Top 10 Greatest Test Players | Decade Wise – 2025 Updated

Test cricket has been the toughest and purest form of the game. The traditional format still entertains the fans and attracts a large audience during some special days of the Test matches. Legendary players have graced the field across generations. From the likes of Sir Donald Bradman to Virat Kohli, these cricketers have rewritten the history books of the game with their impact and match-winning ability for their respective countries.
Each era presented its own set of challenges: the blistering fast bowling of the 1970s, the spin-dominated tracks of the 1990s, and the aggressive batting of the modern age. The beauty of Test cricket rests in its demand for patience, skill, and mental toughness, which only the greatest Test players have consistently showcased. In this article, we will be using ranking factors to rank the top 10 greatest Test players of each decade.

How We Ranked the Greatest Test Players - Ranking Factor

The greatest Test players in world cricket are not only ranked by their run scores but also by their contribution to the game and consistency throughout their careers. Here are some of the ranking factors which helped in ranking the players fairly and accurately.

• Peak Performance Level: The peak performance level of the player helps in understanding the overall performance of the player during a specific period of time, where the player is playing the game of cricket at his best. This involves scoring a huge number of runs consistently or taking wickets on regular basis which eventually shows the peak performance level of the player in the game of cricket.
• Longevity and Consistency: Consistency is a requirement for any great Test player of the decade. In the long format of the game, doing well in a few matches is not enough; true brilliance is defined by the ability to deliver consistently over many years. Consistent run scorers and wicket-takers stand out because they exhibit their worth not only at home but also in difficult international conditions.
• Performance in Different Conditions: The performance of the player is tested well in different playing conditions. As the international player is supposed to play cricket matches across the world and not only at their home, they have to show same level of performance in different conditions and adapt to them nicely. Scoring runs in Test matches necessitates adaptation, as pitches and weather conditions differ from each nation. Whether facing swinging deliveries in England, blistering pace and bounce in Australia, or spinning tracks in India and Sri Lanka, the greatest Test players find ways to overcome challenges and score big runs.
• Match Impact: Beyond numbers, the impact of a player's performance in significant matches is critical in determining the best Test players of the decade. Impact extends beyond runs and wickets to give match-winning performances when the team needs them the most. Some players have the rare ability to single-handedly alter the course of a game with a heroic century or a magical bowling spell.
• Quality of Opposition: The quality of opposition helps in understanding the top-class performers in the opposition team which shows the abilities of the player. This shows how well the player can play against the top teams and not only performing against weak teams and improving their stats. For instance, during 1980s West Indies bowling lineup was considered to be the most effective and deadly one, where the player scoring against them was considered to be a quality player.
• Big Stage Temperament: The big stage temperaments shows the player's skills in performing well in the big tournament or big stages like the ICC tournaments, World Cups or during the final matches. This tells that the player can have ability to perform on big stage with the same level of game they play regulalry.
• All-Round Contribution: There are some players who are all-rounders and this factor involves in understanding the all-round contribution of the player in matches, where the player should play as per the role and perform up to the mark in both batting and bowling as well as in fielding department. This is applicable to all-rounders who have ability to showcase their crickeitng skills in all the departments of cricket and perform well for the team they play for.
• Era Difficulty Adjustment: The era difficulty is one of the main factor in ranking the best test player decade wise where the different players have played cricket in different eras, marking different kind of difficulty in the respective era. This helps in understanding the performance and adjustment of the player in different eras and performing consistently as same without comrpismisg the level of game.

Top 10 Best Test Players in the World - Updated List 2025

Test cricket makes the best cricket players with testing the game at the next level, which involves the temperament and patience of the players in the game of cricket. There have been exceptional test cricketers in the world of cricket and here is the list of the top 10 best test players in the world.

Who is the Greatest Test Player in each decade?

From the 1970s to the 2020s, over the years, there have been some greatest Test players who have dominated each decade. But when it comes to naming the greatest Test player of each decade, the debate becomes both intense and nostalgic. From the classic beauty of the 1970s to the forceful dominance of the 2000s, each decade has produced icons that ruled supremely. We'll go deep into every decade to find out which cricketer dominated the time and cemented their place in history as the greatest of their era.

10. Pat Cummins | Australia | 2020s-Present

Pat Cummins has emerged as an important figure in the world of Test cricket since the beginning of the 2020s. Leading Australia from the front, Cummins has reinvented the position of a fast-bowling captain, demonstrating that bowlers, too, can be excellent leaders in the game's longest format. Since he was appointed Australian skipper, whatever he has touched has turned to gold for him and the country.

Under his leadership, Australia won the famous World Test Championship (2021-2023) and reclaimed the Ashes on English soil. He also won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade, beating India 3-1. Cummins, who averages less than 22 in Test cricket, constantly breaks partnerships and creates pressure when it matters most. In his test career, he has taken 301 wickets, and in the decade starting from 2020 till present, he has played 38 test matches where he has taken 162 wickets with an economy rate of 2.84 and the best match figures of 10/97. His ability to deliver in critical circumstances makes him an exceptional talent.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of the 2020s.

• Captained Australia to a WTC title (2023), ICC World Cup 2023, and Ashes retention (2023).

• He is known for his accuracy, pace, and consistency across conditions.

• He has achieved a 10-wicket match haul and several 5-wicket innings.

9. Virat Kohli | India | 2010s-2020s

Virat Kohli has been the greatest 50-over batter of all time. He is the ‘modern master’ of cricket; he sits at the top of the most ODI hundreds list. He has established himself as one of the most followed athletes in the world. Apart from limited-overs cricket, he has also made an exceptional mark in Test cricket. From 2017 to 2019, Virat Kohli dominated Test cricket with elegance, grit, and relentless consistency.

His outstanding efforts during this time earned him a berth on the ICC Test Team of the Year for three consecutive years. Between 2017 and 2019, Kohli scored nearly 3,500 Test runs at a staggering average of 64.61. He scored 14 Test hundreds during this time. Kohli's attitude to Test cricket during these years was characterised by discipline and a desire for runs. In the decade of 2010-2020, he played 87 test matches, where he scored 7,318 runs with an average of 50.88 and scored 27 centuries and 23 half-centuries.

Under his captaincy, India achieved its first-ever series win in Australia in 2018–19 and dominated world cricket. The former India captain announced his retirement on May 12, 2025, from the longest format of the game. But he remains the greatest Test player in history. Even the greatest Test bowler of this era, Jimmy Anderson, while talking to Talk Sport he said, “Virat Kohli is one of the greatest Test batters that's ever been”, which defines his class and what kind of player he was in Test cricket.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He averaged over 50 for a major portion of his Test career.

• ICC Test Team of the Year for three consecutive years

• He became the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia (2018–19).

• Known for high-intensity, match-defining centuries and fitness standards.

• Scored seven double centuries as a Test captain – a world record.

8. Ricky Ponting | Australia | 2000s–2010s

Ricky Ponting was one of the best cricket players in the world. He was a fantastic batter of his era. The former Australian skipper is the only captain to win the ICC ODI World Cup twice in his career. He transformed the Australian side into a beast in Test cricket, and they were unbeaten. The most consecutive cricket Test match victories is 16, and was achieved by Australia twice, firstly from 14 October 1999 to 27 February 2001 and most recently from 26 December 2005 to 2 January 2008. In the second stint, Ponting was the captain.

He has amassed by scoring over 27,000 international runs and is considered one of the game’s greats because of his aggressive captaincy and outstanding batting. In the decade of 2000-2010, he played 97 test matches, where he scored 9,458 runs with an average of 59.44 and scored 32 centuries and 40 half-centuries. Thus making him rank as one of the greatest Test player in history.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He has scored 13,378 Test runs (2nd-most after Tendulkar) with 41 centuries.

• Led Australia to 16 consecutive Test wins and two Ashes victories.

• Known for his dominance with the bat in the 2000s.

• He has scored centuries in both innings of a Test three times.

• He is one of the most successful captains in Test history.

7. Brian Lara | West Indies | 1990s-2000s

Brian Charles Lara has been one of the greatest left-hand batters of all time. During his time representing the West Indies in the 1990s and early 2000s, Lara's flair, elegance, and sheer brilliance with the bat transformed Test cricket. His iconic high backlift, paired with perfect timing, allowed him to find gaps with amazing accuracy, making him a bowler's nightmare. His spectacular 375 against England in 1994 and the historic 400* in 2004 were both recorded at St. John's, Antigua. In the decade of 1990-2000, he played 74 test matches, where he scored 6,070 runs with an average of 45.27 and scored 15 centuries and 30 half-centuries.

The Southpaw's records showcase his unwavering consistency and hunger to score runs every time he took the field for the Island nation. His 400* stands as the greatest individual Test score in history, a symbol of greatness. His records against the world's best bowlers, such as Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Glenn McGrath, confirmed his place among the most feared and respected batsmen.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He has scored 11,953 Test runs with 34 centuries, averaging 52.88.

• He holds the record for the highest individual Test score – 400 not out vs England (2004).

• Also scored 375 earlier in his career, setting the world record twice.

• Known for his elegant strokeplay and ability to dominate top bowlers.

6. Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1990s–2000s

Sachin Tendulkar is the best cricketer in the world of all time. The ‘God of Cricket’ had a career of 24 years, which is an impossible milestone for any cricketer to achieve. He has the record for scoring the most international hundreds to his name. The former India captain has scored 100 international centuries. Sachin played in 463 matches for India, showcasing unparalleled consistency, and scored 18,426 runs in ODI cricket. In the decade of 1990-2000, he played 69 test matches, where he scored 5,626 runs with an average of 54.61 and scored 20 centuries and 21 half-centuries.

His 51 Test centuries are also nearly impossible to achieve for any batter in modern-day cricket. Tendulkar still tops the chart for the most runs in international cricket, with more than 34,000 international runs, with over 15,000 runs coming in the longest format of the game. For 24 years, he faced the most terrifying bowlers the world could produce. His legacy in the Test circuit is unmatched, and he will go down in history as the master of a generation. This is the reason he is the greatest Test player of all time.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He is the all-time highest run-scorer in Tests with 15,921 runs from 200 matches.

• He has hit 51 Test centuries, the most by any player.

• He has played Tests for 24 years (1989–2013), the longest Test career.

• First batsman to score 100 international centuries (Tests + ODIs).

• Known for epic innings against top bowling attacks, especially overseas.

5. Sir Vivian Richards | West Indies | 1970s–1980s

Sir Vivian Richards was one of the most destructive batters of his era. The West Indies superstar had a different aura during his playing days. His aggressive attitude and ability to dominate bowlers helped the West Indies win many games. He had an amazing average of 66.51 with the bat in the red ball format. His aura during the 1970s to 1990s was different, which makes him one of the greatest Test players in the history of West Indies cricket.

His fearless attitude, matched by his terrific stroke play, proved a nightmare for bowlers worldwide. He wasn’t just playing the game; he was dictating the tempo with his dynamic style. In the decade of 1970-1980, he played 40 test matches, where he scored 3,629 runs with an average of 60.08 and scored 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries. His ability to dominate the finest bowlers of his period, frequently without a helmet, demonstrated his skill and consistency.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He has scored 8,540 runs at an average of 50.23 in 121 Tests.

• Known for his aggressive, fearless batting, among the first power-hitters in Tests.

• He used to play without a helmet against the most dangerous bowlers.

• Captained West Indies during their era of dominance.

4. Sunil Gavaskar | India | 1970s-1980s

Sunil Gavaskar is one of the greatest Test players for India. He changed the dynamics of batting with his sensational technique, rock-solid defense, and fearless approach against the deadliest bowlers of his era. Without wearing a helmet, he set new benchmarks for consistency and resilience against the likes of Dennis Lillee, Malcolm Marshall, and Andy Roberts.

Gavaskar made his debut in 1971 against the formidable West Indies, and he startled the cricketing world with 774 runs, a record that still stands. It was his method, his tenacity, and composed brand of cricket against fearsome pace bowlers that defined his memorable career. For almost two decades, his 34 Test centuries were a world record, and an impressive indicator of his extraordinary talent and prowess at the crease. In the decade of 1970-1980, he played 63 test matches, where he scored 5,974 runs with an average of 51.75 and scored 23 centuries and 25 half-centuries.

The former India captain is one of the greatest Test players in history.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He was the first player to score 10,000 Test runs; he ended with 10,122 in 125 Tests.

• He became the first cricketer to score centuries in both innings of a Test three times.

• Known for his technique against pace, especially against the West Indies.

• Captained India in 47 Tests with notable overseas performances.

3. Allan Border | Australia | 1970s–1980s

Allan Border is without doubt one of the greatest test players in history, for his toughness, tenacity, and exceptional leadership. Representing Australia at a tough time, Border’s impact on Test cricket was more than just about runs. He was the rock of Australia’s batting and the bedrock of their resurgence in world cricket. With over 11,000 Test runs to his name, Border was the first to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket, and his level of consistency was something that few can only hope to hope to achieve in the traditional format of the game. In the decade of 1970-1980, he played test matches, where he scored 1,832 runs with an average of 42.50 and scored 5 centuries and 10 half-centuries.

With his composed approach to his batting, he was able to grind out difficult innings against hostile bowling attacks, frequently rescuing Australia from losing causes. His captaincy was instrumental in changing Australia from a losing side to a world champion team. His captaincy legacy will remain in the heart of every Australian cricket fan, and his leadership approach is regarded as a template for mental toughness and resilience in Test cricket.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He has scored 11,174 Test runs in 156 matches – first player to cross 11,000 runs.

• He has played 153 consecutive Tests, a record for most uninterrupted appearances.

• Captained Australia in 93 Tests, leading them to a 1989 Ashes win.

• Known for his gritty, match-saving batting and leadership.

2. Sir Garfield Sobers | West Indies | 1950s–1960s

Sir Garfield Sobers will always be regarded as the greatest West Indies cricketer of all time. He is widely regarded as one of the best cricketers in the world. He featured for the side from 1954 to 1974. He laid the foundation for the Caribbean nation that won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979. The greatest all-rounder scored 8,032 runs in Test cricket at an impressive average of 57.78. In the decade of 1950-1960, he played 34 test matches, where he scored 3,077 runs with an average of 54.26 and scored 10 centuries and 8 half-centuries. He also took 43 wickets with a bowling average of 43.16 and an economy rate of 2.24.

His iconic innings of 365* against Pakistan in 1958 stood as the highest individual Test score for 36 years, a testament to his mastery. Sobers was more than just an amazing batsman; he was a bowler to match, claiming 235 victims to his left-armers, taking wickets with offspin, legspin, and medium pace – the audacious admixture that encapsulated his genius. Gary Sobers still stands acknowledged as one of the greatest Test cricketers this game has seen, a cricketer whose exceptional talent and ability to turn a game on its head make him a master on the field.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He scored 8,032 runs and took 235 wickets in 93 Tests – among the greatest all-rounders ever.

• He hit a then-world record 365 vs Pakistan* in 1958, which stood for 36 years.

• Captained West Indies in 39 Tests.

• Knighted for his contribution to cricket in 1975.

1. Sir Donald Bradman | Australia | 1930s–1940s

Sir Donald Bradman, revered as "The Don," is not just a cricketing legend; he is a symbol of sporting excellence whose records have transcended generations. Born in 1908, Bradman made his Test debut for Australia in 1928, and what followed was sheer domination in the longest format of the game. He can be named as the greatest Test player of all time. In the decade of 1930-1940, he played 33 test matches, where he scored 4,625 runs with an average of 130.86 and scored 19 centuries and 6 half-centuries.

His career Test batting average of 99.94 is considered to be the greatest achievement by any sportsman in any major sport. Bradman played 52 matches for the Aussies, scoring 6,996 runs, and his highest score in 334. He had 29 hundreds in his Test career, which was broken by the great Sunil Gavaskar. Bradman apart as one of the greatest Test players in history is not just his numbers, but his impact on the sport.

Career Highlights & Achievements

• He has scored 6,996 runs in just 52 Tests at a legendary average of 99.94 – the highest in Test history.
• Holds the record for the fastest to 6,000 runs in Test cricket (68 innings).
• He has scored 974 runs in a single Ashes series (1930) – still a record.
• Was knighted in 1949 for his services to cricket – the only Australian cricketer to receive this honor.

Who is the Best Test Player of All Time?

Without any doubt, Sachin Tendulkar is the best test player in the world of all time. Sachin has been the most consistent performer in test cricket, where he has the most number of test matches, i.e., 200, till date. He has scored a huge number of runs in test cricket, 15,921, with an average of 53.78, and has scored 51 centuries, the highest by any player in test cricket. He has been the perfect test player who used to bat at number 4 for the Indian test team and held the position with full responsibility and consistent performance. He is the fastest player to score 15,000 runs in test cricket and has hit the most number of fours in test cricket, which is 2,058+ fours. He ruled the world of cricket in his career and is the best test player in the world of all time.