Top 10 Greatest Cricket Batsmen of All Time

India

The original “Little Master” is arguably the greatest opener the game has ever seen. Gavaskar dominated at a time when the cricket world was blessed with lethal fast bowlers like Imran Khan, Joel Garner, Dennis Lillee, and more. Gavaskar not only played the new ball fearlessly but even did so without putting a helmet on which most batsmen would have considered a death wish. The Indian legend ended the game with the greatest tally of Test runs seen at the time, along with the largest number of centuries by any batsman. It’s true that he took his time to get into the groove of ODI cricket, but his resiliency remains one for the ages even decades after his retirement.

South Africa

Kallis would be a shoo-in to be named the greatest cricketer ever for his achievements as an all-rounder. But the South African would have easily found a place in the team as a pure Batsman as well, boasting the greatest run tally and batting averages for his country. Kallis’ numbers may have soared because he didn’t face the world-class bowlers in his own team, but he dominated the fearsome pace attacks of teams like Pakistan and Australia on their home grounds. Kallis also has the honor of leading South Africa to their only major title so far, becoming the Player of the Tournament in the 1998 ICC Champions Trophy. Considering his Test average exceeds players like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, his mastery with the bat is unquestionable.

Pakistan

The greatest six of all time immortalized Javed Miandad into cricketing history, as he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. But Miandad’s achievements go far beyond that moment, becoming the greatest batsman Pakistan has ever produced. Such was Miandad’s mastery with the bat that, over the course of 124 Tests, his average never dropped below 50. His flamboyant attitude fills up highlight reels as well, making him among the most entertaining players to watch. His versatility was evident when he skillfully embraced the ODI format, pioneering the format as an aggressive run-scorer. Miandad’s shot selection ranged everywhere from slogging to beautiful cover drives, leaving no stone unturned where the art of batting is concerned.

Sri Lanka

While batsmen usually lose their powers at the end of their career, Kumar Sangakkara just got better. The Sri Lanka legend was piling on centuries right until his final match when he retired on his own terms. Sangakkara gradually honed his batting abilities to become a pure striker who was effective against both pace and spin. His positive style of play was evident with his tendency to play on the front foot, as Sangakkara went on to score 11 Test double centuries. Among modern-day greats, he arguably adjusted best to the T20 format, fittingly winning the World Cup in his last match in the format. He may have been a wicketkeeper, but Sangakkara was an allrounder when it came to being a batsman.

Australia

During his peak, Ricky Ponting was an absolute run machine who frequently scored over a 1000 Test runs in a calendar year. For a time, simply dismissing Ponting was considered half a victory for the opposing team. Ponting’s knack for playing big innings saw him stay on the crease for hours on end. It’s even more impressive considering he always played attacking hook and pull shots. He remains the second-highest run-scorer in Tests and within the top-3 in ODIs. Few can forget the twin hundreds in his 100th match and his incredible century in the 2003 World Cup final that brought glory to Australia. No player has tasted victory as many times as Ponting has, and the batsman was mostly responsible for steering Australia to these wins.

England

With an unbelievable 199 First-class centuries and over 61,000 runs, Jack Hobbs’ records will never be broken. At a time when bowling was considered a greater asset, Hobbs evolved the game by relying on footwork and a variety of shots to make batting an act of aggression. Hobbs is credited with initiating the mentality to create partnerships within the team, forging a legendary one with Herbert Sutcliffe. Although Hobbs is known for his ruthless manner of play, consistency was his primary factor, as he played dogged innings time and again to frustrate bowlers. His ability to adapt to all manners of playing styles and pitches makes it easy to speculate that Hobbs would have been just as successful in modern-day cricket as well.

West Indies

What are the odds for one man to hold the record for the highest individual score in Tests and First-class cricket? If you’re Brian Lara, then it comes as no surprise. With a penchant for massive scores, Lara made scores in excess of 150 a mind-boggling 19 times. His effortless stroke play carried a casual elegance, as Lara’s quick reaction time toward deliveries gave him a distinct advantage. “The Prince” was usually the lone wolf in the West Indian batting order that saw a decline in the ‘90s. Lara carried his team almost single-handedly, withstanding mighty bowling sides while his teammates fell. It’s no surprise that Lara was the highest run-scorer in Test cricket at the time of his retirement, with his unbeaten 400 still a world record.

West Indies

The person responsible for making cricket high-octane entertainment has to be the original Master Blaster. Viv Richards revolutionized batting through his pinch-hitting techniques, and walloping bowling attacks all across the ground for over a decade. It didn’t matter what the field setting was when the batsman was hitting them out of the park. Richards’ powerful strikes could change the course of a game within a single over, creating a feared reputation that lasts to this day. Richards’ peak saw him score a world record 1710 Test runs in a calendar year which remained intact for three decades. His daring attitude with the bat, coupled with his remarkable consistency makes him the greatest ODI batsman whose natural aggression put the format on the map.

India

No player has been a bigger icon of the sport than Sachin Tendulkar and it’s hard to see anyone reaching his superstar status. Simultaneously the next Little Master and Master Blaster, Tendulkar was the complete batsman who ticked all the right boxes in aggressive and defensive stroke play. Everything from his straight drives, cuts, and hooks were timed to perfection, with Tendulkar remaining on top for a quarter of a century. He excelled in every single country he played in, most notably dominating world champions Australia time and again. Going on to make the most international runs, fifties, centuries, and playing in the greatest number of matches, Tendulkar’s achievements are only dwarfed by the millions of admirers he’s acquired worldwide.

Australia

Don Bradman is statistically the greatest sportsman – there’s no arguing against a player averaging a century in every innings. “The Don” was virtually impossible to get out, and when he was dismissed, it was usually after scoring in excess of 200. Bradman’s impeccable backswing and ability to control the crease meant he could defend and attack at will. His tendency to use variations of the cut, pull, and hook made Bradman impossible to predict, although bowlers knew he would always take charge to score big. So impenetrable was Bradman’s batting that England bowlers started targeting his body instead of the wickets, known as the Bodyline series. But even then, Bradman proved infallible, enabling him to lead a team that would come to be known as “The Invincibles.”