Top 10 Best Left Handed Batsman - All Time | Ranked

Left-handed batters around the world are always elegant to watch. There is barely anything more pleasing than watching the best left handed batsman playing the perfect cover drive or the most elegant square cut. Many of the greatest left handed batters have blessed the sport and have made an undeniable impression on the fans.

Over the years, many left-handed batters have come out and taken the world by storm. Players from India, Australia, and Sri Lanka, in particular, have achieved a lot of fame in their careers. So, who is the best left handed batsman? Let's find out!

List of Best Left Handed Batsman of all time

Compiling the list of the top 10 greatest left handed batsman is a big challenge because there are so many players who have made a name for themselves in the cricketing world. However, the list is based on stats and impact across all formats. So here are the best left handed batsman of all time. Some of these batters also rank among the best cricketers in the world.

Who is the Most Famous Left Handed Batsman?

There are many greatest left handed batsman in the world, but the best of all is surely West Indies legend Brian Lara. Widely regarded as one of the best batters in the world, Lara holds many records. The most notable record is the highest score ever recorded in Test cricket. He had scored an unbeaten 400 in the match against England in 2004.

Many Indian batters have also announced their presence in world cricket through their mind-boggling performances. Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly, known for his aggressive mindset, and Yuvraj Singh, remembered for his six sixes in six balls against Stuart Broad, are the two most famous left handed batsman.

10. Shikhar Dhawan | India

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was an attacking batsman who made his name as an opener. Together with Rohit Sharma, he put on many memorable partnerships. He rose to prominence for his performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, where he was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his performance. He holds the highest average of 65.15 in ICC World Cups and the Champions Trophy among the players with over 1000 runs.

9. David Warner | Australia

Former Australian cricketer David Warner is surely one of the best left handed batsman of all time. He has a great record in all formats but is best known for his triple hundred against Pakistan. He had nearly 8800 runs in Tests in 112 matches, close to 7000 runs in 161 runs in ODIs, and over 6500 runs in 184 matches.

8. Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka

Sanath Jayasuriya was a powerful and inventive opening batsman who transformed one-day international cricket with his explosive hitting at the top of the order. His explosive batting helped Sri Lanka win the 1996 Cricket World Cup. Jayasuriya also holds the record for the most runs (19,298) scored by any opener in international cricket.

7. Adam Gilchrist | Australia

Former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist was a dangerous wicketkeeper-batsman whose aggressive hitting and extraordinary run-scoring transformed the wicketkeeper's role in Test cricket. He was a part of three World Cup-winning squads in 1999, 2003, and 2007. His century against Sri Lanka in the 2007 World Cup final is considered to be his best innings in his career.

6. Yuvraj Singh | India

Yuvraj Singh, the former Indian batter, is widely considered the most flamboyant batter of his generation, and rightfully so. His power-hitting abilities made him one of the most famous batters in world cricket. Who could ever forget the sixes he hit against Stuart Broad in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007? Apart from that, he also won the Player of the Tournament in the 2011 Cricket World Cup for his brilliant all-round show.

5. Sourav Ganguly | India

Sourav Ganguly revolutionised how the captaincy was approached. He was one of the most aggressive captains to have ever represented a team, and that was visible in his batting as well. He, without a doubt, is the best Indian left handed batsman. In his Test career, he scored 7212 runs in 188 innings and playing for India in the ODI format, he scored 11363 runs in 300 innings.

4. Allan Border | Australia

Allan Border was a gritty and determined batsman and skipper who helped Australia return to the top of international cricket. Under his leadership, Australia emerged victorious in the 1987 World Cup and reclaimed the Ashes in 1989. Border was also noted for his determination and ability to accumulate runs in any conditions. From 1993 to 2005, he held the world record for most Test runs (11,174). At the time of his retirement, he was also Australia's highest Test and One-Day International run-scorer.

3. Matthew Hayden | Australia

Matthew Hayden, a former Australian cricketer, was an aggressive and powerful opening batsman who dominated attacks across all formats and played an important role in Australia's success. Hayden holds the record for the highest individual Test score by an Australian batsman, with 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003. He was the leading run-scorer in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, scoring 659 runs at an average of 73.22, including three centuries.

2. Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka

Kumar Sangakkara, a Sri Lankan cricket icon, was an elegant and prolific batsman with a great Test batting average (57.4) who also played well as a wicketkeeper. Sangakkara is the second-highest run scorer in international cricket, with 28,016 runs and 63 centuries. He is the fastest Test cricketer to score 8,000, 9,000, 11,000, and 12,000 runs.

1. Brian Lara | West Indies

Former West Indies great Brian Lara is widely regarded as one of the best batters of all time, with a reputation for beautiful stroke play and multiple Test-match record-breaking performances, including the highest individual score of 400. Lara was recognised for his graceful batting style mixed with an aggressive approach, especially his tremendous shot-making and ability to score at a quick rate.

How We Ranked the Best Left Handed Batsman of All Time

There are many of the best left handed batsman in the world, and a lot of them have done exceptionally well for their respective teams. However, this list determines some of the top in the world, based on various factors. Let's have a look.

• Overall Stats: This is the most important factor when listing the best batters in the world. Consistency and how they have done throughout their careers was the most important factor while making this list.
• Records: A player usually stands out when they hold major records. Most of these batters have a big record to their name in some format or the other. All these records have been considered while ranking these players.
• World Cup and performances in major events: Performing at any big stage is never easy for any player, but how a player handles the pressure and delivers for his team becomes a very crucial factor. All of these players have given many such performances on big stages.
• Impact Performances: Players might not always have the biggest figures, but they might have had a huge impact with their small cameos. It is often overlooked, but it has a major impact on winning games. It makes it easier to identify the best left handed batsman in the world.