Top 10 Greatest Batsman of All Time (Updated Rankings)

Cricket is one of the most loved sports across the world, which brings the fans together to enjoy the thrill of the game of cricket. The game of cricket has evolved a lot since the beginning of the sport, where new formats have been introduced and even rules have evolved over time. In the past, cricket was seen more as a balanced game for both batsmen and bowlers, but in recent years, batsmen have dominated the game with their explosive batting skills and scoring big runs. The game of cricket was introduced and has been played since the post-colonial era, when the British spread the craze of this game around the world. Cricket was at its peak at that time too, when the greatest players used to play and created a legacy in the game. The game of cricket was limited to only test matches, where other formats were introduced much later. Sir Donald Bradman, who is the greatest batsman of all time had created a legacy with his exceptional game.

A player cannot become the best batsman overnight, as it takes a lot of hard work and determination towards the game. The batsman becomes best after not just scoring plenty of runs but playing exceptional game of cricket and give neck-to-neck competition. It is important to compare the best batsman only according to different eras of their respective career. For instance, there are some batsmen who used to play when cricket was ruled by big, tall bowlers who used to do deadly bowling, whereas some have played when cricket was ruled by the batsmen. In this article, we will cover the greatest batsman of all time.

Top 10 Best Batsman of All Time: Updated List

In the current scenario of cricket, there are many batsmen who have shown their worth on the field by scoring a lot of runs and contributing to the win of their respective teams. Here is the list of the top 10 greatest batsman of all time, which includes the names like Sir Donald Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, and even Brian Lara.

Who is the Greatest Batsman of All Time?

Cricket is a sport that is currently dominated by batters, but it wasn’t always this way. In the past, world-class bowlers often ruled the game and were like nightmares for batsmen. Despite the tough conditions, some batters stood out and consistently showed their class against even the most dangerous bowlers. We have ranked the greatest batters in cricket history to answer the question, Who is the greatest batsman of all time.

5. Virat Kohli | India (2008–present)

Indian former captain Virat Kohli is the current world number one batsman, and in the list of the greatest batsman in the world, he is in the 5th position. He is called the King of Cricket by the fans. He has been the world no 1 batsman in all formats for a very long period of time. He was the only batter to have a 50+ average in all formats of cricket. He has several records to his name and has taken the world of cricket, especially in Indian, to the next level. In his international career, he has played 550 matches where he has scored 27,599 runs with an average of 51.14 and has scored 82 centuries, just before Sachin's record of 100 centuries. Virat Kohli has scored the most number of centuries in ODIs with 51 centuries to his name. He is one of the best batsman of all time in the world of cricket.

4. Brian Lara | West Indies (1990–2007)

Brian Lara comes in 4th position in the list of the greatest batsman of all time. He is a legendary player from the West Indies, also considered the greatest left-hander to have ever played cricket. He is known for his classic batting with his temperament in the game. He became the first cricketer to score 400 runs in an innings in a test match. In his international career, he has played 430 matches where he scored 22,358 runs with an average of 46.28 and has scored 53 centuries and 111 half-centuries. He has been one of the best in the business when it comes to scoring runs and is one of the best batsman of all time.

3. Sir Vivian Richards | West Indies (1974–1991)

Sir Vivian Richards, who is also known as the Boss of the Cricket Field, comes in the 3rd position in the list of the greatest batsman of all time. His batting style was so destructive that bowlers feared to bowl to him. He had that kind of aura at that time. He introduced a new way of batting in the cricketing world (fearless batting approach). He was so confident about his batting abilities that he never wore a helmet throughout his career. In his international career, he has played 308 matches where he scored 15,261 runs with an average of 47 and has scored 35 centuries and 90 half-centuries. He used to rule the world of cricket in his era and is the greatest batsman of all time.

2. Sachin Tendulkar | India (1989–2013)

Sachin Tendulkar comes in the 2nd position in the list of the greatest batsman of all time, and he is also known as the “God of Cricket“. There was a time when every record related to batting was held by Sachin Tendulkar. He has played 200 test matches and scored 15,921 runs with an average of 53.78. He has a total of 51 test centuries to his name, which is the most by any cricketer. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was the first player to score a double century in ODIs against South Africa. Many records seem impossible to break by any other batsman ever. He has a total of 100 centuries to his name, including all the formats.

1. Sir Donald Bradman | Australia (1928–1948)

The greatest Batsman of all time is none other than Sir Donald Bradman from Australia, who tops the list of the top 10 batsman in the world all time. He has a 20-year-long career. He has been an inspiration to many future stars like Sachin Tendulkar. He played in 52 test matches in his career and scored 6996 runs for his team. His career average is best among all the cricketers with 99.94, which could have been 100 if he hadn’t got out for a golden duck in his last match of his career. He scored a total of 29 centuries for his team. He has shown his dominance in test cricket and is considered to be the greatest batsman of all time and the GOAT of cricket.

Greatest ODI Batsman of All Time:

ODI is a format of the game that requires the skills of the other two formats, where the batsman has to play patiently, as well as explosively, like in T20 cricket. Here is the list of the top 5 cricketers who are considered to be the greatest ODI batsman of all time, which includes the names like Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, and many others.

Greatest Test Batsman of All Time:

The longest format of the game tests the player overall in each department of the game. In test cricket, a batsman has to play very strategically and take the game deep. Here is the list of the top 5 greatest test batsman of all time, which includes the names of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and others.

Best T20 Batsman of All Time:

The shortest format of the game is the T20 format, where the game is played very fearlessly with the mindset of smashing runs quickly. In the T20 format, batsmen adapt the game to play with an open mindset of hitting the ball and scoring as many runs as possible. Here is the list of the top 5 best T20 batsman of all time, which includes the names of Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam, and others.

Ranking factors:

As cricket has not been the same with respect to the rules, the game of cricket has become much favorable to the batsmen. There should be a fair ranking of the greatest batsman of all time according to some ranking factors. Here are some of the ranking factors:

• Overall Batting Average: The Overall batting average of the players shows the consistency of the player to score runs across the formats like Test, ODI, and even T20Is. This indicates the long-term reliability of the players in scoring runs and performing well for the team.
• Strike Rate / Scoring Efficiency: Strike Rate or scoring efficiency shows the capabilities of the player in scoring runs at speed, which is important to adjust in limited over formats, where runs have to be scored in the given overs. This shows the balance of aggression and control of the player in limited-over games, where the player has to score the runs quickly while holding wickets.
• Performance in All Formats (Test, ODI, T20): The performance in All Formats shows the adaptability and consistency of the player in scoring well in all formats, which include Test, ODI, and T20I. This helps in understanding the adaptability of the player in adjusting his game according to the format and the number of runs in each of them. The high scores in each format rank the player higher as the best batsman in the world.
• Big Match Performance: This shows how well the player can play the big innings at the big tournaments like ICC tournaments, World Cups, and even finals. This involves big match performances and shows how well the player can handle the pressure on a big stage, and showcases his skills in a match-winning cause through clutch performances.
• Career Centuries & Fifties: The career centuries and fifties scored by the player show the ability of player to score big runs and convert a good start into a high score. This involves the number of centuries and half-centuries scored by the player in his career, which indicates sustained excellence and temperament.
• Recent Form & ICC Rankings: The recent form and the ICC rankings of the player show how well the player has been playing in recent years and how he has performed in his last years of career, which also tells about the player's ICC rankings.
• Versatility Across Conditions: The best batsman in the world should be versatile in his game, which shows the performance of the player in different countries and continents where the playing conditions vary and have different kinds of pitches, like where SENA countries have pitches suited for pace and swing where on the other hand Asian pitches are best suited for spinners. The versatility of the player indicated the ability of the player to play spin, pace, and in tough environments.
• Impact on Team Wins: The player's impact on team wins shows the runs scored, and the performance of player has contributed to the team's win. The player's overall performance in the match should result in a winning cause for the team, and scoring runs should lead to a win, not just improving their stats.