Top 15 Cricket Commentators in the World 2025-26 - Updated

Commentary is a vital part of any sport, and over the years, it has become an art. A good cricket commentator adds drama to the game with insightful contributions and keeps the viewer hooked and longing for more. In recent years, cricket has been blessed with plenty of good cricket commentators with different styles to express the ongoing game, along with giving extra information and keeping the viewers entertained throughout the match. These cricket commentators always add an extra craze to the game, which gives a feeling of watching and enjoying a match on the ground itself. There are many cricket commentators whose words stick with the viewers for a very long time, for instance, Jatin Sapru's commentary in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, where he got famous for his commentary of “Long off, Long Off, Long Off." In this article, we will be discussing the top 15 best cricket commentators in the world.

How We Ranked Best Cricket Commentators - Ranking Factors

There are many cricket commentators in the International circuit, but some of them have left a legacy behind them for their commentating skills. We will list down the best cricket commentators in the world based on some ranking factors. This includes:

Commentary Skill & Articulation: Commentary Skill & Articulation is the skill of commentary in a proper way and fluently, where the commentator should not fumble while talking and deliver accurate information to the viewers. These skills help in understanding the caliber of a cricket commentator, whether he can do commentary properly or not. A skilled commentator should be able to express their ideas concisely and clearly.

Cricketing Knowledge & Insight: This helps in understanding the cricketing knowledge and insight of the commentators, where the commentator should have a good knowledge of the game for a better output. They must be able to evaluate the match and offer perceptive analysis of the tactics and methods employed by the cricket players. Even if a broadcaster has a personal bias or support for a team or player, they should be able to maintain objectivity and neutrality. In order to engage the audience and aid in their understanding of the game, they should be able to explain the action on the field.

Popularity with Audience: Popularity with Audience tells us how famous the commentator is, and how much the viewers want to listen for the knowledge and entertainment. This involves the fan base of the commentators by how much they can contribute to expressing the game.

International Exposure: International exposure involves the experience of the commentator in covering every kind of match, including international as well as domestic. This involves:

• Number and Types of Events Covered: This tells the number of times the commentator has covered the specific and different types of events, like major ICC tournaments, IPL, BBL, and even famous bilateral series.
• Multi-format Versatility: This helps in understanding how well the commentator can adjust in different formats, where test matches involve a long determination to the game and patience to engage viewers for a very long time, in ODIs, the commentator has to engage for almost 100 overs of the game with not letting viewer bored of the game, in T20Is, the commentator has to engage with the audience for a short period but with utmost entertainment in the game.

Top 15 Best Cricket Commentators in the World 2025-26 - Updated List

Over the years, we have seen many come and go in the commentary panel in both international and domestic cricket. Here is the list of the top 15 cricket commentators who made it worth it to open the TV and listening to their explanations:

Who is the Best Cricket Commentator in the World Currently?

A cricket commentator always adds an extra essence to the game with the knowledge possessed into the game along with insightful thoughts. A commentator is the one who always puts in an extra effort to make viewers enjoy the game more. The job of commentary is not an easy one, where one has to engage with proper skills, tone, and timing in explaining the live game on the spot. Here are some of the famous cricket commentators who have left a mark in this art.

15) Ian Smith

Ian Smith, the former New Zealand cricketer, worked in banking. After retirement from there, he started his career in cricket commentary. Ian Smith began his career with Radio Live Sports for the breakfast show. After this stint, Sky Sports roped him in to commentate on cricket and rugby matches. He did this job wonderfully and began to come up through the ranks. Smith delivers a perfect voice with a thrill in it, and provides all the cricketing knowledge in the commentary. He has been exposed to international matches, mainly covering ICC tournaments. His commentary in the ICC World Cup 2019 got viral and has been listened to by everyone: “By the barest of all margins.” Smith can be identified from the crowd due to his vibrant voice and extraordinary enthusiasm, always managing to capture the drama taking place on the field.

14) Tony Cozier

Tony Cozier began his job in a commentary box in 1965. He was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and played club cricket for England. He did the job of commentary for over fifty years, where he was a part of BBC's test match special commentary panel, Channel Nine, and even Sky Sports. He used to describe the event so perfectly and was known for his statistical knowledge. His voice was strong and echoed a lot in the cricket world, and he is still remembered to be one of the best cricket commentators. On his death, the ICC also paid tribute to Cozier. The ICC tweeted, "Tony Cozier was one of the great voices of cricket. A big loss for the cricket community."

13) Lisa Sthalekar

Lisa Sthalekar is one of the best female commentators in the arena of cricket. As a cricketer, she has won the Cricket World Cup with the Australian women's team. But her story is not just limited to cricket. It shows the power of hard work, talent, and opportunity. She showcases good commenting skills with a deep understanding of the game as a player and provides analytics on strategy and gameplay. She has a good exposure of commentary covering various leagues like IPL, PSL, and many international matches. She has been putting emphasis on the importance of women's cricket and its future. From being abandoned as a young child to reaching heights in international cricket, her journey is an example of struggle and success. Beyond the game, she is an inspiration to millions, showing that how we move forward matters more than our beginnings.

12) Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram is a big name among the best cricket commentators. The former Pakistan player was a legendary left-arm fast bowler who could bowl with vicious pace and could swing the ball both ways. He used to play for the Pakistan national cricket team and is considered one of the best fast bowlers of all time. After his retirement, he booked his seat in the commentary box and showcased his skills through the mic also. He has been very good in explaining the course of the game with the experience of being a fast bowler and sharing insights on fast bowling. He has always been seen in a jovial mood, keeping the fun environment in the commentary box. He puts his thoughts well through commentating and also criticizes the Pakistani team when required. His lucid explanations are appreciated worldwide, and he is regarded as one of the best in the business.

11) Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell is a legendary name in the list of cricket commentators. Chappell scored 5345 runs in Test cricket as a top-order batsman between 1964 and 1980. He also captained Australia in 30 Test matches. The Australian legend played 30 ODIs and became a commentator after retiring from cricket. He was known for his blunt commentary style and for providing deep knowledge about the game of cricket. He was a part of various channels in his commentary career, including 0-10 Network, BBC, Channel Nine, and even ABC Radio before his retirement. He used to cover the major ICC tournaments and has a lot of exposure in the field of commentary. In 2022, has decided to say goodbye to cricket commentary after holding the mic for almost 45 years.

10) Isa Guha

Isha ​​Guha is an English commentator, one of those female cricket commentators who has made her name in the commentary world. As a cricketer, she played in the 2005 South Africa World Cup and the 2009 Australia World Cup. The former England captain is of Indian origin. Her parents, Barun Guha and Roma Deb, moved from Kolkata to the UK in the 1970s. Isha was the first player of Indian origin to represent England. She has worked with the BBC and is currently with Fox Sports, covering BBL and other major international matches. She is known for giving good game insights as a former player. She was recently criticized for passing a comment on Jasprit Bumrah during the BGT series, where she referred to him as "most valuable primate." She is considered to be one of the best female cricket commentators.

9) Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar is another big name in the commentary world. Before taking up the mic, Manjrekar was a prolific batter for India. Sanjay Manjrekar was born in Mangalore, Karnataka, in the year 1965. His father's name was Vijay Manjrekar, and he was one of the best batsmen of India in that era. At the age of 32, Sanjay Manjrekar hung up his boots, joined the media industry, and began appearing as a cricket pundit, advisor, and commentator. He has been active in commentary for the last recent years, where he has been covering a lot of international matches as well as the IPL. He is known for his commentary style, where he has also faced backlash as he criticized Ravindra Jadeja. He was removed from the commentary panel of IPL 2025.

8) Geoffrey Boycott

Yorkshire and England cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott can be termed as one of the best commentators of all time. Boycott scored a brilliant 151 first-class centuries in his 25-year career. He played 108 Test matches for England and retired from cricket in 1982. His voice the the synonym of cricket. Though he has given up his job as a commentator due to throat cancer, his legacy is still thriving brilliantly. He was first diagnosed with throat cancer in the year 2002 at the age of 62 and was given only three months to live without any immediate treatment. The English commentator had to undergo 35 chemotherapy sessions to get rid of the terminal disease. He had a very unique analytical style of commentary with focusing on giving in-depth information about the game. He used to work with Talksport and the BBC. He is one of the best cricket commentators in the history of cricket.

7) Michael Holding

Michael Holding is one of the illustrious cricket commentators of all time. Michael Holding played a total of 60 Tests and 102 ODIs in his international career. During this time, he took 249 wickets in the longest format of cricket, while he took a total of 142 wickets in ODIs. He was part of Sky Sports' commentary panel for the last 20 years. Given his advancing age and busy cricket schedule, he has announced his retirement from commentary. He was known for his bold commentary and was a part of various international matches. He also criticized West Indian players like Chris Gayle for prioritizing IPL over the national side, and also the BCCI for having a lot of power in cricket.

6) Sunil Gavaskar

The original ‘Little Master’ of cricket is an exceptional name in the cricketing world. As a batsman, he was considered the best in his era, while as a commentator, he gained the same fame. Gavaskar retired from cricket in 1987 and ventured his way in world cricket commentary. Sunny excelled not only as a commentator but also as an analyst and a columnist. Gavaskar also served as the chairman of the ICC cricket committee and is hugely regarded as a cricket commentator for his proficiency. He is one the those cricket commentators who provide proper analysis of the game with an in-depth understanding of it. He has been involved in all important international matches as well as in the IPL. His iconic celebration after winning the IND vs PAK in the T20 World Cup 2022 is still remembered, as he was part of the commentary panel.

5) Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra is a famous name in the Indian cricket world, who started his career as a cricketer and later became the best Hindi commentator in cricket. His journey on the cricket field may not have been long, but he has made his own identity in the world of commentary. Now, he is earning crores from commentary, YouTube, and brand endorsements. Aakash Chopra is one of the famous cricket commentators in India today. He has good experience working with Star Sports and Viacom 18 Network, covering major international matches, ICC tournaments, as well as the IPL. He possesses a great in-depth knowledge in understanding the game of cricket, along with using humorous lines and setting a fun atmosphere. He also does match reviews on his YouTube channel, which brings in a good income, making him one of the loved cricket commentators in India.

4) Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri is a name to reckon with in the cricketing world. Ravi Shastri, who was the coach of the Indian team for a long time, has also made a lot of fans during commentary. He is a very bold, enthusiastic, and passionate commentator who even uncovered anecdotes of Indian cricket while commenting. He has good experience in both international and domestic setups up where he is at the top priority in the commentary panel list of the ICC tournaments as well as the IPL. On many historical occasions, Ravi Shastri's voice was the voice of Indian cricket. His voice is also known to Indian cricket fans as he commented in English on the occasion of Yuvraj Singh hitting 6 sixes in 6 balls to Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup as well as during the ICC World Cup 2011 when Indian won the match, “Dhoni finishes off in style". He is regarded as one of the best in the business and the top cricket commentator.

3) David Lloyd

David Lloyd played the role of commentator for more than two decades and is one of the best of all time. Lloyd played nine Tests and eight ODIs for England between 1973 and 1980. He scored a century each in both formats, including an unbeaten 214 in his second Test against India at Edgbaston in July 1974. He joined the Sky Sports team in 1999. After this, he became a familiar voice in cricket coverage. He commented on many important matches, including the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in 2015, in which Stuart Broad took eight wickets for 15 runs and England bowled out Australia for 60 runs on the first morning. He has a very entertaining and engaging style of commentary, which is loved by a lot of fans around the globe. He has experience in commentary for many international matches. He always tries to give a personalized touch to his commentary as a former cricketer. He is one of the famous cricket commentators.

2) Harsha Bhogle

Harsha Bhogle is one of the best cricket commentators of all time. Harsha started his career at the age of 19. He started working with All India Radio. He was living in Hyderabad then. In the 1991-1992 season, he was asked by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to do his commentary job on a cricket series in India. Since 2009, Harsha has covered every Indian Premier League season. He has worked with several media houses like ESPN, Star Sports, and even the BBC, covering many key matches in the international set-up and the IPL. He is famous for providing a deep analysis of the game and easily connecting with the fans. He is known for his excellent commentary skills and is one of the best and top-rated cricket commentators.

1) Richie Benaud

In the list of the best cricket commentators in the world, Richie Benaud holds a mammoth presence. Before becoming a commentator, Benaud was a brilliant leg-spinner with 248 wickets to his name and a useful batsman who scored 2201 runs. Benaud became even more influential first as a captain and then as a commentator after retirement. The Australian legend became a full-time journalist and commentator after retiring in 1963. He worked at Channel Four for 42 years, retiring in 2005, and worked for Australia's Channel Nine before he passed away in 2015. He was one of those commentators who used to appreciate the players for their play and showed determination in commentary. He was part of many important international matches and is the top-rated cricket commentator.

Who is the Most Popular Cricket Commentators of All Time?

There have been many rising cricket commentators in recent years, but the most popular cricket commentator of all time is Tony Greig. The former England captain chose to continue this line after retirement, where he worked for Channel 9. He is well-known for his engaging style of commentary with humour added to it. The style followed by him connects the fans well and makes them enjoy the game even more. He was part of many iconic international matches and is famous for his commentary since those days. He left his mark in the commentary and is still considered to be the best cricket commentator of all time.