Godfather of Cricket: Who Holds the Title?

Cricket over the years has revolutionised. It has seen some massive changes across the formats of the game. The game started in a test format, then slowly shifted to limited overs. In modern-day, the game has become more towards the batters as they score runs easily with the new rules and pitches that now favour the batters. However, some bowlers have been clinical in these tough conditions as well.

W. G. Grace is often considered the pioneer of modern cricket. He transformed the sport in the 19th century with his batting technique, sportsmanship, and influence over the game’s regulations. He had over 54,000 first-class runs. But who is godfather of cricket? However, there are other cricketers who, over the years, have been the best in their era.

The name Godfather originated by combining two words, God and Father. A father is responsible for his kid, and every individual on Earth is God’s son. In cricket, a godfather is a player who not only earned personal fame and success but also inspired several talented young players and built a strong reputation. So we dive in to find out who is the godfather of cricket.

Who Is The Godfather Of Cricket?

The term “Godfather” is self-defined as it refers to a highly influential and respected figure in cricket. In this article, we will cover the top 5 legends of this game of all time. We have ranked them on the basis of their statistical data as well as on their impact in this sport.

5. MS Dhoni | India

MS Dhoni is the most successful captain of India and the world as well. He is the only captain to win all the ICC trophies. He is arguably one of the best limited-overs captains for the side. He has a calm and composed nature and has won many matches for India with the bat in crunch situations. He was named ‘Captain Cool’ because of his ability to stay calm and collected under pressure. He is considered as godfather of cricket in India.

In his 15 years of a long international career, he won the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, the ICC ODI World Cup 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He has retired from international cricket, but continues to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings. He has numerous batting and wicket-keeping records under him. He has 5 IPL trophies to his name, that's why he is called the godfather of cricket in IPL.

In the 18th season of the IPL, he started the tournament as a player; however, after the 5th match, CSK's captain Ruturaj Gaikwad got injured, and MS Dhoni took over the captaincy once again. This marked his return as CSK's captain for the first time since the 2023 IPL final. He is often referred to as the God of IPL.

Batting Stats across formats

Key Achievements and Records

• First Indian Captain to win all ICC titles
• 6th most catches in a Test innings – 6
• 5th player with the most dismissals as a wicketkeeper in test cricket – 294
• Most dismissals in an innings in ODIs – 6
• Most stumpings in an innings in ODIs -3

4. Sachin Tendulkar | India

Sachin Tendulkar is called the God of Cricket. Every other person from the 1990s era to the early 2000s started playing cricket and idolised him. Tendulkar was known for his run-scoring ability and has the most runs in international cricket. He also has the most centuries in international cricket. The former India captain has 100 international centuries.

Sachin played for nearly 24 years and scored over 18,000 runs in ODI cricket. The Master Blaster has featured in 463 matches for India, showcasing unparalleled consistency that helped him to play for such a long time for the nation. He can also be called the Godfather of Cricket.

Test and ODI Batting Stats

3. Sir Vivian Richards | West Indies

Vivian Richards had a different aura during his prime. He 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 two World Cups in 1975 and 1979. Sir Viv averaged a remarkable 66.51 with the bat in the red ball format. He will remain as the greatest batter for the Windies.

He played for more than a decade and had numerous records under his belt. During the early days, he was an explosive hitter of the ball, and this is the reason he found it easy while playing in white ball cricket. He remains the fastest Windies batter, scoring 5000 runs in the ODI format. He became the first player to score a fifty and to take a five-wicket haul in the same ODI.

Test and ODI Batting Stats

Key Achievements and Records

• Won ICC ODI World Cup twice – 1975 & 1979
• 3rd fastest batter to reach 5000 runs in Test Cricket – 95
• 3rd fastest batter to reach 5000 runs in ODI Cricket – 114
• 2nd batter to score most runs in a calendar year– 1710
• 2nd batter to score the most hundreds in a calendar year – 7

2. Sir Garfield Sobers | West Indies

Sir Garfield Sobers was regarded as the greatest West Indies cricketer of all time. He is widely regarded as cricket’s greatest-ever all-rounder, having been a highly talented bowler, an aggressive batter, and an excellent fielder. He featured for the side from 1954 to 1974, which is nearly two decades. He played for the Windies, creating several records.

Sobers 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. He also played football for Barbados, and his physical strength and tactical awareness made him an amazing footballer for the nation as well.

Test Batting and Bowling Stats

Key Achievements and Records

• 2nd fastest batter to reach 6000 runs in test cricket – 111 innings
• 2nd best economy rate in a test match – 0.21
• 6th batter to score the most number of consecutive hundreds, including all formats – 3
• 8th player to play the most consecutive matches as captain of a team in test cricket – 39
• 7th batter to score most fifties in consecutive innings of a test match – 6

1. Sir Donald Bradman | Australia

Sir Donald Bradman is the best Australian cricketer of all time. He can be regarded as the God father of Cricket. His career Test batting average of 99.94 is considered to be the greatest achievement by any sportsman in any major sport. No batter is yet close to his amazing average, and it is nearly impossible to be broken in modern-day cricket.

Bradman played 52 matches for the Aussies, scoring 6,996 runs, and his highest score was 334. He had 13 hundred and 29 fifties in his 20-year career. The former Australian captain has many records under his name, which are nearly impossible to break.

Test Batting Stats

Key Achievements and Records

• Highest Average in Test Cricket – 99.94
• Most runs in a series by a captain – 810
• Fastest batter to score 6000 runs in Cricket – 68 Innings
• 3rd batter to score the most fours in an Innings – 46
• First Batter to score hundreds in consecutive matches in Tests+ODIs+T20s – 6

Who is Godfather of Cricket?

To find out the answer to who is godfather of cricket which we have done a statistical comparison of the top 5 contenders for the godfather of cricket:

Godfather of Cricket in India

Who is the godfather of cricket in India? The answer to this question is very complex. India's cricketing landscape has changed over the years, and the legends who played a crucial role in this are recognised as the "Godfathers of Cricket in India," including Sachin Tendulkar, the "Master Blaster," who holds countless records. Sunil Gavaskar, the first to 10,000 Test runs, set a strong foundation. Kapil Dev, who led India to its first World Cup in 1983. MS Dhoni has won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy, which puts him in the list of the godfather of cricket in India. Virat Kohli’s aggressive style led to big wins, like the 2018 Test series in Australia and many more, which can't be counted on fingers.

Here is the statistical comparison among the top 5 contenders for the godfather of cricket in India:

Godfather of Cricket in IPL

The Indian Premier League has been crafted by some of the legends of this league, including some iconic players. "Thala " MS Dhoni is the leader of the pack of the "Godfather of Cricket in IPL. He has been an exceptional captain and finisher for Chennai Super Kings over the years, which led CSK to 5 trophies. Virat Kohli, the highest run-scorer in IPL history, has been the face of Royal Challengers Bangalore with his aggressive batting, while Rohit Sharma has led Mumbai Indians (MI) to a record five championships, making him one of the most successful IPL captains. Cricketer who is known as the Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina, was the main pillar of CSK's batting for many seasons with his consistency and quick scoring. Shikhar Dhawan is one of the most consistent openers in IPL history, he was known for his aggressive starts and match-winning knocks across multiple franchises. These five stars have set new benchmarks and defined IPL's legacy.

Here is the statistical comparison among the top 5 contenders for the godfather of cricket in IPL: