Top 10 Best Cricketers in the World (2025)

Cricket has been played in a different way than it was started back in the 16th century. The game has evolved a lot over the years, and the changes in the dynamics of the game have entertained the fans and the players as well. However, modern-day cricket has shifted its gears to the batters as they get more importance than the bowlers. The pitches and the ground diameters have been shortened so the batters can score easy runs.

Over the years, many players have made their names in the game of cricket. But there have also been cricketers in every era who have made a name for themselves and the country. From sensational batters to amazing bowlers and gun fielders, these players have left an indelible mark on the game and inspired generations of fans. It is a tough job to shortlist and find out the answer to one of the most asked questions: who is the best cricketer in the world?

How We Ranked the Best Cricketers in the World?

We are ranking the best cricketer in the world in consistency, impact, batting, and bowling performances for their country. We have players with sustained excellence and the impact they created for their country and in the game as well. Along with the players who redefined the game through style or skill innovation, and with great leadership and tactical brilliance, they changed the matches of their own.

• ICC Format Rating Composite: We use each player’s highest ICC rating (Test, ODI, or T20I) on the 0–1000 scale to reflect peak impact; this weighted average favours all-format excellence.
• Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy Votes: Annual ICC award results (voting by captains, media, and fans) contribute up to 15 % of the final ranking, spotlighting peer-validated greatness.

Best Cricketers in the World – Top 10 Comprehensive Table

Who is the Best Cricketer in the World?

In 2025, the world's best cricketer is the dynamic all-rounder who shines in all formats, including Test, ODI, and T20. These players score big runs with an aggressive batting approach, hitting powerful shots and building stable innings when needed. Some of them are also bowl smartly, taking key wickets with pace or spin. The fielding has also become an integral part, as they are also judged based on their overall fielding efforts. Their ability to perform under pressure in big matches makes them a game-changer. Virat Kohli, Joe Root are the top contenders for the best cricketer in the world. However, let's find out the answer to who is the best cricketer in the world.

10. Ricky Ponting | Australia

Ricky Ponting was one of the best cricket player in the world. He was a fantastic batter of his era. The former Australian skipper is the only captain to win the ICC ODI World Cup twice in his career. He has amassed by scoring over 27,000 international runs and is considered one of the game’s greats because of his aggressive captaincy and outstanding batting.

For nearly two decades, he was one of the finest Australian cricketers of all time. He has scored the third most number of centuries in international cricket with 71 tons beside his name. Ponting has a total of 13,704 runs in 375 matches for the Aussies in ODI. Along with this, he has 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries in the 50-over format of the game.

9. Wasim Akram | Pakistan

Wasim Akram is one of the best cricket player in the world. The former Pakistan skipper took 916 international wickets and was a threat to batters due to his skill with swing bowling, both conventional and reverse. He also played a vital role in Pakistan’s World Cup victory in 1992. He made a serious impact in the game with his skill, and the trio of Wasim, Waqar Shoaib terrorised the batting team with their lethal bowling.

He was named the “Sultan of Swing”. Due to his ability to swing the ball both ways. Akram has also been a decent batter lower down the order and has over 6,000 runs across formats he has featured in. Later on, he was the only Pakistani cricketer to be named in an all-time Test World XI to mark the 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

8. Brian Lara | West Indies

Brian Charles Lara was one of the most stylish batters of all time. The fans were mesmerised by his elegance and strokeplay. Lara is the only captain for the West Indies to win the ICC 50-over format Trophy. He led the side to the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004. He was also the highest run-getter in Test match cricket till Sachin Tendulkar surpassed him and achieved the 12,000 runs mark.

Lara achieved many successes in the longest format of the game. He is the only batter to score 400* runs in an innings, it is still the highest-ever individual score by a batter in the traditional format of the game. His legacy has been unmatched in the West Indies and world cricket. He was able to dominate bowlers with a style that made him different from others. He is among the best cricketer in the world.

7. Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka

Muttiah Muralidaran is the highest wicket-taker of all time in the red ball format, which makes him one of the best cricketer in world. He has picked up 800 wickets in the longest format of the game. The Sri Lankan off-spinner is known for his decisive doosra and was a nightmare for the batters. He played for 18 years for the side, featuring in 350 ODIs and won the World Cup in 1996 for the side as well.

Murali has been an icon of the game and has been the idol for many young cricketers. He picked up 534 wickets in the 50-over format. He bowled some of the greatest in world cricket from Sachin to Lara, he created trouble for these legendary batters, and they always talk about the most difficult bowler they have ever faced was him.

6. Jacques Kallis | South Africa

Jacques Kallis is the greatest South African player. He was underrated and did not get the fame he should have gotten. He is the only Protea 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. This showcased his talent with bat and ball, as he was a match-winner for his side.

He holds the record for most Test centuries by a South African and is known for his classic, methodical batting and versatile bowling, which makes him one of the best cricketer of the world. Other than that, he was also an exceptional fielder for the side. His international career lasted for more than two decades, and he also helped South Africa win their only ICC Trophy, which was then the ICC Knockout Cup, back in 1998.

5. Shane Warne | Australia

Shane Warne, the greatest leg-spinner in world cricket, was exceptional with his bowling. He remains among one of the best cricketer of the world. His mastery of leg-spin created havoc for the batters as they had no answers to it. Warne’s ball against Mike Gatting, which turned from leg stump to clip off the off-stump, was named as the ball of the century.

He has been part of Australia’s greatest-ever side across formats. Warne appeared in 145 Tests, picking 708 wickets, and set the record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in Test cricket, a record he held until 2007 when Muttiah Muralidaran surpassed his record. During 2000, he was one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, and the only specialist bowler selected.

4. Sir Vivian Richards | West Indies

Viv Richards was one of the most destructive batters of his era. The West Indies superstar had a different aura during his playing days. His aggressive attitude and ability to dominate bowlers, helped the West Indies win many games. Sir Viv averaged a remarkable 66.51 with the bat in the red ball format. His aura during the 1970s to 1990s was different, which makes him one of the world best cricketer of all time.

He is regarded as the greatest West Indies batter ever. Sir Viv played for more than a decade and had numerous records under his belt. The bowlers had a nightmare bowling to him in the match. The former West Indies batter is the fastest West Indian to score 5000 runs in the ODI format.

3. Sir Garfield Sobers | West Indies

Sir Garfield Sobers will always be regarded as the greatest West Indies cricketer of all time. He is widely regarded as one of the best cricketer in the world, having been a highly talented bowler, an aggressive batter, and an excellent fielder. He featured for the side from 1954 to 1974. He laid the foundation for the Caribbean nation that won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979.

He was the first-ever batter to hit six sixes in a single over of six consecutive balls in first-class cricket. His versatility helped him to bowl all kinds of deliveries of left-arm bowling from spin to fast-medium. Sobers also represented the football side of Barbados and was a solid left-back as well, as his tactical awareness helped him to become a good footballer.

2. Sir Donald Bradman | Australia

Sir Donald Bradman can be named as the best Australian cricketer of all time. His career Test batting average of 99.94 is considered to be the greatest achievement by any sportsman in any major sport. Bradman played 52 matches for the Aussies, scoring 6,996 runs and his highest score in 334. He had 13 hundreds in his test career, which was broken by Sunil Gavaskar.

Whenever there’s a discussion on cricket, Bradman’s name will always be taken into consideration. No batter is yet close to his amazing average, and it is nearly impossible to be broken in modern-day cricket, and this makes him one of the best cricketer in the world of all time.

1. Sachin Tendulkar | India

Sachin Tendulkar is the best cricketer in the world of all time. The ‘God of Cricket’ had a career of 24 years, which is an impossible milestone for any cricketer to achieve. He has the record for scoring the most international hundreds to his name. The former India captain has scored 100 international centuries. Sachin played in 463 matches for India, showcasing unparalleled consistency, and scored 18,426 runs in ODI cricket. His 51 Test centuries are also nearly impossible to achieve for any batter in modern-day cricket.

Tendulkar changed the dynamics of Indian cricket a whole generation got inspired by his batting style and started idolising the ‘Master Blaster’ from a young age as they wanted to become like him. Tendulkar was known for his run-scoring ability and has the most runs in international cricket, with more than 34,000 international runs he still tops the chart.

Best Cricketers by Format in 2025

Presently, in 2025, there are many cricketers across formats showcasing exceptional skills in each format of cricket. In Test cricket, many top batters have displayed their strong technique and consistency. While there are bowlers who have focused on line lengths, which has also helped them take wickets regularly. These players are in the category of the best cricketer in the world in Test Cricket.

In white ball cricket, new era batters have completely changed the dynamics of batting. Playing aggressive shots from ball 1 has become part of the plan now, while the bowlers now have to continuously vary their pace and line length to deceive the batters.

Despite all this, many players have excelled in their skills in each format, and we have listed below the top 5 best cricketers by format in 2025. These are the best cricketer in the world in the white ball and red ball cricket

Test Cricket:

ODI Cricket:

T20I Cricket: