Who is the King of Cricket 2025-26 - Updated

Cricket is not just a game but an emotion for the players playing it and for the fans as well. There are many players who have made their name in the world of cricket and have left a mark with their cricketing skills. Many legendary players like Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, and many more have represented India on an international level. Similarly, some overseas players like Sir Don Bradman, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Alastair Cook, James Anderson, and many others have played for their respective countries and achieved a lot in their cricketing careers.

While these are some of the greats in the cricket world but the question remains unanswered about who is king of cricket. The title of king of cricket is very hard to earn by a cricketer, where the king of cricket is the one who has performed extraordinarily in the game of cricket as compared to others and has left a mark and showcased exceptional cricketing skills. The king of cricket is the one who has consistently scored runs or taken wickets with showing utter dominance in the game, and has been successful throughout their career with winning titles and awards. The king of cricket has a different level of respect in the cricket world, earned by the game they play. In this article, we will answer the question of who is king of cricket and a player dominating the game to earn the title of “king of cricket”.

What Makes a Batsman “King” in Cricket? Ranking Factors:

Many cricketers have performed well in cricket for many years, where some of them have retired from the game, and some are still playing the game and showing their best. These cricketers are performing up to the mark and can be considered for the title of king of cricket, but there should be some factors that will tell who is capable of earning this title. Here are the ranking factors that make a batsman King of cricket:

• Career Statistics Across All Formats: Career statistics across all formats of a player involve the runs scored or wickets taken by the player. This also involves other statistics like the strike rate of a player or the average of a player across the three formats of the game. This helps in understanding the overall performance of the player based on numbers.
• Match-Winning Performances: Match-winning performances of the player tell the player's ability in performing well in high-pressure matches, and how much impact they leave on the field during those matches, and that particular player becomes a key to winning the matches. This shows the influence of the player on winning important matches consistently.
• ICC Rankings and Awards: This helps in understanding how well the player is playing cricket, so that he remains at the top with the best ICC rankings, and stays at the number 1 position for a longer duration. Along with this, it shows how many awards are won by the player, like the ICC cricketer of the year or player of the series.
• All-Format Dominance: All-format dominance of the player shows the adaptability of the player in each format and how well the player adjusts according to the format, where each format involves a different kind of gameplay and conditions. This also shows the player's ability to adapt to different conditions of the match well, where the game plays differently across continents and requires adjustments accordingly.
• Longevity and Consistency: Longevity and consistency of the player indicate the capability to sustain at the top place for a very long time as a result of consistent performance throughout the career and showcasing top-level game of cricket. This shows how well the player can perform for so many years to maintain a top spot.
• Big Match Temperament: This helps in understanding the ability of a player in the big matches and how well they can play on the big stage, like the World Cups, finals, ICC tournaments, or even in knockout matches. Big match temperament shows the player handling the pressure well in the big matches and results match match-winning performances.
• Fan Base and Global Influence: Fan Base and global influence of the player help in understanding the player's fan following during the matches and even on social media. This also tells the influence of the player across the globe, with the level of the game and the skills they show.
• Style, Flair, and Entertainment Value: This shows how the player is different from the other players with a unique style of playing the game and showing elegance or aggression. This also involves the charisma and style the player carries with them during the match.
• Captaincy and Leadership: This helps in understanding the record of the player in captaincy and leadership qualities of the player in leading the side to success. This also involves the on-field and off-field presence of the player, which will have an overall impact on the success of the team.
• Impact Beyond Cricket: The impact beyond cricket is another factor where the players contribute to spreading the game's popularity, and how well they influence the young kids to take up the game, and impact on young cricketers to take this game forward.

What Does “King of Cricket” Mean?

"King of Cricket" is a nickname fans of cricket use to describe a cricket player who is extremely talented, successful, and respected in the sport. It defines the player as one of the best in the world; they are known for their great performances and winning matches for their team. Fans and experts often give this title to someone who stands out in cricket history. Let's find the answer to who is the king of cricket?

Who Is the King of Cricket Right Now?

Currently, the title of "King of Cricket" is often attributed to Virat Kohli due to his unparalleled achievements and consistent performances across all formats of the game. He is known for his aggressive batting, incredible chase ability, and physical fitness. Kohli has broken a number of records, including one of the fastest players to score 8000, 9000, and 10000 runs in ODIs, most centuries in ODIs. As of now, he continues to be one of the most consistent and respected players in world cricket, dominating the game with his outstanding performance and determination.

1. Virat Kohli – The Consistent Performer

India's former captain Virat Kohli is the top contender for the king of cricket. As he has scored 27000+ runs across all formats (including ODIs, T20Is, Tests). He has been the most impactful cricketer of the current time. The cricketing numbers of Virat clearly justify him to be one of the best cricketers till date. His adaptability throughout his career has been remarkable, as he has been scoring a lot of runs in all three formats consistently and adjusting well. Under his captaincy, he took India to the next level in the game of cricket, where he made a lot of records in test cricket and is the best Indian Test captain to lead.

2. Babar Azam – Modern Great with Elegant Technique

Pakistan’s former captain, Babar Azam, is presumed to be the ‘Real King of Cricket’ by the fans of his country. While the player is in the No.2 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings 2025, he has scored three half-centuries in the last ten innings. He has earned a name in the cricket world in his short career with the impact he has shown on the field. Babar was one of the best in the business a few years down the line, but he has failed to keep the momentum going. There are many years left in his game where he can prove his worth even more than before.

3. Joe Root – Test King Still Going Strong

England's former captain Joe Root is also a strong contender for the king of cricket. He has scored 16000+ runs across all formats (including ODIs, T20Is, Tests). Recently, he has been in his best form in the test matches. He has the most centuries among all the active players, i.e., 36 centuries. He has been scoring consistently in red-ball cricket and shows his skills of patience and determination towards the game. He is a part of the Fab Four of cricket as a result of his earlier match-winning and impactful innings.

Historical Kings of Cricket

There were some players in the history of cricket who have been considered the king of cricket; however, they all have taken retirement from international cricket and are enjoying their post-retirement life with their families. These players are some of the best in their own way of playing and have numerous cricketing records under their name. These players are not just considered legends by fans; even the cricketing fraternity recognises and respects them as true legends of the game.

Sachin Tendulkar – The King Who Became God

Sachin Tendulkar was not just a great cricketer, but some fans worshipped him like a god because of his amazing talent and records. He has earned the title "king of cricket" for being one of the most successful players in cricket for more than 24 years. Players like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Virendra Sehwag have taken inspiration from him to become professional cricket players. He has tons of records to his name, from most runs in ODIs, Tests, to most centuries in international cricket, all belong to the great Sachin Tendulkar. This shows how legendary a player he was in his era.

MS Dhoni – Captain Cool with a Loyal Empire

MS Dhoni also falls in the category of the "King of Cricket" for his awesome leadership in international cricket. Even great players have tough days, but Dhoni’s never-give-up attitude makes him different from others. He led India to victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy. Even in the pressure situation, his calm style, fast stumpings, and big hits made him "Captain Cool." With over 10,000 ODI runs and 183 wicketkeeping catches, he was a star. He is still playing IPL for CSK, but he is the real king of cricket.

Who is the New King of Cricket in 2025?

One of the most asked questions of cricket fans is Who is the new king of cricket? Many players show their potential to be the best, but one name stands out above the rest: a player who has been in the spotlight since his Under-19 days and is often known to take the legacy of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli forward, Shubman Gill. He has shown the potential to be the answer to this question of who is king of cricket in the current time. He has performed well when the team was in need. Gill was among the top run scorers for the Indian team in the recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He has been at the top of the ICC ODI rankings for a very long time and has recently been announced as Test captain for the Indian cricket team, which marks the start of his leadership career. He is the upcoming and new king of cricket who will rule the world of cricket with his bat very well.

King of Cricket in Different Formats

There are three different formats in which international cricket has been played, and each format has its dynamics. Each format of cricket has its unique style of gameplay, and those who master it become the "King" of that format. On the basis of statistical comparison among all the players, we have picked the king of cricket in each format of the game. However, there is only one universal king of cricket game and i.e., Virat Kohli.

T20 – Suryakumar Yadav / Jos Buttler

When we talk about the king of cricket in world for the shortest format of cricket, then the players who are at the top of the list are the Indian National team's captain Suryakumar Yadav and former English skipper Jos Buttler. Currently, these two players are the most explosive batters of T20 cricket. These both show excellent class and temperament in the shortest format of the game and have been successful for their respective team. Recently, they have been playing in the IPL, and both are among the top run scorers of this league.

ODI – Virat Kohli / Babar Azam

The name that comes to mind when discussing the king of cricket in world for ODIs is Virat Kohli. However, former Pakistani captain Babar Azam is often compared to Virat, as he has also been very consistent in ODIs, and his records prove that. Babar has scored 6,235 runs in his ODI career with an outstanding average of 55.17, including 17 centuries. However, there is no real comparison between him and Virat Kohli, as Virat has played over 300 ODIs and scored more than 14,000 runs in his career. He also has 51 centuries to his name. Both have played significantly for their teams, where Virat has played for more time as compared to Babar and shown his worth in even high-pressure matches.

Test – Joe Root / Steve Smith

When we talk about the present king of cricket in Test cricket, Joe Root and Steve Smith are the two names that come to the top of the list. Both are former captains of their respective national teams, and members of fab-four as well. These two players have consistently performed well for their country while playing all around the world. Both are sharing the spot of most test centuries currently by an active player and have been playing very well for a very long time.