God of Cricket

Who is the God of Cricket? Legacy, Records & Achievements

jeetghosh

Modified - Sep 12, 2025, 01:26 PM

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Summary

Sachin Tendulkar remains the undisputed 'God of Cricket' for his legendary career, but Virat Kohli is widely regarded as his successor due to his dominance across all formats. The article ranks Kohli, Steve Smith, Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root as the top contenders based on consistency, performances, longevity, and global influence. Kohli leads with 82 international centuries, exceptional stats in ODIs (14,181 runs) and T20Is (4,118 runs), and match-winning abilities. Smith’s Test record (10,271 runs, 36 centuries) and Williamson’s consistency (9,276 Test runs) stand out, while Rohit's ODI brilliance (11,168 runs) and Root's all-round excellence (13,006 Test runs) reinforce their claims. Kohli’s leadership and fan following further cement his top spot.

Since the birth of cricket, the dominance of batsmen has been evident. In this game of cricket, batters have repeatedly taken all the limelight with the bat in their hands. That is why legendary batsmen have been seen time and again in the arena of cricket. From the time of Don Bradman to the recent era of Virat Kohli, many batsmen have come who have captured everyone's attention with their excellent performances and have made a place in the hearts of fans. But among them, Sachin Tendulkar stands out from all others and is often termed as the God of Cricket in world all-time.

After Sachin Tendulkar's retirement, several batsmen have once again lit up the game of cricket. The biggest name among them is definitely Virat Kohli. Virat has single-handedly changed the course of Indian cricket in the post-Sachin era. He has become the God of Cricket in the world of the present day with his great class and performance in all formats of cricket. In the present cricket scenario, Virat Kohli is not only considered the god of cricket, but there are other cricketers as well who have done well in the game of cricket.

God of Cricket 2025 (Updated List)

In this era of cricket, the five players who can claim the title of God of Cricket after Sachin Tendulkar are Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. These five superstar players rightly deserve this title for their performance, skills, and fighting spirit. These players have been doing well for the team for a very long time in every format of the game.

Rank	Players	Total Matches	Total Innings	Total Runs	Average	Strike Rate	50s	100s	HS
1	Virat Kohli	550	617	27,599	51.14	95.31	143	82	254*
2	Joe Root	373	490	21,737	45.44	90.55	114	58	262
3	Rohit Sharma	499	532	19,700	40.46	96.91	108	49	264
4	Kane Williamson	371	441	19,086	45.84	85.52	102	48	251
5	Steve Smith	356	421	17,371	41.38	88.69	83	48	239

Who is the God of Cricket?

The God of Cricket in the world is widely judged to be Sachin Tendulkar. He has been bestowed with this designation due to his marvellous performance, records, and his contributions to the game of cricket. However, Virat Kohli is considered the “God of Cricket” of the current generation, especially due to his present-day performances and stats in this game.

But not only Virat Kohli, there are several other names on this God of Cricket in the world to become the God of Cricket. Many consider India's Rohit Sharma to be the God of Cricket in 2025. But not only these two Indians, there are some other foreign players in the race to become the God of Cricket in the world, among whom are Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Kane Williamson. All these players have been serving the team tirelessly to gain the title of God of the cricket world.

5. Steve Smith | Australia

Steve Smith is one of the best batsmen in the current cricket world. The former Aussie captain is also one of the biggest names in the Fab Four. Australian batsman Steve Smith is a player who is equally successful in all formats of cricket. He has carved a niche for himself with his cricketing skills and stamina.

In his international career, he has played 119 test matches, scoring 10,477 runs with an average of 56.02 and scoring 36 centuries. He has also played 170 ODIs and 67 T20Is, where he has scored 5,800 and 1,094 runs respectively, with an average of 43.28 and 24.86, respectively, and scored 12 centuries in ODIs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	50	100	HS
Test	119	212	10,477	56.02	53.68	43	36	239
ODI	170	154	5,800	43.28	86.96	35	12	164
T20I	67	55	1,094	24.86	125.45	5	0	90

4. Kane Williamson | New Zealand

Kane Williamson is one of the best batsmen of the current era, who has done well for the Kiwis by giving many match-winning performances with his skills, stamina, and hard work. Kane Williamson's performance in Test cricket is impressive, and he continues to set new records every moment. In his international career, he has played over 300+ matches across the three formats of the game, where he has scored more than 19,000+ runs with an average of 45.84.

He has scored 48 centuries in his career, where his highest score being 251, which came in test cricket. Williamson's consistency and ability to perform under pressure set him apart, and these stats further cement his status as one of the premier batsmen of the modern era, cementing his claim as a true legend of the game.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	50	100	HS
Test	105	186	9,276	54.88	51.78	37	33	251
ODI	173	165	7,235	49.21	81.72	47	15	148
T20I	93	90	2,575	33.44	123.08	18	0	95

3. Rohit Sharma | India

best-openers-in-the-world — Rohit Sharma (Image Credits: ICC Official X Account/@ICC)

Rohit Sharma is another legendary batsman of the present day who has done well to earn the title of God of cricket after serving Indian cricket for a long time. Rohit Sharma has done well, especially in ODI and T20I formats, where he has scored 11168 runs in 273 matches in ODI cricket and 4,231 runs in 159 T20I matches.

Along with this, he has 49 centuries across the three formats. The Hitman is a batsman who has a record of scoring double centuries more than once. He is also the best T20 captain of India. There is no doubt that he is one of the best Indian batters of all time, who can be said God of Cricket in India.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	50	100	HS
Test	67	116	4,301	40.57	57.05	18	12	212
ODI	273	265	11,168	48.76	92.81	58	32	264
T20I	159	151	4,231	32.05	140.89	32	5	121*

2. Joe Root | England

England legend Joe Root is also in the list of the God of cricket. This England superstar batsman is considered one of the best of the current era. The former England captain has scored more than 16,000 runs in all formats of cricket. However, he has become a great Test batsman with his classic innings of batting that have helped the England team win many matches.

Root has scored 39 centuries in this format and has displayed his skills of patience and determination in red-ball cricket. Along with this, he has also shown his worth in limited-overs cricket as well, where he has smashed 7,301 runs in 183 ODIs and 893 runs in 32 T20Is with an average of 49.33 and 35.72 in respective formats, scoring 19 centuries in ODIs as well.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	50	100	HS
Test	158	288	13,543	51.29	57.49	66	39	262
ODI	183	172	7,301	49.33	87.76	43	19	166*
T20I	32	30	893	35.72	126.30	5	0	90*

1. Virat Kohli | India

highest-paid-cricketers — Virat Kohli (Image Credits: ICC Official X Account/@ICC)

Virat Kohli is ahead of everyone in becoming the God of Cricket in the world now. Since his debut in international cricket, he has made his name in the world of cricket. Virat Kohli has earned the same respect and success in all formats of cricket and is quite rightly given the title of the best batsman of this era. Virat has repeatedly shown his skills under pressure, especially in the run chases.

He has made several records under his name, like most centuries in ODI, and is only behind Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries. He has taken retirement from test cricket and T20I cricket and is currently playing ODI format, where he has played 302 matches, scoring 14,181 runs with an average of 57.88. He is the fittest cricketer in the cricket world and one of the successful Indian captains in test cricket.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	50	100	HS
Test	123	210	9,230	46.85	55.57	31	30	254*
ODI	302	290	14,181	57.88	93.34	74	51	183
T20I	125	117	4,118	48.69	137.04	38	1	122*

Who is the God of Cricket after Sachin Tendulkar?

After Sachin Tendulkar retired from cricket, several batsmen have made a big impact on the field of cricket. They have ruled the game for several years as batsmen. However, only a handful of batsmen have been able to do what it takes to earn the title of 'God of Cricket'. And in that list, there are two Indian players. Apart from this, three more batsmen have established their reign all over the world with their charisma.

However, Virat Kohli is far ahead of the other four in this list. Performance on the field, popularity among the fans, consistently playing well, and leading the team from the front. Therefore, after Sachin Tendulkar, 'King of cricket' Virat Kohli is the God of Cricket in the world after Sachin Tendulkar.

How We Analyze the God Of Cricket - Major Facts

It is not easy to earn the title of God of Cricket in the world. It is a big challenge to be at the top of the list with match-winning innings and performances over the years. Apart from this, there are several other factors that come into play, due to which this title can be earned. Now, let's look at the factors that can be used to make a decision about the God of Cricket after Sachin Tendulkar.

Consistency in all formats: Every format of cricket is very important these days. Be it Test, ODI, or T20, you cannot become the God of Cricket in the world if you are not good at all. The goal of a great cricketer is to score runs continuously in all formats. This includes match-winning performances in all these diverse formats. The batsmen who can do this for ages and eras can be bestowed with the title of God of cricket in the world.
Match-Winning Performances: A player's match-winning ability tells us how well he can perform under pressure. Along with that, match-winning ability tells us how much dominance that player has on the field because this ability helps in winning matches. Performance in big matches tells us how big a player is in the team.
Longevity: How long a player has been performing well is a big deal in this aspect, and who is the God of Cricket in the world depends on how long he has been performing at the top of his form. A player who has dominated the game for many years is given the title of a legend of that game. This also determines how great he is in this game.
Big Match Performances: The biggest job of a cricketer is to perform well in big matches and win the match for his team. Be it the World Cup, T20 World Cup, World Test Championship, or any knockout match. The players who can win the match with their best in all these matches are the ultimate legends. It is a big challenge to do something extraordinary in big matches.