TOP TEN CRICKETERS OF ALL TIME

TOP TEN CRICKETERS OF ALL TIME

Cricket is second most popular and most watched sport today. Although it has been very ancient game and is believed to be started in England and played by shepherds; this game became the possession of royal families and upper class people later. As time passed by, the game spread to the various parts of the globe, ruled by English government. The very first reputed tournament called "County Championship" started in the early eighteenth century and popularized the game. First test match was played in 1877. Since then the sport has made advancements by leaps and bounds, being played at many levels, in many formats, in many countries and has become a cultural symbol in many nations. But the main thing is to sort out ten most brilliant cricketers of all time, that too out of several thousands who have played the game. Still I have made some efforts to put out these ten names to be called the ten greatest cricketers of all time. Although GREATNESS does not have a basis to be measured but still this list has been framed on many grounds like the span, stats, achievements, spirit, contribution in win, consistency, skills, technique and popularity. So let's begin now with the list:

10. Wasim Akram:

Wasim Akram born 3 June 1966 is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricket, who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches. He went on to take 502 wickets in ODI and 414 in test matches. He was finest ODI bowler of all time who could bowl six different deliveries in six different valid manners. He was a fine aggressive left handed batsman too. He played key role in team success in 1992 CWC and was man of the match of the final game. He was a 17 times player of the match in test cricket. Throughout his career of 18 long years, he always remained consistent and broke records. He was a good captain and master of reverse swing bowling. His 881 wickets record in List A cricket still stands.

9. Wally Hammond:

Walter Reginald "Wally" Hammond (19 June 1903 – 1 July 1965) was an English test cricketer who played for English side from 1927 to 1947. He was a brilliant top order batsman of England who scored more than 7000 test runs at an average of 58. He was the best counterpart of Sir Bradman And their rivalry is one of the most famous rivalries in cricket. He was a good medium pace bowler and excellent slip fielder who took more than 100 catches. He is also known for his bad boy image, giant personality, bold captain and multiple marriages. Still Wally Hammond without eligibility qualifies to the top ten greatest cricketers of all time.

8. Imran Khan:

Imran Khan Niazi, most popularly known as the "Lion Of Pakistan"is by far the best cricketer from the Pakistani soil. He was the most completely cricketer with brilliant bowling skills, attacking batting stamina, natural leadership qualities, best fitness levels and long career. The man is credited to be the finest artist of swing bowling, who mastered the in, out and reverse swing. By many critics, he is viewed as the most brilliant all-rounder in the history of cricket  He was a cricketer having skills and courage to open the innings with bat and bowl both. He is by far the best Pakistani captain who at the age of over 40 went on to make Pakistan the champion of cricket world. He finished his career with 362 test and 182 ODI wickets at averages of 22.81 and 22.61 and batting averages of over 33 and 37 respectively. He was the superstar of the game in his time.

7.  Shane Warne:

Shane Keith Warne is the former Australian leg spinner. Debuting in the very start of the 1992 against India, this finest leg spinner ever went on to achieve milestones in cricket. His very first ball in the Ashes was termed as the 'ball of the century'. He was a miraculous bowler whom people called a bowler with the ability to spin the bowl on even glass or ice. He went on to grab 1000 tests and ODI wickets in all and played most important role in the success of the Oz team in 1990s and 2000s. He bowled excellently in the WC 1999 and several Ashes victories. He was chosen one of the five cricketers of the century by Wisden in 1999. He was so popular and a sex symbol in the cricket media.

 

  6. Sir Richard Hadlee:

Sir Richard John Hadlee is the greatest cricketer of New Zealand of all time. He belonged to the reputed Hadlee cricket family of NZ and his father Walter was the former captain of NZ cricket team. Hadlee made his debut in 1973 but could not fix his position till 1977. After that he became a deadly fast bowler with balanced out swing bowling and remarkable batting performances and went on to break almost all the bowling records. He became the very first bowler to take 400 test wickets and was key player in making NZ win on their English,Oz and WI tours. He was awarded knighthood in 1990, only player to get this prestigious award during his career  His bowling performance of 15/123 is by far the best bowling performance int he test cricket. He finished his career with 431 test wickets at an average of 22.29 and 146 ODI wickets at 21.56.

Top ten greatest cricketers:
(6) Sir Richard Hadlee, (7) Shane Warne, (8) Imran Khan, (9) Wally Hammond, and (10) Wasim Akram

5. Sir Viv Richards:

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards is doubtlessly the most dangerous batsman of the cricket history. He was the key player of the West Indian team in 70s and 80s. He batted in top order and killed almost all the top bowlers of that time. He played the key role in the success of the caribian team in the world cup victory of the first two editions. He was a brilliant test cricketer with a batting average of over 50 and most brilliant ODI cricketer with man of the match per 6 matches. He also captained WI team for more than 50 test matches without even a single series loss.

4. Sir Jack Hobbs:

Sir Jack Hobbs was an English cricketer who played for England in the very start of the twentieth century.He was a brilliant master of batting technique and went on to play more than 800  first class matches and scored 199 centuries, a first class cricket world record. He at the international level played 61 matches and scored over 5000 runs at an average of over 55. The man went on to play cricket till the age of 52 and was awarded knighthood in 1953 for his services for cricket. He died on December 21, 1963 at the age of 81.

3. Sir Garry Sobers: 

Sir Garfield Sobers is the most brilliant West Indian cricketers of all time. The man went on to play at international level from 1954 through 1974. The cricketer who had a reputation of being a left arm china-man bowler, transformed into a skilled batsman who went on to hit 6 sixes in a single over and became the first t do so in first class history. He is also considered the greatest all rounder of all time by many  His record for 365 not out in test stood for many years...

 2. Sir Don Bradman:

If there is any sportsman who even makes the stats amazed by his performances, no doubt he is DON. He was a man with normal physique who ruled the cricket world in 30s and 40s. He went on to make Oz team became "THE INVINCIBLE"in his captaincy. Negative tactics like body-line were also devised against him but he overcame all though this. Not only in cricket, but also in all ball sports, he has been mathematically proved to be far ahead than the players like Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan  His batting average of 99.94 has become a famous figure in the sports world. His dismissal for a duck in the very last inning of his career is considered as the greatest sports shock of all time. He is greatest Australian of all times too.

  1. Sachin Tendulkar:

Sachin Tendulkar is doubtlessly the greatest cricketer of all time. He is the real mega-superstar of the game. Born in Mumbai, the largest city of India on April 24, 1973 ; the guy made his first class debut at the age of 15 with a hundred. He debuted in tests in December  1989 against Pakistan at an age of just 16. Since then this man has contributed as much in the Indian cricket that almost half of the credit of its success goes to the man itself. Sachin has achieved numerous achievements throughout his career  has created so many records that almost half the record-book is associated to him. As an sportsman, he is the most humble and gentle cricketer ever seen. His skills as a batsman are most close to perfect and many of the amazing shots have been invented by himself. He is the most popular cricketer of all time too. He takes the credit of bringing the stardom and popularity to this sport solely. He is the only Indian every person of India will like to get sacrificed over. He very recently announced the retirement from the limited over format. Its his true and holiest kind of dedication towards the cricket that he is still serving cricket. I personally feel proud in mentioning him as the greatest cricketer....

Top ten greatest cricketers:
(1) Sachin, (2) Sir Don Bradman, (3) Sir Sobers, (4) Sir Jack Hobbs, (5) Sir Viv Richards