Cricket is a game of pure skill and focus game. For over a decade, cricket was mainly dominated by bowlers, when average team scores were around 180-240.
But in the modern era, it is common to score over 300 runs in an ODI and chase them easily, shifting the batsman’s role from being defensive to attacking.
We created a list of the top 10 batsmen in the world who defined the concept of batting and set an example in the cricketing world. So without further ado, let’s get into it and discover who is the best batsman in the world and briefly talk about their illustrious career.
Every era has seen the greatest of greats with an exceptional set of skills. Whether it was the days when batters did not wear helmets and faced raw speeds of 140 km/hr, or today’s batsman-friendly modern era, where centuries are common across all formats.
So let’s begin with the list of top 10 batsmen in the world of all time.
No matter which list we talk about, it’s incomplete without the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar. The only batsman to have scored 100 centuries is a record that would take an entire generation to break. His craze in the 90s was so wild that whenever he used to get out, people would switch off the television.
The reason he is called the god of cricket can be determined by the fact that he made cricket popular in India and inspired many upcoming cricketers. He was only 16 when he made his debut for India, and it was against Pakistan’s fearsome bowling lineup.
The determination he had and how he took every obstacle and turned it into a lesson made him the world’s best batsman. Currently, he also holds the record for the highest run scored in internationals. Sachin’s name will forever be remembered as one of the world’s best batsmen to ever step foot in 22 yards.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Test | 200 | 15,921 | 248* | 53.78 | 51 | 68 |
| ODI | 463 | 18,426 | 200* | 44.83 | 49 | 96 |
| T20I | 1 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
One doesn’t simply get the title of King of Cricket until he has exceptional skills and is named Virat Kohli. He is frequently regarded as a synonym for consistency, as there is no other better batsman in the world across all formats. Whether he is fielding or batting, he exudes a completely different energy every time he steps onto the field.
If you want to see actual textbook shots, just watch any of his batting highlights. When it comes to his stats, the popular nickname “Run Machine in Cricket” suits him well because he has scored over 26,733 runs in international cricket, ranking fourth. He is quickly surpassing and breaking records match after match, and soon he will reach the phase where he will be incomparable.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Test | 113 | 8,848 | 254 | 49.16 | 29 | 30 |
| ODI | 292 | 13,848 | 183 | 58.68 | 50 | 72 |
| T20I | 117 | 4,037 | 122* | 51.75 | 1 | 37 |
As a cricket fan, if you recall the 1980s, Vivian Richards was the only player who dominated with the bat. His style, elegance, skills, and aggression while playing made him the most formidable batsman to dismiss.
He used to bat till last and hit hard at the end, which made him the best finisher in the world of his time. Sir Vivian Richards was the first Test player to score a century and take a 5-wicket haul, everything from his attitude to batting skills is adorned by his fans to this date. West Indies never lost a Test series under his captaincy from 1984 to 1991, making him the most dominant captain of the time.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Tests | 121 | 8,540 | 291 | 50.24 | 24 | 45 |
| ODI | 187 | 6,721 | 189 | 47.0 | 11 | 45 |
The cricketing world has never seen a world-class left-handed batsman like Brian Lara, who had every textbook shot to leave spectators in awe. Whenever we talk about the greatest or best batsmen in the world, there would be no list without the name of Brian Charles Lara in it.
His record of 400 runs in a Test innings remains intact, and that inning holds a special place in the hearts of all cricket fans. He was determined as an underrated ODI batsman and that is true because having an average of 40 in ODI, especially in the 2000s, was a big deal. After his retirement in April 2007, he became the most well-respected and role model for upcoming left-hand batsmen.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Tests | 131 | 11,953 | 400 | 52.89 | 34 | 48 |
| ODI | 299 | 10,405 | 169 | 40.17 | 19 | 63 |
Even the greatest of great admires Donald Bradman. The batting technique may not have been traditional, but his aggressive approach to scoring runs earned him the title of ‘Don of Cricket’.
Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Brian Lara used to admire him the most. Having an average of 99 in Tests over 52 matches is something that players today cannot achieve, and this record made him the first Australian celebrity.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Tests | 52 | 6,996 | 334 | 99.94 | 29 | 13 |
Sir Garfield Sobers will always be remembered as the world’s greatest all-rounder and batsman. If the most prestigious award is named after you, you have achieved the status of legend.
Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy also known as Player of the Year is selected by ICC and awarded annually to exceptional performers.
Brilliant batsmen with exceptional left-arm bowling skills made him the most feared player for nations like England, Pakistan, and Australia. His highest 365 runs against Pakistan remained unbroken for decades.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Tests | 93 | 8032 | 365* | 57.8 | 26 | 30 |
| ODI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sunil Gavaskar was simply the most successful opening batsman for India, as he had perfect technique and batting stance. He was the most successful player against all-might West Indies during the 1980s. The way he used to walk out to bat and face the fiery pace without a helmet and play them with elegance gave him the title of “Little Master”.
He has the record of the highest run scored by a debutant in a Test series (774 runs). With a diverse set of cricket shots and a great temperament on the field, he simply deserves to be ranked among the best batsmen in the world.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Tests | 125 | 10,122 | 236 | 51.12 | 34 | 45 |
| ODI | 108 | 3,092 | 103 | 35.14 | 1 | 27 |
Richy Ponting is not only one of the best captains in the world but also the greatest batsman, easily making his way into the top 10. His statistics are enough to justify his inclusion, and who can forget the dominant side of Australians from 2006 to 2010 under his leadership?
The batting technique was flawless; his only weakness was batting in subcontinent conditions, particularly in India. He is also regarded as the best fielder in the world and his name is always mentioned among the likes of Jonty Rhodes, Ravindra Jadeja, and Suresh Raina.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Test | 168 | 13,378 | 257 | 51.85 | 41 | 62 |
| ODI | 375 | 13,704 | 164 | 42.04 | 30 | 82 |
| T20I | 17 | 401 | 98 | 28.64 | 0 | 2 |
Kumar Sangakkara is the only wicketkeeper on the list of the top ten best batsmen. His wicket-keeping often overshadows his batting skills, and rarely you will ever see someone regarding him as the best batsman in the world. Sangakkara is the world’s second-highest run-scorer, scoring 28,016 runs combined in all three formats.
He has averaged over 57.14 in Tests and played over 134 matches, and his ODI stats are also quite overwhelming. It is extremely rare to find a wicketkeeper with near-perfect batting skills while also having safe hands behind the stumps. He was the first to set the batting benchmarks for wicketkeepers around the world.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Test | 134 | 12,400 | 319 | 57.14 | 38 | 52 |
| ODI | 404 | 14,234 | 169 | 41.99 | 25 | 93 |
| T20I | 56 | 1,382 | 78 | 31.41 | 0 | 8 |
If you want to see how a perfect all-rounder contributes to his team, Jacque Kallis is the ideal example. Unlike other players, his brilliant performance is not limited to ODIs and Tests; rather, his T20 performance distinguishes him as an exceptional player.
He continues to play T10 matches, and in 2023, at the age of 41, he scored 64 runs in 31 unbeaten deliveries. Many people would disagree on whether he should be included in the list of greatest batsmen, but his statistics demonstrate that he was the best of his time.
Achievements:
Stats:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Test | 166 | 13289 | 224 | 55.4 | 45 | 58 |
| ODI | 328 | 11579 | 139 | 44.4 | 17 | 86 |
| T20I | 25 | 666 | 73 | 35.0 | 0 | 5 |
Also Read: Top 10 Fastest Century in ODI Cricket History
Some of the best batsmen have been overlooked and did not make the list, but they deserve an honorable mention.
The most dominating and best opener of all time, he has the highest strike rate in Test cricket with a minimum of 3000 runs. Legendary bowlers like Dale Steyn and Shoaib Akhtar feared bowling to him because of his fearless batting style.
Sehwag is the only cricketer to score a triple-test century twice and has an average of 49.3 in Test matches. Despite his unconventional skills, including poor footwork, he was able to dominate in both Tests and ODIs.
He was also known as “The Master” and was the first cricketer to be knighted by the Queen of England. He was a legendary batsman who reached his peak shortly after his debut in 1908.
The fact that it took just 61 Test matches to score a whopping 5410 runs, he was acknowledged as the greatest of his era. He suffered a serious illness from appendicitis in 1921, which hampered his game. Following his treatment, he completely changed his role to an attacking batsman and dominated until 1930.
Sir Wally Hammond’s skills are unmatched to this date. He was not only a great batsman but also a talented right-arm fast-medium pacer.
He was considered the best English batsman during his era and was considered an extremely safe slip fielder. What defines him is that he scored 22 centuries and 24 half-centuries in only 140 innings.
The way he takes his stance may be unpleasant to the eye, but his hand-eye coordination is something we only see once in a lifetime. The way he middles his bat into the ball is a work of art.
He has an unorthodox stance and bat swing. At first glance, it appears that he cannot bat, but true cricket fans know how talented he is. His Test career average is over 57, and he has 9685 Test runs and 5446 ODI runs from 146 innings. Some consider him to be Don Bradman’s predecessor and an exceptional test batsman of his time.
These were the top 10 best batsmen of all time who shaped and set the benchmark of international batting standards. These great players have set numerous records and have represented their countries for decades.
This list is entirely based on their stats and abilities, and we may have overlooked some players who deserved to be on it. Representing your country on the biggest stage is a huge deal that requires a lot of dedication and hard work, but these batsmen were truly amazing.
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Ans:Rohit Sharma has the most number of international sixes across all formats. Out of 472 total matches, he has hit 597 sixes.
Ans: Virat Kohli holds the record for the highest number of centuries in ODI. He currently has over 50 centuries in ODIs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 centuries.
Ans:Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, and Ricky Ponting have won the World Cup 3 times in their respective career for Australia.
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