Very few bowlers in cricket history have showcased what we view as the best bowling of all-time. If it weren’t for these talented bowlers keeping batsmen honest, the game wouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is. They help keep the game balanced and are essential to the game’s growth.
The best bowlers are known for giving us the best bowling possible on a game-by-game basis. They make taking wickets look easy, they give batsmen a hard time at the plate, and they put their team in a position to win. They’re the ones you can trust when you need them the most.
Cricket is often called a ‘batman’s game’ due to recent rule changes and the general evolution of the sport, but that doesn’t mean that bowling is dead. In fact, the game today is full of talented bowlers that display their best bowling skills — which helps keep the game interesting and close.
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Which Bowlers Had the Best Bowling Career?
Batsmen don’t stand a chance against the best bowling magicians. They throw the ball unlike any other and they limit the amount of runs their opponent scores. A quality and dominant bowler is hard to find today, which is what makes them so valuable to their team’s efforts.
Some bowlers are better than others, but it takes a real bowler to be regarded as one of the best bowlers of all-time. They’re the ones that will be remembered forever and the ones that incoming bowlers will try to emulate as they forge their own careers in the beautiful game of cricket.
There are a lot of factors that go into ranking the best bowling talents of all-time. You have to consider their stats (wickets, bowling average, economy rate, runs conceded, etc.), how many innings they bowled, how many matches they played, and how they revolutionized the game.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at who we believe embodied the best bowling in cricket history, starting off with some honorable mentions that didn’t quite crack the top-25.
Honorable Mentions: Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Allan Donald (South Africa), Bob Willis (England), Tim Southee (New Zealand), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Ishant Sharma (India), Zaheer Khan (India), Brett Lee (Australia), Morne Morkel (South Africa), Lance Gibbs (West Indies)
25. Daniel Vettori
Country: New Zealand
Years: 1997-2015 (19 years)
Test: 113 matches, 187 innings, 362 wickets, 34.36 bowling average, 2.59 economy rate, 79.50 bowling strike rate
ODI: 295 matches, 277 innings, 305 wickets, 31.71 bowling average, 4.12 economy rate, 46.00 bowling strike rate
FC: 174 matches, 565 wickets, 31.82 bowling average, 2.61 economy rate, 73.00 bowling strike rate
Daniel Vettori was an all-rounder that found success both bowling and batting. He has the eighth-most balls bowled in test matches, was the fifth-youngest player to take five wickets in the same inning, and scored 4,531 runs, six hundreds, and 23 fifties while batting.
You can view the rest of Daniel Vettori’s career stats here.
24. Imran Khan
Country: Pakistan
Years: 1971-1992 (22 years)
Test: 88 matches, 142 innings, 362 wickets, 22.81 bowling average, 2.54 economy rate, 53.70 bowling strike rate
ODI: 175 matches, 153 innings, 182 wickets, 26.61 bowling average, 3.89 economy rate, 40.90 bowling strike rate
FC: 382 matches, 1,287 wickets, 22.32 bowling average, 2.64 economy rate, 50.60 bowling strike rate
In test matches, Imran Khan has recorded the third-most player-of-the-series awards, fourth most consecutive ten-wickets-in-a-match, ninth most wickets taken bowled, and the ninth fastest player to 250 wickets. He once had a hundred and bowled five wickets in the same inning.
You can view the rest of Imran Khan’s career stats here.
23. Waqar Younis
Country: Pakistan
Years: 1989-2003 (15 years)
Test: 87 matches, 154 innings, 373 wickets, 23.56 bowling average, 3.25 economy rate, 43.40 bowling strike rate
ODI: 262 matches, 258 innings, 416 wickets, 23.84 bowling average, 4.68 economy rate, 30.50 bowling strike rate
FC: 228 matches, 956 wickets, 22.33 bowling average, 3.26 economy rate, 40.90 bowling strike rate
In test matches, Waqar Younis was the fourth youngest captain to ever play, has the eighth best career strike rate, was the fourth youngest player to take ten-wickets-in-a-match, and has the fifth most wickets taken bowled. He was also the second fastest bowler to take 150 wickets.
You can view the rest of Waqar Younis’ career stats here.
22. Ian Botham
Country: England
Years: 1976-1992 (17 years)
Test: 102 matches, 168 innings, 383 wickets, 28.40 bowling average, 2.99 economy rate, 56.90 bowling strike rate
ODI: 116 matches, 115 innings, 145 wickets, 28.54 bowling average, 3.96 economy rate, 43.20 bowling strike rate
FC: 402 matches, 1,172 wickets, 27.22 bowling average, 3.01 economy rate, 54.20 bowling strike rate
Ian Botham knew how to get the job done as a batter and a bowler. He scored a hundred and bowled five wickets in the same inning five different times, was the fifth fastest player to take 150 wickets, and has the ninth most career five-wickets-in-an-innings of all-time.
You can view the rest of Ian Botham’s career stats here.
21. Makhaya Ntini
Country: South Africa
Years: 1998-2011
Test: 101 matches, 190 innings, 390 wickets, 28.82 bowling average, 3.23 economy rate, 53.40 bowling strike rate
ODI: 173 matches, 171 innings, 266 wickets, 24.65 bowling average, 4.53 economy rate, 32.60 bowling strike rate
FC: 190 matches, 651 wickets, 28.98 bowling average, 3.23 economy rate, 53.80 bowling strike rate
Makhaya Ntini has the 18th most career wickets in test matches, eighth most wickets taken caught, fourth most consecutive ten-wickets-in-a-match, and the third most bowler/fielder combinations. In ODI matches, he was the seventh fastest bowler to take 250 wickets..
You can view the rest of Makhaya Ntini’s career stats here.
20. Nathan Lyon
Country: Australia
Years: 2011-present (11 years)
Test: 100 matches, 191 innings, 399 wickets, 32.12 bowling average, 2.99 economy rate, 64.30 bowling strike rate
ODI: 29 matches, 29 innings, 29 wickets, 46.00 bowling average, 4.92 economy rate, 56.00 bowling strike rate
FC: 174 matches, 320 innings, 623 wickets, 33.77 bowling average, 2.99 economy rate, 67.50 bowling strike rate
Nathan Lyon is just one of six Australian players to take more than 300 wickets in test matches. Between Test, ODI, and FC matches, he has accumulated seven (7) ten-wickets-in-a-match, 41 five-wickets-in-an-innings, and 41 four-wickets-in-an-innings in 303 total matches.
You can view the rest of Nathan Lyon’s career stats here.
19. Ravichandran Ashwin
Country: India
Years: 2010-present (12 years)
Test: 79 matches, 148 innings, 413 wickets, 24.56 bowling average, 2.80 economy rate, 52.40 bowling strike rate
ODI: 111 matches, 109 innings, 150 wickets, 32.91 bowling average, 4.91 economy rate, 40.10 bowling strike rate
FC: 135 matches, 240 innings, 655 wickets, 25.49 bowling average, 2.76 economy rate, 55.20 bowling strike rate
Ravichandran Ashwin has the third most player-of-the-series awards, was the fastest player to take 350 wickets, and has sixth most ten-wickets-in-a-match in Test matches. As for his batting stats, he has recorded 2,685 runs, five hundreds, and 11 fifties in 79 matches (111 innings).
You can view the rest of Ravichandran Ashwin’s career stats here.
18. Harbhajan Singh
Country: India
Years: 1998-2016 (19 years)
Test: 103 matches, 190 innings, 417 wickets, 32.46 bowling average, 2.84 economy rate, 68.50 bowling strike rate
ODI: 236 matches, 227 innings, 269 wickets, 33.35 bowling average, 4.31 economy rate, 46.30 bowling strike rate
FC: 198 matches, 780 wickets, 29.04 bowling average, 2.82 economy rate, 61.60 bowling strike rate
Harbhajan Singh was the ninth fastest player to take 400 wickets, has the ninth most career balls bowled, the fourth most consecutive ten-wickets-in-a-match, the second best strike rate in a single inning, and the sixth best figures in a match. He recorded 63 wickets in 2008 alone.
You can view the rest of Harbhajan Singh’s career stats here.
17. Shaun Pollock
Country: South Africa
Years: 1995-2008 (14 years)
Test: 108 matches, 202 innings, 421 wickets, 23.11 bowling average, 2.39 economy rate, 57.80 bowling strike rate
ODI: 303 matches, 297 innings, 393 wickets, 24.50 bowling average, 3.67 economy rate, 39.90 bowling strike rate
FC: 186 matches, 667 wickets, 23.25 bowling average, 2.38 economy rate, 58.50 bowling strike rate
Shaun Pollock was a consistent bowler in all cricket formats, taking a total of 1,481 wickets in his career between 597 FC, ODI, and Test matches. He has the fifth most career balls bowled in ODI matches and was the sixth fastest bowler to take 350 career wickets in ODI matches.
You can view the rest of Shaun Pollock’s career stats here.
16. Rangana Herath
Country: Sri Lanka
Years: 1999-2018 (20 years)
Test: 93 matches, 170 innings, 433 wickets, 28.07 bowling average, 2.80 economy rate, 60.00 bowling strike rate
ODI: 71 matches, 67 innings, 74 wickets, 31.91 bowling average, 4.37 economy rate, 43.80 bowling strike rate
FC: 270 matches, 1,080 wickets, 25.14 bowling average, 2.73 economy rate, 55.20 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, Rangana Herath was the fifth fastest bowler to take 400 wickets, has the third most wickets taken stumped, the third most career ten-wickets-in-a-match, and the best figures in a match by a captain. He also has the ninth most career runs without tallying a hundred.
You can view the rest of Rangana Herath’s career stats here.
15. Kapil Dev
Country: India
Years: 1978-1994 (17 years)
Test: 131 matches, 227 innings, 434 wickets, 29.64 bowling average, 2.78 economy rate, 63.90 bowling strike rate
ODI: 225 matches, 221 innings, 253 wickets, 27.45 bowling average, 3.71 economy rate, 44.20 bowling strike rate
FC: 275 matches, 835 wickets, 27.09 bowling average, 2.77 economy rate, 58.50 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, Kapil Dev recorded the best figures in an innings when on the losing side, the 10th most career balls bowled, and the second most wickets taken hit wicket. He also recorded 1,522 career wickets across 631 Test, ODI, and FC matches. He was an excellent pace bowler.
You can view the rest of Kapil Dev’s career stats here.
14. Dale Steyn
Country: South Africa
Years: 2004-2020 (17 years)
Test: 93 matches, 171 innings, 439 wickets, 22.95 bowling average, 3.24 economy rate, 42.30 bowling strike rate
ODI: 125 matches, 124 innings, 196 wickets, 25.95 bowling average, 4.87 economy rate, 31.90 bowling strike rate
FC: 141 matches, 618 wickets, 23.57 bowling average, 3.21 economy rate, 43.90 bowling strike rate
Dale Steyn became the third fastest player to take 400 wickets in Test matches after just 80 matches, as well as the sixth fastest player to take 50 wickets in ODI matches. He has the sixth best career strike rate in Test matches and the fourth most consecutive ten-wickets-in-a-match.
You can view the rest of Dale Steyn’s career stats here.
13. Stuart Broad
Country: England
Years: 2006-present (16 years)
Test: 149 matches, 274 innings, 524 wickets, 27.84 bowling average, 2.93 economy rate, 56.90 bowling strike rate
ODI: 121 matches, 121 innings, 178 wickets, 30.13 bowling average, 5.26 economy rate, 34.30 bowling strike rate
FC: 239 matches, 841 wickets, 26.80 bowling average, 3.02 economy rate, 53.20 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, Stuart Broad was the seventh-fastest player to take 500 wickets in their career, has the 10th most career matches, the second most career ducks, the sixth most career balls bowled, the third most wickets taken caught by wicketkeeper, and 841 career FC wickets.
You can view the rest of Stuart Broad’s career stats here.
12. Anil Kumble
Country: India
Years: 1990-2008 (19 years)
Test: 132 matches, 236 innings, 619 wickets, 29.65 bowling average, 2.69 economy rate, 65.90 bowling strike rate
ODI: 271 matches, 265 innings, 337 wickets, 30.89 bowling average, 4.30 economy rate, 43.00 bowling strike rate
FC: 244 matches, 1,136 wickets, 25.83 bowling average, 2.63 economy rate, 58.90 bowling strike rate
Anil Kumble was the second fastest player to take 600 wickets in Test matches, has the second most career balls bowled, fourth most career five-wickets-in-an-innings, and holds the record for most wickets taken lbw. He’s also the ninth fastest player to take 300 wickets in ODI matches.
You can view the rest of Anil Kumble’s career stats here.
11. Wasim Akram
Country: Pakistan
Years: 1984-2003 (20 years)
Test: 104 matches, 181 innings, 414 wickets, 23.62 bowling average, 2.59 economy rate, 54.60 bowling strike rate
ODI: 356 matches, 351 innings, 502 wickets, 23.52 bowling average, 3.89 economy rate, 36.20 bowling strike rate
FC: 257 matches, 1,042 wickets, 21.64 bowling average, 2.69 economy rate, 48.20 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, Wasim Akram has the second highest partnership for the eighth wicket, fourth most wickets taken lbw, third most player of the match awards, and has the most sixes in an innings. He was also the second youngest player to take ten-wickets-in-a-match at 18 years old.
You can view the rest of Wasim Akram’s career stats here.
10. Courtney Walsh
Country: West Indies
Years: 1984-2001 (18 years)
Test: 132 matches, 242 innings, 519 wickets, 24.44 bowling average, 2.53 economy rate, 57.80 bowling strike rate
ODI: 205 matches, 204 innings, 227 wickets, 30.47 bowling average, 3.83 economy rate, 47.60 bowling strike rate
FC: 429 matches, 1,807 wickets, 21.71 bowling average, 2.75 economy rate, 47.20 bowling strike rate
Courtney Walsh was the fifth fastest player to take 500 wickets in Test matches, had the fifth most career balls bowled, the third most bowler/batter combinations, the best figures in a match by a captain, and was the oldest player to take ten-wickets-in-a-match at almost 38 years old.
You can view the rest of Courtney Walsh’s career stats here.
9. Dennis Lillee
Country: Australia
Years: 1971-1984 (14 years)
Test: 70 matches, 132 innings, 355 wickets, 23.92 bowling average, 2.75 economy rate, 52.00 bowling strike rate
ODI: 63 matches, 63 innings, 103 wickets, 20.82 bowling average, 3.58 economy rate, 34.80 bowling strike rate
FC: 198 matches, 882 wickets, 23.46 bowling average, 2.77 economy rate, 50.80 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, Dennis Lillee was the second fastest player to take 300 wickets, has the most bowler/fielder combinations, has the fourth most consecutive ten-wickets-in-a-match, and the third most wickets in a calendar year. He was also the fourth fastest to 50 wickets in ODI format.
You can view the rest of Dennis Lillee’s career stats here.
8. Glenn McGrath
Country: Australia
Years: 1993-2007 (15 years)
Test: 124 matches, 243 innings, 563 wickets, 21.64 bowling average, 2.49 economy rate, 51.90 bowling strike rate
ODI: 250 matches, 248 innings, 381 wickets, 22.02 bowling average, 3.88 economy rate, 34.00 bowling strike rate
FC: 189 matches, 835 wickets, 20.85 bowling average, 2.50 economy rate, 50.00 bowling strike rate
Glenn McGrath was the third fastest player to take 450 Test wickets, has the seventh most career balls bowled, the most bowler/batter combinations, the second most ducks in a series, and eighth most five-wickets-in-an-innings. He’s also the third fastest to 300 career ODI wickets.
You can view the rest of Glenn McGrath’s career stats here.
7. Curtly Ambrose
Country: West Indies
Years: 1988-2000 (13 years)
Test: 98 matches, 179 innings, 405 wickets, 20.99 bowling average, 2.30 economy rate, 54.50 bowling strike rate
ODI: 176 matches, 175 innings, 225 wickets, 24.12 bowling average, 3.48 economy rate, 41.50 bowling strike rate
FC: 239 matches, 941 wickets, 20.24 bowling average, 2.34 economy rate, 51.80 bowling strike rate
Curtly Ambrose finished his career with the third most Test bowler/batter combinations, the seventh most career pairs, and the seventh most player of the match awards. In ODI matches, he has the third best economy rate in an innings and the most bowler/batting combinations.
You can view the rest of Curtly Ambrose’s career stats here.
6. Sydney Barnes
Country: England
Years: 1901-1914 (14 years)
Test: 27 matches, 50 innings, 189 wickets, 16.43 bowling average, 2.36 economy rate, 41.60 bowling strike rate
FC: 133 matches, 719 wickets, 17.09 bowling average, 2.33 economy rate, 43.80 bowling strike rate
Sydney Barnes’ playing days date back over 100 years ago. He was the fastest player to take 150 wickets, has the best figures in a match when on the losing side, has the fifth best career strike rate, and was the fourth oldest player to take ten-wickets-in-a-match at 41 years old.
You can view the rest of Sydney Barnes’ career stats here.
5. James Anderson
Country: England
Years: 2002-present (20 years)
Test: 166 matches, 309 innings, 632 wickets, 26.62 bowling average, 2.82 economy rate, 56.60 bowling strike rate
ODI: 194 matches, 191 innings, 269 wickets, 29.22 bowling average, 4.92 economy rate, 35.60 bowling strike rate
FC: 267 matches, 1,018 wickets, 24.70 bowling average, 2.83 economy rate, 52.20 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, James Anderson is the fourth fastest player to take 600 wickets, has the most wickets taken caught by wicketkeeper, the sixth most five-wickets-in-an-innings, the fourth most career balls bowled, the third most career wickets, and the fourth most career matches.
You can view the rest of James Anderson’s career stats here.
4. Sir Richard Hadlee
Country: New Zealand
Years: 1973-1990 (18 years)
Test: 86 matches, 150 innings, 431 wickets, 22.29 bowling average, 2.63 economy rate, 50.80 bowling strike rate
ODI: 115 matches, 112 innings, 158 wickets, 21.56 bowling average, 3.30 economy rate, 39.10 bowling strike rate
FC: 342 matches, 1,490 wickets, 18.11 bowling average
In Test matches, Sir Richard Hadlee was the third fastest player to take 400 wickets, has the third most ten-wickets-in-a-match, and has the third most player of the series awards. He also has the fifth-best career economy rate in ODI matches and scored 12,052 runs in FC format.
You can view the rest of Sir Richard Hadlee’s career stats here.
3. Malcolm Marshall
Country: West Indies
Years: 1978-1992 (15 years)
Test: 81 matches, 151 innings, 376 wickets, 20.94 bowling average, 2.68 economy rate, 46.70 bowling strike rate
ODI: 136 matches, 134 innings, 157 wickets, 26.96 bowling average, 3.53 economy rate, 45.70 bowling strike rate
FC: 408 matches, 1,651 wickets, 19.10 bowling average, 2.53 economy rate, 45.20 bowling strike rate
In Test matches, Malcolm Marshall was the fourth fastest player to take 300 wickets, had the fifth most bowler/batter combinations, the fifth most consecutive five-wickets-in-an-innings, and the ninth most player of the series awards. He also scored 11,004 career runs in FC format.
You can view the rest of Malcolm Marshall’s career stats here.
2. Shane Warne
Country: Australia
Years: 1992-2007 (16 years)
Test: 145 matches, 273 innings, 708 wickets, 25.41 bowling average, 2.65 economy rate, 57.40 bowling strike rate
ODI: 194 matches, 191 innings, 293 wickets, 25.73 bowling average, 4.25 economy rate, 36.30 bowling strike rate
FC: 301 matches, 1,319 wickets, 26.11 bowling average, 2.76 economy rate, 56.70 bowling strike rate
Shane Warne was the second fastest player to 700 wickets, has the second most wickets taken stumped, third most career balls bowled, the most wickets in a calendar year, the fifth most career ducks, most career runs without a hundred, and third most player of the series awards.
You can view the rest of Shane Warne’s career stats here.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan
Country: Sri Lanka
Years: 1992-2011 (20 years)
Test: 133 matches, 230 innings, 800 wickets, 22.72 bowling average, 2.47 economy rate, 55.00 bowling strike rate
ODI: 350 matches, 341 innings, 534 wickets, 23.08 bowling average, 3.93 economy rate, 35.20 bowling strike rate
FC: 232 matches, 1,374 wickets, 19.64 bowling average, 2.42 economy rate, 48.70 bowling strike rate
Not only does Muthiah Muralidaran have the most career wickets in Test matches, but he has the most player of the series awards, fourth highest strike rate in an innings, second most career pairs, most wickets on a single ground, most wickets taken stumped, and most career balls bowled.
You can view the rest of Muthiah Muralidaran’s career stats here.
The Best Bowling Makes for a Great Match
It’s always exciting to reminisce about some of the best bowling careers we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing in cricket history. It’s not only an opportunity to relive the past, but it’s a great opportunity to appreciate all the best bowling talent we have in today’s game — and there’s a lot!
For example, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Nathan Lyon are all active players that found themselves on the list above. Of course, they’re not the only ones that showcase some of the best bowling we’ve ever seen in today’s game. There’s plenty more!
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Tim Southee, Ishant Sharma, Trent Boult, Mitchell Starc, Yasir Shah, Kemar Roach, Neil Wagner, Shakib Al Hasan, Kagiso Rabada, and Josh Hazlewood are all active bowlers with more than 200 career Test wickets. Who knows, maybe they’ll be featured on this list one day.
Top 20 Greatest Batsmen of All-Time
The greatest batsmen of all-time know how to put their team in a position to win. They have lightning-fast reflexes, prolific decision-making skills, they’re excellent strategists, have the utmost determination, masterful strokes, superb footwork, and are nothing short of consistent.
Cricket is a sport that dates back to the early 1600s, but it didn’t gain popularity until 1709 — which is when the first game was recorded between two county teams. By the middle of the 18th century, it had spread throughout England and the first official rules had been written.
Today, cricket is one of the most popular sports around the globe, especially in England, India, and Australia. People gather from all over the world to watch the greatest batsmen square off against some of the best bowlers — and they’re very rarely disappointed by the outcome.
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Who Are the Greatest Batsmen of All-Time?
Some people refer to it as a ‘gentleman’s game,’ but we all know cricket is truly a ‘batsman’s game.’ Batsmen are the ones responsible for scoring runs and are ultimately the players that decide the outcome of the game. Quality batsmen are extremely valuable to their club.
Despite how prominent batsmen are to the game today, very few batsmen are good enough to be considered as the greatest of all-time. These players boast careers that are unlike any other, proving to be a nightmare to opposing bowlers everytime they’re facing in the bowler’s direction.
With that said, there are some players that deserve to be remembered as the greatest batsmen of all-time and we’re going to list those players out for you today. Some of them still play the game, while others are legends in the sport. Either way, they can all bat with the best of them.
Honorable Mentions: Steve Waugh (Australia), Younis Khan (Pakistan), Hashim Amla (South Africa), Graeme Smith (South Africa), Graham Gooch (England), Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan), VVS Laxman (India), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Michael Clarke (Australia), and Matthew Hayden (Australia)
20. Joseph Root
Country: England
Years: 2012-2021
Test: 109 matches, 200 innings, 9,278 runs, 50.15 average, 23 hundreds, 50 fifties
ODI: 152 matches, 142 innings, 6,109 runs, 51.33 average, 16 hundreds, 23 fifties
FC: 174 matches, 304 innings, 13,657 runs, 49.12 average, 34 hundreds, 68 fifties
It didn’t take long for Joseph Root to become one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He holds a record for scoring fifties in 12 consecutive Test matches, is the third-fastest player to reach 4,000 runs in ODI matches, and has the eighth-highest career batting average in ODI matches.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
19. Mahela Jayawardene
Country: Sri Lanka
Years: 1997-2015
Test: 149 matches, 252 innings, 11,814 runs, 49.84 average, 34 hundreds, 50 fifties
ODI: 448 matches, 418 innings, 12,650 runs, 33.37 average, 19 hundreds, 77 fifties
FC: 237 matches, 383 innings, 17,838 runs, 49.68 average, 51 hundreds, 80 fifties
Mahela Jayawardene has seen success in Test and ODI formats. He has the second-most career ODI matches and the fifth-most career ODI runs. In Test matches, he’s the fifth-fastest player to reach 9,000 career runs and holds the record for most runs on a single ground (2,921).
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
18. Alastair Cook
Country: England
Years: 2006-2018
Test: 161 matches, 291 innings, 12,472 runs, 45.35 average, 33 hundreds, 57 fifties
ODI: 92 matches, 92 innings, 3,204 runs, 36.40 average, 5 hundreds, 19 fifties
FC: 324 matches, 568 innings, 24,841 runs, 47.22 average, 69 hundreds, 117 fifties
Alastair Cook has the fifth-most career runs at 12,472 in test matches. He also holds the record for the most consecutive matches for a team (159), 10th-most career hundreds (33), and sixth-most career fifties (57). Cook was the sixth-fastest player to reach 12,000 career runs.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
17. Allan Border
Country: Australia
Years: 1978-1994
Test: 156 matches, 265 innings, 11,174 runs, 50.56 average, 27 hundreds, 63 fifties
ODI: 273 matches, 252 innings, 6,524 runs, 30.62 average, 3 hundreds, 39 fifties
FC: 385 matches, 625 innings, 27,131 runs, 51.38 average, 70 hundreds, 142 fifties
Allan Border holds the record for most consecutive Test matches as captain of a team, has the 10th-most career runs in Test matches, and the sixth-most career scores over 50 in Test matches. He once hit a hundred in each inning of a match, which is an unreal accomplishment.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
16. Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Country: West Indies
Years: 1994-2015
Test: 164 matches, 280 innings, 11,867 runs, 51.37 average, 30 hundreds, 66 fifties
ODI: 268 matches, 251 innings, 8,778 runs, 41.60 average, 11 hundreds, 59 fifties
FC: 385 matches, 626 innings, 27,545 runs, 53.17 average, 77 hundreds, 144 fifties
In Test matches, Shivnarine Chanderpaul has the sixth-most career matches, eighth-most career runs, ninth-most career fours, and was the ninth-fastest player to score 11,000 runs. He once scored a hundred in each inning of a match and had two unbeaten fifties in a match.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
15. Greg Chappell
Country: Australia
Years: 1970-1984
Test: 87 matches, 151 innings, 7,110 runs, 53.86 average, 24 hundreds, 31 fifties
ODI: 74 matches, 72 innings, 2,331 runs, 40.18 average, 3 hundreds, 14 fifties
FC: 321 matches, 542 innings, 24,535 runs, 52.20 average, 74 hundreds, 111 fifties
Speaking of hitting a hundred in each inning of a match, Greg Chappell has done that before. He also has the fifth-most runs in a single match (380 runs), the seventh-most consecutive innings with a fifty (6 innings), and most runs in an ODI series by a captain (686 runs).
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
14. Javed Miandad
Country: Pakistan
Years: 1975-1996
Test: 124 matches, 189 innings, 8,832 runs, 52.57 average, 23 hundreds, 43 fifties
ODI: 233 matches, 218 innings, 7,381 runs, 41.70 average, 8 hundreds, 50 fifties
FC: 402 matches, 632 innings, 28,663 runs, 53.37 average, 80 hundreds, 139 fifties
Javed Miandad is the eighth-youngest player to ever be named captain of his team (22 years old) and has the third-longest career (over 20 years). He also has the seventh-most runs in a single Test inning (280) and holds the record for most consecutive innings with a fifty (9 innings).
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
13. Rahul Dravid
Country: India
Years: 1996-2012
Test: 164 matches, 286 innings, 13,288 runs, 52.31 average, 36 hundreds, 63 fifties
ODI: 344 matches, 318 innings, 10,889 runs, 39.16 average, 12 hundreds, 83 fifties
FC: 298 matches, 497 innings, 23,794 runs, 55.33 average, 68 hundreds, 117 fifties
Rahul Dravid is the second-fastest player to reach 9,000 career runs and has the fourth-most career runs in Test matches. In the ODI format, he had the third-most runs and fifth-most hundreds in a single calendar year, and was the ninth-fastest player to reach 10,000 runs.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
12. Kumar Sangakkara
Country: Sri Lanka
Years: 2000-2015
Test: 134 matches, 233 innings, 12,400 runs, 57.40 average, 38 hundreds, 52 fifties
ODI: 404 matches, 380 innings, 14,234 runs, 41.98 average, 25 hundreds, 93 fifties
FC: 260 matches, 430 innings, 20,9111 runs, 52.40 average, 64 hundreds, 86 fifties
Kumar Sangakarra is the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs in Test format and holds the record for most consecutive innings with a fifty (7 innings). He also has the fourth-most career ODI matches and holds the record for most consecutive ODI innings with a hundred (4 innings).
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
11. Virat Kohli
Country: India
Years: 2008-2021
Test: 96 matches, 162 innings, 7,765 runs, 51.08 average, 27 hundreds, 27 fifties
ODI: 254 matches, 245 innings, 12,169 runs, 59.07 average, 43 hundreds, 62 fifties
FC: 128 matches, 210 innings, 10,014 runs, 51.88 average, 34 hundreds, 35 fifties
Virat Kohli is the fifth-fastest player to reach 7,000 runs in Test format and has the sixth-most matches as a captain (65 matches). A majority of his success has come during ODI matches as the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs and having the third-highest career batting average.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
10. Jacques Kallis
Country: South Africa
Years: 1995-2014
Test: 166 matches, 280 innings, 13,289 runs, 55.37 average, 45 hundreds, 58 fifties
ODI: 328 matches, 314 innings, 11,579 runs, 44.36 average, 17 hundreds, 86 fifties
FC: 257 matches, 421 innings, 19,695 runs, 54.10 average, 62 hundreds, 97 fifties
In Test matches, Jacques Kallis has the most player of the match awards (23), third-most career runs, second-most career fifties, and is the second-fastest player to reach 13,000 career runs. He also has the eighth-most career runs and fifth-most career fifties in ODI matches.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
9. Garfield Sobers
Country: West Indies
Years: 1954-1974
Test: 93 matches, 160 innings, 8,032 runs, 57.78 average, 26 hundreds, 30 fifties
FC: 383 matches, 609 innings, 28,314 runs, 54.87 average, 86 hundreds, 121 fifties
Garfield Sobers is the second-fastest player to reach 6,000 runs in Test matches and has the third-most runs in a single inning (365 runs). He once scored a fifty in six consecutive innings, ranking seventh all-time. His stats might not show it, but he’s one of the greatest batsmen ever.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
8. Sunil Gavaskar
Country: India
Years: 1971-1987
Test: 125 matches, 214 innings, 10,122 runs, 51.12 average, 34 hundreds, 45 fifties
ODI: 108 matches, 102 innings, 3,092 runs, 35.13 average, 1 hundred, 27 fifties
FC: 348 matches, 563 innings, 25,834 runs, 51.46 average, 81 hundreds, 105 fifties
Sunil Gavaskar is the third-fastest player to reach 5,000 career runs in Test matches, has the fourth-most consecutive matches for a team (106 matches), and third-most runs in a series by a captain (732 runs). In ODI matches, he was the fourth-oldest player to score a maiden hundred.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
7. Jack Hobbs
Country: England
Years: 1908-1930
Test: 61 matches, 102 innings, 5,410 runs, 56.94 average, 15 hundreds, 28 fifties
FC: 834 matches, 1,325 innings, 61,760 runs, 50.70 average, 199 hundreds, 273 fifties
Jack Hobbs is definitely one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. He had the seventh-longest career (over 22 years) and was the oldest player to ever score a hundred (46 years old). He was also the second-fastest player to score 5,000 runs in Test matches, taking him 91 matches.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
6. Wally Hammond
Country: England
Years: 1927-1947
Test: 85 matches, 140 innings, 7,249 runs, 58.45 average, 22 hundreds, 24 fifties
FC: 634 matches, 1,005 innings, 50,551 runs, 56.10 average, 167 hundreds, 185 fifties
Wally Hammond was the third-oldest player to ever be named captain at 43 years old and is the second-fastest player to reach 7,000 runs (131 matches). He also has the second-most runs in a single day at 295 runs and the sixth-most runs from sixes and fours in an inning.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
5. Ricky Ponting
Country: Australia
Years: 1995-2012
Test: 168 matches, 287 innings, 13,378 runs, 51.85 average, 41 hundreds, 62 fifties
ODI: 375 matches, 365 innings, 13,704 runs, 42.03 average, 30 hundreds, 82 fifties
FC: 289 matches, 494 innings, 24,150 runs, 55.90 average, 82 hundreds, 106 fifties
In Test matches, Ricky Ponting is the second-fastest player to score 12,000 runs, has the second-most career runs, second-most career matches, second-most career fifties, and fourth-most career fours. He also has the third-most runs, hundreds, and fifties in ODI matches.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
4. Brian Lara
Country: West Indies
Years: 1990-2007
Test: 131 matches, 232 innings, 11,953 runs, 52.88 average, 34 hundreds, 48 fifties
ODI: 299 matches, 289 innings, 10,405 runs, 40.48 average, 19 hundreds, 63 fifties
FC: 261 matches, 440 innings, 22,156 runs, 51.88 average, 65 hundreds, 88 fifties
In Test matches, Brian Lara is the fastest player to score 10,000 career runs and scored the most runs in a single inning by a captain (400 runs). He also has the 10th-most career fifties and third-most career fours. In ODI matches, he’s the sixth-fastest player to 9,000 career runs.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
3. Sir Vivian Richards
Country: West Indies
Years: 1974-1991
Test: 121 matches, 182 innings, 8,540 runs, 50.23 average, 24 hundreds, 45 fifties
ODI: 187 matches, 167 innings, 6,721 runs, 47.00 average, 11 hundreds, 45 fifties
FC: 507 matches, 796 innings, 36,212 runs, 49.40 average, 114 hundreds, 162 fifties
In Test matches, Sir Vivian Richards is the third-fastest player to 5,000 career runs, has the third-most consecutive matches with a fifty, and has the second-most runs (1,710) and hundreds (7) in a calendar year. In ODI matches, he’s the second-fastest player to 5,000 career runs.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
2. Sachin Tendulkar
Country: India
Years: 1989-2013
Test: 200 matches, 329 innings, 15,921 runs, 53.78 average, 51 hundreds, 68 fifties
ODI: 463 matches, 452 innings, 18,426 runs, 44.83 average, 49 hundreds, 96 fifties
FC: 310 matches, 490 innings, 25,396 runs, 57.84 average, 81 hundreds, 116 fifties
In Test matches, Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most career matches, runs, hundreds, nineties, fours, and is the only player to reach 15,000 runs. In ODI matches, he holds the record for most runs in a calendar year, career fifties, and is the only player to reach 18,000 runs.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
1. Sir Donald Bradman
Country: Australia
Years: 1928-1948
Test: 52 matches, 80 innings, 6,996 runs, 99.94 average, 29 hundreds, 13 fifties
FC: 234 matches, 338 innings, 28,067 runs, 95.14 average, 117 hundreds, 69 fifties
In Test matches, Sir Donald Bradman is the fastest player to reach 6,000 career runs and holds the record for the highest career batting average. It’s very possible that we will never see a more consistent batsman than Sir Donald Bradman. He was truly a one-of-a-kind batter.
You can view the rest of his career statistics here.
These Batsmen Have Revolutionized the Sport
The greatest batsmen of all-time find success in every format they play in — whether it’s Test matches, ODI matches, or FC matches. They score runs, they have high batting averages, and consistently score hundreds and fifties. They know how to put their team in a position to win.
When you look at the all-time record books, the 20 batsmen listed above are all over them. Of course, they’re all unique in their own way and they all played a major role in revolutionizing the sport. If it weren’t for them, cricket likely wouldn’t be the “batsman’s game” we see today.
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