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 GREATEST ALLROUND CRICKETERS OF ALL TIME

10.Lance Klusener: 

Lance Klusener is an ex South African left  handed batsman and right arm medium pace bowler who was a hard hitting batsman and dangerous bowler. He went on to play 49 test and 171 ODI matches throughout his career and scored more than 1900 test and 3500 ODI runs at good averages and took 80 test and 192 ODI wickets. His all round stats in ODI are unmatched.

9. Shaun Pollock:

Shaun Pollock is an ex South African cricketer who has served South African cricket for a long long time. The brilliant right hand swing bowler and right handed lower order batsman has done wonderful job as a cricketer and a captain also. Shaun has got 393 ODI and 421 test wickets at very best average and has scored many great batting innings also.  He has scored above 3500 runs in ODI and test each at respectable average.

8. Chris Cairns:

No such a list can ever be completed without mentioning the name of Chris Cairns of New Zealand. He was a brilliant right hand bat and right hand fast medium bowler who was brilliant in attacking the bowlers and taking crucial wickets for his team. The guy also held the record for hitting most number of sixes in the test cricket for many years. He took 218 wickets in 62 tests and 201 wickets in 215 ODI at respectable average and scored 3320 test and above 4900 ODI runs at fast strike rate and good batting average.  He was a top class balanced allrounder.

7. Jacques Kallis:

Jack Kallis is a brilliant batting all-rounder of the game. He has been serving south African side since 1995 and plays in middle order batting. He is a master class batsman and a good medium pacer too. He has scored more than 10000 ODI and 12000 tests runs at the very best batting average and has taken a total of over 500 wickets in all formats of the game. His usefulness as a bowler is amazing. His consistent performance makes him greatest all rounder of the last and a half decade.

6. Kapil Dev:

Kapil Dev is an ex Indian cricketer who has been a great medium pacer with extraordinary capability to bowl out swinger, a very serious and laborious cricketer, a super attacking batsman and a brilliant world cup winning captain. He was termed greatest Indian cricketer of the last century. He took 434 test and 253 ODI wickets and played 131 test and 225 ODI matches and scored more than 5200 test and 3700 ODI runs with extraordinary average and strike rate of above 95 in ODI.

Top ten allround cricketers:
(6)  Kapil Dev, (7) Jacques Kallis,(8) Chris Cairns, (9) Shaun Pollock and (10) Lance Klusener

5. SIR RICHARD HADLEE:

Sir R Hadlee belongs to the historical Hadlee cricket family of New Zealand and is the greatest new Zealand cricketer of all time. A right arm medium fast swing bowler and a left arm attacking lower order batsman, Richard was a brilliant all-rounder. He finished his career with 431 test and 158 ODI wickets with average of around 22 and scored over 3000 test runs with average of 27. He was a good hitter and very first bowler to get 400 test wickets.

  4. SIR IAN BOTHAM:

Sir Ian Botham is the ex English cricketer who played 103 test and 116 ODI matches for his national side. A brilliant right arm medium pacer and an attacking right hand batsman, he took total of 383 test and 145 ODI wickets at average of 28 and scored 5200 test runs at average of more than 33. He is the only batsman who has taken 5 wicket haul and scored a hundred in the same test match on 6 occasions. There are many such records in his name that are still unbroken, he deserves to be in top fie all-rounder cricketers in any such a list.

3. KEITH MILLER:

Keith Miller is the greatest all-rounder of Oz history. He was a fine right hand batsman and brilliant right arm fast bowler who scored more than 2900 test runs at average of around 37 and got 170 wickets at nearly 22. He was a tall aggressive cricketer and sex symbol of that time. He scored 7 hundreds and 13 fifties and got 7 five wicket hauls. In first class cricket, his batting average stands at above 48.

 

2. IMRAN KHAN:

Imran Khan is an ex Pakistani cricketer who has played cricket for nearly 20 years for his nation. Imran Khan had all the capabilities of a near to perfect all rounder as he had been a good bowler, good batsman, a great athlete and a great captain who led his team to their only world cup win. As a bowler, he was master of swing bowling with all three kind of swing bowling. He, perhaps, is the only cricketer of the history who could open the inning with both bat and bowl. He finished his career with the ODI and test bowling averages of 26.61 and 22.81 with 182 and 362 wickets respectively and batting average of 33.41 and 37.69 with more than 3700 runs in each format. He is no doubt the greatest all-rounder of the history of cricket.

1. SIR GARRY SOBERS:

 SIR Garfield Sobers was a great left hand batsman and left arm chinaman bowler of 1950s through early 1970s. He is often called the greatest all rounder of all time as he scored more than 8000 test runs at an excellent average of more than 57 and got 235 wickets at the average of 34. He is also known to be the finest left handed batsman of all time and perhaps the greatest cricketer of West Indies ever.

Top ten allround cricketers:
(1) Sir Garry Sobers, (2) Imran Khan, (3) Keith Miller, (4) Ian Botham, (5) Sir Richard Hadlee