as the rules of cricket were not in favour of batsmen at that time. He has scored 15 centuries in his career.

9. Sir Wally Hammond | England

One more English batter, Sir Wally Hammond, is at the 9th position in the list of the best batsman of all time. He made his debut in 1927 against South Africa. He has played a total of 85 test matches in his career, in which he has scored 7249 runs with an average of 58.4. He also scored 22 centuries in his career.

8. Ricky Ponting | Australia

One of the best Australian captains ever, Ricky Ponting, finds himself in the list of best batsmen ever in the 8th position with more than 500+ international matches for the Australian Team. He has scored more than 27000+ runs for his team. Ponting’s Test average is more than 50. He has scored a total of 71 centuries in his career. His pull shot is considered the perfect pull shot ever played by any batsman.

7. Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka

One of the most elegant Left-handed batsmen in the world, Kumar Sangakkara, comes in the 7th position in this list of the best batsmen in the world. He was an excellent stroke player, and the way he played the cover drives during his prime time was one of the most beautiful sights on the cricket ground ever witnessed by the fans and the players as well. Kumar Sangakkara has scored 12000+ runs in both ODIs and Tests with more than 50+ centuries.

6. Sunil Gavaskar | India

Sunil Gavaskar was statistically the most successful opening batsman and is perhaps one of the best openers of all time. His batting was distinguished by excellent technique, unwavering focus, and, most significantly, audacious nerve. In an age of the fearsome West Indies pacers, he used to play without a helmet. He did this for 16 years and scored over 10,000 Test runs.

5. Virat Kohli | India

Indian former captain Virat Kohli is the current world number one batsman, and in the list of the greatest batsman of all time, he is in the 5th position. He is called the King of Cricket by the fans. He has been the world no 1 batsman in all formats for a very long period of time. He was the only batter to have a 50+ average in all formats of cricket. He has played 500+ matches for the Indian team and scored 27000+ runs across all formats. Virat Kohli has scored the most number of centuries in ODIs with 51 centuries to his name. Recently, he became the fastest batsman to reach 14000 runs in ODIs.

4. Sir Vivian Richards | West Indies

Sir Vivian Richards, who is also known as the Boss of the Cricket Field, comes in the 4th position in the list of the greatest batsman of all time. His batting style was so destructive that bowlers were feared to bowl to him. He had that kind of aura at that time. He introduced a new way of batting in the cricketing world (fearless batting approach). He was so confident about his batting abilities that he never wore a helmet throughout his career. He has played 121 test matches and scored 8540 runs with an average of 50.24. He has also scored 24 centuries in tests.

3. Brian Lara | West Indies

Brian Lara comes in 3th position in the list of the greatest batsman of all time, he is a legendary player from the West Indies, also considered as the greatest left-hander to have ever played cricket. He played 131 test matches and scored 11953 runs in his career with an average of 52.89. He also scored a total of 34 centuries in his test career. He was one of the most talented batsmen ever.

2. Sachin Tendulkar | India

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar comes in the 2nd position in the list of the greatest batsman of all time; he is known as the “God of Cricket“. There was a time when every record related to batting was held by Sachin Tendulkar. He has played 200 test matches and scored 15,921 runs with an average of 53.78. He has a total of 51 test centuries to his name, which is the most by any cricketer. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was the first player to score a double century in ODIs against South Africa. Many records seem impossible to break by any other batsman ever. He has a total of 100 centuries to his name, including all the formats.

1. Sir Donald Bradman | Australia

The greatest Batsman of all time is none other than Sir Donald Bradman from Australia. He has a 20-year-long career. He has been an inspiration to many future stars like Sachin Tendulkar. He played in 52 test matches in his career and scored 6996 runs for his team. His career average is best among all the cricketers with 99.94, which could have been 100 if he hadn’t got out for a golden duck in his last match of his career. He scored a total of 29 centuries for his team.

List of Best Batsmen in the World:

Here is the complete list of the top 10 greatest batsman of all time, along with their career stats for the number of matches, career runs and the number of centuries scored by them.

Format-Specific Best Batsmen

Format-Specific Best Batsmen refers to the top-performing batsmen in each format of the game, whether it's the Test format, ODI format, or T20 format. Each format has its own style and challenges. Test cricket demands patience, technique, and mental strength for over five days. ODIs require a steady balance between scoring and quick running between the wickets for 50 overs. T20 cricket is fast and aggressive, where batsmen need to score quickly from the first ball. There are some players who are best in one format more than others, while some of them manage to succeed in all three formats of cricket.

Best Test Batsman of All Time

Test cricket is often called the purest form of the game, it is the true battle of skill, patience, and mental strength for every batter. Unlike shorter formats, Test matches demand consistency and class for over five long days, and only the very best rise to the top. Sir Donald Bradman’s unmatched average of 99.94 makes him the best test batsman of all time, not only him Brian Lara’s historic 400*, which is the highest individual Test score come among the most celebrated Test records. Some batsmen have engraved their names in cricketing history in bold letters. Legends like Sachin Tendulkar, with over 15,000 runs, and Ricky Ponting, known for his fearless stroke play, have defined eras of test batting. In this section, we are covering the best test batsman of all time who has created a legacy in red-ball cricket.

Best ODI Batsman of All Time

One-Day Internationals have given cricket some of its most thrilling moments, either its last-over finishes, record chases, to unforgettable centuries. In this fast-paced 50-over format, batsmen must balance aggression with control, and only a few have mastered this art at the highest level. Sachin Tendulkar, the "Master Blaster," was the first to score a double century in ODIs and still holds the record for most runs, 18,426. Virat Kohli is also there, who is known for his incredible consistency and unmatched fitness, especially in run-chases, which makes him the best ODI batsman of all time. Then there’s AB de Villiers, who once scored a 100 off just 31 balls, the fastest in ODI history. These legends didn’t just score runs, but also changed how the game was played. In this section, we are covering the best ODI batsman of all time.

Best T20 Batsman of All Time

T20 cricket is the most exciting and fast-paced form of the game, where every ball can change the match. This format has delivered some of cricket’s most thrilling moments, from massive sixes, fiery fifties, to jaw-dropping finishes. The nature of T20 batsmen is to be fearless, innovative, and consistent, and only a few players have truly mastered this art. Chris Gayle, who is known as the best T20 batsman of all time, has hit over 1,000 sixes in T20 cricket and holds the record for the highest individual score in the format with 175*. Virat Kohli, with his calculative risk-taking ability in pressure situations, makes him an outstanding T20I average of 51.75, and his ability to chase down totals has made him a finishing legend. Players like Rohit Sharma and David Warner, with their aggressive batting, have also changed the way the game is played in this format. In this section, we are covering the best T20 batsman of all time.