TOP TEN GREATEST INDIAN CRICKETERS OF ALL TIME

In the country called India, the sports of cricket is the most played and most loved sports ever. This game was brought by British who ruled this country for more than 200 years. Indian national cricket team got membership of ICC in the year 1932 and became the sixth nation to play cricket internationally. CK Naidu was the first ever captain of Indian cricket team. Since then, Indian cricket has seen numerous ups and downs, have secured some great achievements, won three cricket world cups and have played most number of ODI matches. Cricket in India is like a religion and many cricket players get unprecedented stardom and fame within short span of time. All in all, there is a lot much to talk about the Indian cricket, but now let me start writing about ten greatest ever Indian cricketers, which goes as follows. I hope you guys will like it a lot.

10. Bishan Singh Bedi

Bishan Bedi is a veteran cricketer who served Indian cricket from to as a left arm bowler and a great captain. Bishan Singh was a great left arm bowler and a great captain. He captained team India in 22 test matches and went on to take 266 test wickets at an all time best bowling average in Indian cricket history. He was a magnificent left arm bowler and outspoken and brave critic. Bishan Bedi’s contribution in Indian cricket is unforgettable.

Awards and Honors: 

ESPN’s legends of cricket

9. Vijay Merchant

Vijay Merchant was a cricketer at the time of dawn of Indian cricket. H e was an opener batsman and amazing batsman who went on to create many records in the history of Indian first class cricket. He still holds the record of owning second highest batting average in first class cricket just behind Sir Don Bradman. He was a simple and energetic cricketer, who played a very important role in the development of cricket of that era. The men just played 10 tests for India and scored a total of 859 runs at an impressive average of 47 and an all time second best first class batting average of 71. He on record books and classical history of cricket stands far ahead most of Indian cricketers.

Awards and Honors:

 "Cricket with Vijay Merchant" a radio programme hosted in his honor, Wisden cricketer of the year 1937

8. Virender Sehwag

 Virender Sehwag is an Indian cricketer who has been serving the Indian cricket since past 14 years. He is a right handed attacking opening batsman and opens the batting innings in all the formats of cricket for his national side. He is a furious batsman who never values the opposition batsman, playing his natural game always, attacking and killing the bowlers, ha never cares for the future. This very style of his makes him one of the darlings of all time. He is a lovely and humble guy on and off ground.  A brilliant opening batsman, a hard hitter batsman, he scores most of his runs by way of hitting boundaries and over boundaries and thus becomes the super batting maestro and complete entertainer. This guy, undoubtedly, has the capability to lie among top ten greatest ever cricket from the soil of India.

Awards and Honors: 

Arjuna award, ICC test player of the year 2010, Wisden leading cricketer 2008, 2009; Padma Shree.

7. Vijay Hazare

  Vijay Hazare, the father of Indian cricket, was a brilliant cricketer. He was right handed batsman, bowler and a successful captain under whose captaincy, India managed to record their first ever test win. Vijay Hazare was a wonderful cricketer with great versatility in his skillful batting. He was a tough sportsman, who always wanted to last long and went on to score a pair of hundreds in historical Adelaide test in 1947-48 and made India won the first ever test win. A brilliant batsman, impressive leader and amazing artist of cricketer, Vijay Hazare will always be remembered as “the father of Indian cricket”.

Awards and Honors: 

Padma Shree, Vijay Hazare Trophy has been commemorated in his honor, The Father of Indian Cricket.

6. Saurav Ganguly

  Saurav Ganguly is one of the most talked about name of Indian cricket history. A lefty attacking batsman, a courageous player, a worshiped leader, an aggressive captain and a great sportsman, Ganguly transformed the Indian cricket team under his captaincy. He made India learn how to fight, how to win and how to snatch victory from others. As a batsman, he was furious and promising, perhaps the most attacking batsman of Indian history. Well a classy batsman, a shorter over format specialist batsman, the most complete captain and the DABANG cricketer will always be the pride of the nation and last in millions of Indian hearts forever.

Awards and Honors: 

Padma Shree, Banga Bibhushan, Arjuna Award

Greatest Indian cricketers: (10) Bishan Singh Bedi, (9) Vijay Merchant, (8) Virender Sehwag, (7) Vijay Hazare, (6) Saurav Ganguly

5. Sunil Gavaskar

Sunny Gavaskar is a veteran Indian cricketer who played cricket for national side for 17 longer years. He was the very first cricket to complete 10000 test runs and was a run machine of his time. A Shorty, who had a wonderful batting technique, had broken all the batting records at that time. He retired with highest number of test centuries and many other achievements. Sunil was a wonderful master of art of batting, a brave captain, an unbeatable batsman with amazing skills, perhaps the best ever batsman against fast bowling and a great human being. He is still the proud of masses and will always be remembered for what he has given to Indian fans. He is just a veteran replica of Sachin Tendulkar and incomparable batsman of his era.

Awards and Honors:

 ESPN’s legends of cricket, Padma Bhushan, Border-Gavaskar trophy commemorated in his honor.

 

4. Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer who went on to play cricket for his nation for over 17 years’ span. As a brilliant right hand leg spin bowler and occasional batsman, the great Kumble was full of sport spirit. He holds the national record for taking most number of test and ODI wickets. He was extremely brave cricketer and made India win on many occasions. His bowling spell of 10 for 76 was not less than a miracle in the cricket history. His googly deliveries proved to be the lethal weapon for the opposition forever. Anil was a very talented, brave, patient, hard working, humble and unbeatable cricketer. Anil is not only the darling of Indian fans but also the pride of Indian sports history. He is a name unforgettable at any cost.

Awards and Honors: 

Padma Shree, Wisden cricketer of the year 1996, Arjuna Award.

3. Rahul Dravid

 Rahul Dravid is an Indian cricketer who has recently retired from all forms of International cricket. Rahul Dravid played test and ODI cricket from 1996 through 2012. Rahul Dravid was an outstanding right handed batsman, occasional wicketkeeper and captain of team India. Dravid was an excellent batsman with amazing batting technique, courageous wicketkeeper, a gentleman sportsman, a billion t athlete who maintained perfect fitness, best at defensive stance and a huge performer. Rahul played over 160 test and 300 ODI matches. He was extremely serious and dedicated cricketer and played many great innings on many occasions. Some critics assume him to be the best ever test batsman.

Awards and Honors: 

ICC player of the year 2000,2004; ICC test player of the year 2004, Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan, Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2000.

2. Kapil Dev

 Kapil Dev is a veteran Indian cricketer who represented Indian national side from 1978 to 1994. Kapil Dev was a right hand medium pacer with the amazing ability to outswing the ball and an attacking lower order batsman. He went on to be the captain of 1983 world cup winning Indian team. As a cricketer, they say that he was the most complete cricketer, bearing a “never say die” attitude, full of energy and commitment, too lively, courageous and hard working cricketer. He retired from the cricket with many records to his name including 131 test matches played and 431 wickets taken, highest at that time by a test bowler. He has been the pride of the nation and will always be. He was also elected “Indian cricketer of the century”.

Awards and Honors:

 ESPN’s legends of cricket, Indian Cricketer of the Century by Wisden, Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan, Inducted into ICC hall of fame, Arjuna award, Wisden cricketer of the year 1983.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

“Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my god”.

The above written quote tells complete story about the greatness and craze for Sachin by Indian masses. This name is the most worshiped name not only of Indian cricket but also the world cricket of all time. Sachin started playing cricket in 1989 at an age of just 16 and is still playing. This guy has broken almost all the batting records in international cricket so far. He has played highest number of test and ODI matches and scored more than 18000 ODI and 16000 test runs with highest number of centuries and fifties. There is a lot to say about his stats but his humane characteristics like humility, calmness, dedication and skills as a cricketer make him the greatest ever cricketer of India.

Awards and Honors: 

ESPN’s legends of cricket, part of Bradman's Eleven, Padma Vibhushan, Arjuna award, Rajiv Gandhi khel ratna award, Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1997, Padma Shree, ICC Sir Garry Sobers Award.

Greatest Indian cricketers: (1) Sachin Tendulkar,(2) Kapil Dev, (3) Rahul Dravid, (4) Anil Kumble, (5) Sunil Gavaskar

Top Ten Most Attacking/Aggressive/Dangerous/Feared/Destructive Batsmen Of History

The list is based upon the factors like the batting stats, relativity of the batting strike rate of the time one played within, consistency, destructive innings, utility of innings etc...

 10.Yuvraj Singh 

Yuvraj Singh of India is one of the most attacking batsmen of this time. He is an ODI specialist batsman and bats at number 4 or 5 in ODIs and T20. His wonderful batting record in T20s has given him the name of "the king of 20-20". His fine stroke playing capability, a master class six hit, destructive batting in slog overs etc... make him one of the most dangerous batsman of all time. His record of hitting 6 sixes in a single over and record fastest fifty off 12 balls and his role in win of 2007-T20 and 2011-ODI CWCs make him one of the most useful players of the game too.

9. MS Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the most attacking batsmen of recent times. In his debut days, he was viewed as more than anyone in terms of destruction, attacking batting and all. He has been the most consistent ODI batsman of past 8 years and is still serving with the same capability and rhythm. He is good at hitting sixes and there is a long list of innings where he singlehandedly attacked the bowlers and won the match for his team. His innings of 183* and 91* in the finales of CWC 2011 are remarkable here.

 8. Kapil Dev

Mentioning Kapil Dev over here, is important due to his wonderful strike rate of above 95, the best of his times in ODI format and many useful innings played at that time. His innings of 175 against Zimbabwe under very tough times and capability of destroying the opposition bowler and natural aggression in batting makes him deserving candidate of this list. He was one of the hardest hitters of the history and called as HARYANA HURRICANE also.

 7. Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle of WI side has represented himself as one of the most destructing batsman of the recent time in the field of cricket. His batting record especially in the professional T20 format has been remarkable. His capability of hitting longer sixes without stepping up along with the least effort makes him on e of the most dangerous batsman of all time. His contribution in recent T20 CWC win is memorable.

6. Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi of Pakistan is without argument one of the most destructive batsman of all time. His records of best ever strike rate of 116 and 86 and nearly 150 respectively in ODI, test and T20 makes him fastest scoring player. He also holds the record of most number of sixes in ODI, fastest ODI hundred of just 37 balls in his first ever innings. He holds many records of hitting multiple boundary shots in single over on many occasions. His batting style on some occasions is far more than destructive. He deserves to be under any list of top ten destructive and most dangerous batsman of all time. 

Top ten destructive batsmen :
(6) Shahid Afridi, (7) Chris Gayle, (8) Kapil Dev, (9) MS Dhoni, and (10) Yuvraj Singh

 5. SachinTendulkar

  Sachin is the name in the history of cricket which makes half of the history itself. Sachin's batting style is close to perfect. No need to say that he holds almost every batting record of any format of game. Sachin is credited to revive the aggressive batting style with the introduction of fearlessness of hitting airy strokes with remarkable success very frequently. Famously, once he said, “if you can't go for sixes, leave cricket". In terms of batting technique, he is most perfect batsman. Many of the super strokes are invented by him. His tendency of hitting brilliant strokes in the power play overs and scoring a large portion of runs by way of boundaries and sixes, makes him one of the most attacking and the way he has crushed and killed like the greats of Akram, Warne, Qadir and all, makes him one of the most dangerous too.

 4. Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist is ex Australian wicket keeper batsman who is retired now. Adam is considered one of the most furious batsmen of all time, capable of daylight hunting of any bowler. An specialist and long time serving opening batsman of Oz ODI side, he went on to score more than 9000 runs in ODI at an aggressive strike rate of 96. He used to kill every leading bowler of the opposition and recorded an strike rate of above 81 in test career too. None of his 17 ODI tons went in vain which gives him credit of being ultra consistent. His contribution in the three consecutive CWC victories is immemorable.

3. Sanath Jayasuriya

 S Jayasuriya was seen as most dangerous batsman of the latter half of the decade of 1990s. He holds the record of fastest fifty of ODI which came of just 17 balls against Pakistan and second highest number of sixes. He was a left hander and most destructive batsman who used to hit sixes with utmost effortlessness. He hit multiple sixes on many occasions. He also hit fast centuries on many occasions. He played the innings of 189 against India, one of the greatest innings of all time. Scored a total of more than 20000 runs in all format with ODI strike rate of above 91.

2. Virender Sehawag

V Sehwg of India is considered the most dangerous batsman of the past decade. He is such an attacking batsman that he scores seventy percent of the runs by way of boundaries and sixes. He holds the world record of fastest triple hundred in test and fastest hundred in ODIs for an Indian. He is specialist of hitting boundaries in power play overs and is brilliantly master in hitting cover drive and upper cuts. His fearless batting and natural hitter persona makes him the most dangerous of all time but he lacks behind Sir Viv in terms of consistency and ODI stats. Sehwag has hunted almost every bowler of his time.

 

1. Viv Richards

Sir Viv is assumed to be the most destructive batsman of all time. He was a batsman who always used to respond to the sledging by way of attacking batting and destroying strokes. Sir Viv secured a career strike rate of 90.88 i ODIs which was the best for a batsman of his time. Sir Viv had an amazing capability of judging the speed, bounce of swing of the delivery and attacking it harshly. He scored more than 8500 test and 6500 ODI runs with the averages of 51 and 47. His ODI innings of 189 and 181 are still considered the best. His contribution within the CWC wins of 1975 and 1979 by the side of WI is remarkable. Almost every bowler who bowled this great man assumes him to be the most dangerous to bowl.

Top ten most destructive batsmen:
(1) Sir Viv Richards, (2) Virender Sehwag, (3) Sanath Jayasuriya, (4) Adam Gilchrist, and (5) Sachin Tendulkar