Top 10: Greatest Batsmen of All Time in Cricket

Cricket, often referred to as the “gentleman’s game,” has been graced with numerous extraordinarily talented and legendary players over the years, but batting is still the core of this game.

The great batsmen are those who can withstand even tough batting conditions, adapt to varied pitch conditions in different nations, and lead their teams to victory with skill, precision, and mental strength.

Some batters have overcome this challenge and become legends while transgressing the limits set for the game, holding fast to their relentlessness, innovative ability, and knack for delivering at crunch time.

From the great Sir Donald Bradman, whose statistics remain unrivalled, to the contemporary heroics like Virat Kohli or AB de Villiers, cricket has witnessed heroes who have, in their own special ways, become imprints on the game. While one of them was the epitome of classical technique mastery, the others redefined the game’s boundaries through their ingenious stroke play.

Here are 10 of the greatest batsmen ever, featuring not just a mountain of big numbers but also their influence that is still being felt within cricket.

10. Chris Gayle (West Indies)

Christopher Henry Gayle, an enormous and explosive batter from the Jamaican Islands, turned out to be the biggest hitter in T20 cricket. Not only in T20s, but he also did well in Test and ODI formats, with over 7,000 runs in Test cricket and over 10,000 in ODI cricket.

Gayle’s highest score of 333 in Tests and 48 international centuries points to his ability to break down all bowling attacks across all three formats. Gayle redefined batting in T20 cricket and made the West Indies famous once again for their dreadful batting.

9. Ricky Ponting (Australia)

One of the most successful captains cricket history has ever seen, Ricky Ponting is also one of the finest batsmen the game has produced. Notched over 13,000 runs between Test and ODI cricket, Ponting combined the runs with the situations he built on under pressure situations nobody else could have.

He gained 71 hundreds across formats and played a significant role in Australia’s consecutive World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007. This aggressive and passionate style and leadership transformed Australia into a dominant team of all times.

8. AB de Villiers (South Africa)

AB de Villiers is the most innovative and creative batsman of the modern cricketing era, often dubbed “Mr. 360” because of his enthusiasm to hit the ball all over the park in every direction. He scored more than 9,000 runs in ODIs and over 8,000 in Test cricket, with 50 hundreds across the formats.

This era saw that athletic combination of swift reflexes, innovative shots, and humongous hits redefine batting by de Villiers, making him a nightmare to face for even the toughest bowlers around the world.

7. MS Dhoni (India)

The master of handling pressure towards the end of the game and finishing the game was MS Dhoni, India’s superhuman wicketkeeper-batsman. He scored more than 10,000 runs in ODI cricket, the most by any wicketkeeper-batsman from India.

He is one of the most successful captains in history after he led India to win three ICC trophies: the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He could very well finish the match with a sense of major poise, and his fantastic “helicopter shot” made him a destructive yet composed batsman.

6. Virat Kohli (India)

Virat Kohli is today’s cricketing phenomenon, dominating all formats like never before and known for unmatched consistency. Combining the total runs in Tests, ODIs, and T20s — over 27,000 — and 80 international centuries, Kohli has set a new benchmark for future generations to fathom.

Aggression, adaptability, and the ability to chase daunting targets position him as one of the most complete batsmen ever. He continues to grow in stature as he tries to break Sachin Tendulkar’s records and guides Indian batting across formats. His calmness and run-chasing ability are second to none when it comes to white-ball cricket.

5. Sunil Gavaskar (India)

Sunil Gavaskar is the one who transformed Indian cricket’s batting technique. He was the first batter to cross the 10,000 mark in Test cricket. Gavaskar scored 10122 runs at 51.12, including 34 centuries with a highest score of 236*.

The fact that he could counter the fast frighteners of the era, including the quartet of West Indians, made him popular. The strength and temperament of Gavaskar were crucial to India’s ascension as a cricketing superpower, particularly in the 1983 World Cup.

4. Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies)

There was nothing like an explosive, fearlessness-filled batsman, Sir Vivian Richards, as a means of easing the destruction of bowling attacks. 8000-plus Test runs at an average of 50.23, with 24 Test centuries and a top score of 291, marked this player as one of the most feared batsmen of his era.

He had the swagger of a player who was unmatched in his attacking style. In other words, Viv Richards was a cricketing giant whose contribution to West Indies cricket can never be overlooked, especially when they were at their best in the 1970s and 1980s. Lara played key contributions in most of the World Cup campaigns of the West Indies.

3. Brian Lara (West Indies)

Brian Lara was always a synonym for poise and panache. For the virtue of playing the longest and most flamboyant innings, Lara scored 11,953 runs in Test cricket with 34 centuries and a career-high 400* — the highest individual score in Test cricket.

His average of 52.88 clearly represents his consistency in getting runs, while his dynamic shot-making ability made him loved by one and all. Lara also holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket with 501*, making him some sort of legend.

2. Sir Don Bradman (Australia)

Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest legend of Test cricket, boasts a career that defied all expectations. His 6,996 runs at an incredible average of 99.94 remain unmatched, with no one able to get close enough to leave an impression on that benchmark at any point in time.

His highest score of 334 reflects his style and ability to build mammoth innings. Yet, though batting in an age when modern technology and equipment had not yet been invented, the impact Bradman had on the game of cricket was great.

1. Sachin Tendulkar (India)

The God of Cricket is how Sachin Tendulkar is rated — his name and excellence go hand in hand. He is the master of 100 international centuries, meaning he is well ahead of everyone else in that respect.

His 15,921 runs in Test cricket came with an average of 53.78, and his 18,426 runs in ODIs mark a bench standard untouched by anyone else. All this could have been exercised on the playfield, and Tendulkar showcased tremendous pressure-handling abilities, played on various surfaces, and dominated against some of the best bowlers in the world — and that cements his place as the greatest batsman in cricket history.

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