Harsh Thakor
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This is my selection of the 2O best test cricketers of all time in order excluding first class cricket,T-2O's or ODI's.
1.Gary Sobers-
Placed at the top because of displaying supremacy in every form of the game as no one did ,To me morally turned games more than Bradman .Arguably amongst the top 3-4 batsmen of all time in test cricket if you gauge his scores on bad wickets or in a crisis. Also the most versatile bowler ever who could bowl fast,fast-medium.spin and china man.In 1970 took all-round cricketing facts to it's pinnacle playing for rest of the world scoring 583 runs and capturing 21 wickets.In 1966 in England almost achieved the same level scoring 722 runs and taking 20 wickets.
2.Don Bradman-
His statistics literally took batting achievements to another dimension reaching heights of supremacy over rivals arguably no sportsman ever did.Phenomenal scoring rate for his time .Set standards statistically no sportsman ever attained which made the best mathematician bewildered.
3.Shane Warne -
The greatest match-winner of his time who re-defined the role of a leg spinner .Few cricketers could ever infuse such a spirit in a game as Warne who often looked like performing magic on a cricket field.
4.Brian Lara
No batsmen had as great a penchant for registering mammoth scores that too at such a blistering scoring rate of single-handedly turning or winning games.Carried the brunt of a weak team as no batsmen ever did.A better test match-winner than Tendulkar.
5.Jack Hobbs
On wet or bad wickets the best batsmen of his time and better than Bradman.First batsman to conquer the googly effectively.Turned or won tests from the most critical positions like at the Oval in 1926 and at Melbourne in 1920-30.Averaged 56.94 ,with 15 centuries which is remarkable if you consider that most runs were scored on wet pitches.
6.Imran Khan
Placed so high on the pedestal as no cricketer shaped a nation's fortunes as much as Immy.Even if mainly a great fast bowler ,was amongst the best skippers of all time who knitted a bunch of talented individuals into world -beaters.From 1982-87 the best all-rounder in the world and from 1987-90 amongst the top 12 batsmen.As an allround cricketer it was Imran who enabled Pakistan to reach the status of test world champions in West Indies in 1988.In peak ear close to the best fast bowler ever.In 1982 and 1987 overshadowed Ina Botham when playing against him .
7.Sachin Tendulkar
No batsmen reached all the thousand run landmarks at such a young age as Tendulkar or ever scored 50 test centuries.No middle order batsmen faced as much pressure which makes his feats all the more remarkable .Outstanding in the most diverse conditions as few batsmen ever were but at times found wanting when having to pull the trigger to take his country over the line.
8.Malcolm Marshall
No right arm paceman posessed as subtle craft as Marshall who surpassed any paceman in delivering a skidding bouncer or disguising the ball moving away or inwards.Mastered the flat pitches on the sub-continent like no overseas paceman. An absolute revelation in England in 1988 when at a fractionally slower speed revealed mastery of bowling mechanics at a degree no Calypso paceman ever did.Outstanding stats with strike rate of 46.7 and average of 20.94. which is remarkable inspite of his bowling alongside three of the best paceman ever in Garner,Roberts and Holding.From 1983-91 eclipsed every fast bowling great .
9.Sydney Barnes
Equivalent of a Bradman to bowling with the most spectacular figures of capturing seven wickets per test at an average of 16.49.His cut and movement was virtually unplayable even at medium speeed.
10.Viv Richards
No batsmen was ever as explosive or intimidating who could turn the complexion of a game more than anyone..In peak era from 1976-81 2nd to only Bradman with staggering scores in England in 1976 averaging 118.42 and in WSC supertests in 1977-78 averaging 86.2..Played for a champion team unlike Lara or Tendulkar and not at his best against spin.Still no cricketer better delivered a knockout punch.Never los ta series as a skipper and consolidated the empire he inherited from Clive Lloyd.Rankd lower because he was not fully test in a crisis or played his own pace attack.
11.Ian Botham
The closest man ever to re-incarnate the genius Gary Sobers who at his best was close to the game's best ever match-winner.Whether batting,bowling or fielding he exuded energy few cricketers ever did on a field.In 1980 in Mumbai delivered the greatest all-round performance ever in the history of the game when scoring a century and capturing 13 wickets to win the test for England.In the 1981 Ashes ressurected England from the grave to reach the pinnacle of glory ,like no cricketer did for his country in the history of the game.Fastest man to reach double of 3000 runs and 200 wickets.Also took 5 wickets and scored a century in the same game,which none has done.Sadly after 1982 declined with lack of consistency,particularly as a bowler .
12.Jacques Kallis
Statistically the best ever all-rounder in terms of aggregate and average and amongst the top 6 batsmen ever.However not the most effective in stepping the gas to turn or win games and not at best with both ball and bat simultaneously.To bat for your life the best amongst the all-rounders and for sheer skill only 2nd to Sobers.A major architect in South Africa reaching the top of the tree in test cricket .Captured 5 wickets and scored a century twice.
13.Keith Miller
One of the most outstanding match-wining all rounders who could turn a game with both bat and ball.Arguably the best fast bowling allrounder performing better agaisnt strong opposition than Botham,with a better avergae as batsmen and bowler. After Bradman,the most influential cricketer in Ashes cricket for Australia.For a sustained period performed best with both bat and ball like in his first full series and the 195-51 Ashes series.and against West Indies in 1951-52.Rated below Botham and Kallis as his aggregate was not as high .Statistically Miller was very similar to Imran.
14.Dennis Lillee -Adding WSC supertests took 460 scalps and 4 or more 7 wicket hauls.The most complete paceman ever. classically and the most determined. Outstanding against the best batting sides of his time,like West Indies and England.
15= Len Hutton/Sunil Gavaskar
Technically supreme who could master any type of conditions.Gavaskar broke all the batting records facing the best pace attacks while Hutton was prolific in the most treacherous conditions.Hutton averaged over 56 and Gavaskar over 50 which is remarkable considering they opened the batting. Gavaskar was equally adept in conditions sfavouring pace,spin or swing.
17.Richard Hadlee
The best ever paceman statistically if you consider that he bore the brunt of a weak attack and still had 330 scalps in 60 tests in peak period.On a green top the ultimate champion possessing control at a height only Glen Mcgrath did.
18.Glen Mcgrath/Wasim Akram
For sheer artistry or creativity Wasim was the ultimate king with his Wizardry of variations of reverse swing.For bowling intelligence or craft Mcgrath was the ultimate master .Mcgrath was statistically the giant with 563 scalps at 21.64 but I still feel morally Wasim was more penetrative.Onn an unhelpful track Wasim would always overshadow Mcgrath.Wasim was also a more than useful batsmen.
20.Wally Hammond.
Had he not played in Bradman's ear would have asserted the superiority of a Viv Richards or Gary Sobers over his rivals.Almost always looked like agalleon in full sale taking domination to heights not traversed.
21.George Headley
Eclipsed Don Bradman on wet or bad wickets and bore the brunt of weak team more than nay batsman before Lara.Averaged 60.83 which is better than any West Indies batsman ever.Responsible for West Indies winning their fist ever series against England in 1935 and his double hundreds enabled his side to share a series at home in 1929.30.
22= Steve Smith/Murlitharan
Steve Smith statistically is next to only Bradman and arguably the best ever on Australia tracks after the Don.Never seen a batsmen exhibiting more pomp or command in recent times.Plundered runs more than anyone after the Don averaging over 63 but not faced as great bowling as previous greats like Lara or Sachin. Also not at his best agaisnt the moving ball or on green tops.Murlitharan is stats wise the best of all spinners or even bowlers but did not win as many games as Shane Warne and not equally effective overseas.
24.Everton Weekes
Plundered runs like none in his time.Similar to a re-incarnation of Bradman revealing Pugnacity at supreme height playing the best bowling as though mowing grass on a lawn.Staggering run aggregate in India in 1948-49 of 779 runs averaging over 11 and against India later at home.
25.Greg Chappell
After Barry Richards the most complete batsmen of his era who blended technical skill with attacking aggression like nonone else.Statistically also the best batsmen of his era who topped the run aggregate in World series cricket and was most prolific against the top West Indies pace attack on their soil .In supertests in West Indies in 1979 scored 621 runs at an avergae of 60 with 3 centuries in 1979 .Scored 246 and 174 facing a World XI in World series Cricket in 1977-78 and averaged 56.14 overall in WSC cricket,which was more than Viv Richards.Averaged 100 playing against Rest Of the World in 1972.Morally scored 31 centuries at an average of over 55.Also a successful skipper and medium pace bowler.
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1.Gary Sobers-
Placed at the top because of displaying supremacy in every form of the game as no one did ,To me morally turned games more than Bradman .Arguably amongst the top 3-4 batsmen of all time in test cricket if you gauge his scores on bad wickets or in a crisis. Also the most versatile bowler ever who could bowl fast,fast-medium.spin and china man.In 1970 took all-round cricketing facts to it's pinnacle playing for rest of the world scoring 583 runs and capturing 21 wickets.In 1966 in England almost achieved the same level scoring 722 runs and taking 20 wickets.
2.Don Bradman-
His statistics literally took batting achievements to another dimension reaching heights of supremacy over rivals arguably no sportsman ever did.Phenomenal scoring rate for his time .Set standards statistically no sportsman ever attained which made the best mathematician bewildered.
3.Shane Warne -
The greatest match-winner of his time who re-defined the role of a leg spinner .Few cricketers could ever infuse such a spirit in a game as Warne who often looked like performing magic on a cricket field.
4.Brian Lara
No batsmen had as great a penchant for registering mammoth scores that too at such a blistering scoring rate of single-handedly turning or winning games.Carried the brunt of a weak team as no batsmen ever did.A better test match-winner than Tendulkar.
5.Jack Hobbs
On wet or bad wickets the best batsmen of his time and better than Bradman.First batsman to conquer the googly effectively.Turned or won tests from the most critical positions like at the Oval in 1926 and at Melbourne in 1920-30.Averaged 56.94 ,with 15 centuries which is remarkable if you consider that most runs were scored on wet pitches.
6.Imran Khan
Placed so high on the pedestal as no cricketer shaped a nation's fortunes as much as Immy.Even if mainly a great fast bowler ,was amongst the best skippers of all time who knitted a bunch of talented individuals into world -beaters.From 1982-87 the best all-rounder in the world and from 1987-90 amongst the top 12 batsmen.As an allround cricketer it was Imran who enabled Pakistan to reach the status of test world champions in West Indies in 1988.In peak ear close to the best fast bowler ever.In 1982 and 1987 overshadowed Ina Botham when playing against him .
7.Sachin Tendulkar
No batsmen reached all the thousand run landmarks at such a young age as Tendulkar or ever scored 50 test centuries.No middle order batsmen faced as much pressure which makes his feats all the more remarkable .Outstanding in the most diverse conditions as few batsmen ever were but at times found wanting when having to pull the trigger to take his country over the line.
8.Malcolm Marshall
No right arm paceman posessed as subtle craft as Marshall who surpassed any paceman in delivering a skidding bouncer or disguising the ball moving away or inwards.Mastered the flat pitches on the sub-continent like no overseas paceman. An absolute revelation in England in 1988 when at a fractionally slower speed revealed mastery of bowling mechanics at a degree no Calypso paceman ever did.Outstanding stats with strike rate of 46.7 and average of 20.94. which is remarkable inspite of his bowling alongside three of the best paceman ever in Garner,Roberts and Holding.From 1983-91 eclipsed every fast bowling great .
9.Sydney Barnes
Equivalent of a Bradman to bowling with the most spectacular figures of capturing seven wickets per test at an average of 16.49.His cut and movement was virtually unplayable even at medium speeed.
10.Viv Richards
No batsmen was ever as explosive or intimidating who could turn the complexion of a game more than anyone..In peak era from 1976-81 2nd to only Bradman with staggering scores in England in 1976 averaging 118.42 and in WSC supertests in 1977-78 averaging 86.2..Played for a champion team unlike Lara or Tendulkar and not at his best against spin.Still no cricketer better delivered a knockout punch.Never los ta series as a skipper and consolidated the empire he inherited from Clive Lloyd.Rankd lower because he was not fully test in a crisis or played his own pace attack.
11.Ian Botham
The closest man ever to re-incarnate the genius Gary Sobers who at his best was close to the game's best ever match-winner.Whether batting,bowling or fielding he exuded energy few cricketers ever did on a field.In 1980 in Mumbai delivered the greatest all-round performance ever in the history of the game when scoring a century and capturing 13 wickets to win the test for England.In the 1981 Ashes ressurected England from the grave to reach the pinnacle of glory ,like no cricketer did for his country in the history of the game.Fastest man to reach double of 3000 runs and 200 wickets.Also took 5 wickets and scored a century in the same game,which none has done.Sadly after 1982 declined with lack of consistency,particularly as a bowler .
12.Jacques Kallis
Statistically the best ever all-rounder in terms of aggregate and average and amongst the top 6 batsmen ever.However not the most effective in stepping the gas to turn or win games and not at best with both ball and bat simultaneously.To bat for your life the best amongst the all-rounders and for sheer skill only 2nd to Sobers.A major architect in South Africa reaching the top of the tree in test cricket .Captured 5 wickets and scored a century twice.
13.Keith Miller
One of the most outstanding match-wining all rounders who could turn a game with both bat and ball.Arguably the best fast bowling allrounder performing better agaisnt strong opposition than Botham,with a better avergae as batsmen and bowler. After Bradman,the most influential cricketer in Ashes cricket for Australia.For a sustained period performed best with both bat and ball like in his first full series and the 195-51 Ashes series.and against West Indies in 1951-52.Rated below Botham and Kallis as his aggregate was not as high .Statistically Miller was very similar to Imran.
14.Dennis Lillee -Adding WSC supertests took 460 scalps and 4 or more 7 wicket hauls.The most complete paceman ever. classically and the most determined. Outstanding against the best batting sides of his time,like West Indies and England.
15= Len Hutton/Sunil Gavaskar
Technically supreme who could master any type of conditions.Gavaskar broke all the batting records facing the best pace attacks while Hutton was prolific in the most treacherous conditions.Hutton averaged over 56 and Gavaskar over 50 which is remarkable considering they opened the batting. Gavaskar was equally adept in conditions sfavouring pace,spin or swing.
17.Richard Hadlee
The best ever paceman statistically if you consider that he bore the brunt of a weak attack and still had 330 scalps in 60 tests in peak period.On a green top the ultimate champion possessing control at a height only Glen Mcgrath did.
18.Glen Mcgrath/Wasim Akram
For sheer artistry or creativity Wasim was the ultimate king with his Wizardry of variations of reverse swing.For bowling intelligence or craft Mcgrath was the ultimate master .Mcgrath was statistically the giant with 563 scalps at 21.64 but I still feel morally Wasim was more penetrative.Onn an unhelpful track Wasim would always overshadow Mcgrath.Wasim was also a more than useful batsmen.
20.Wally Hammond.
Had he not played in Bradman's ear would have asserted the superiority of a Viv Richards or Gary Sobers over his rivals.Almost always looked like agalleon in full sale taking domination to heights not traversed.
21.George Headley
Eclipsed Don Bradman on wet or bad wickets and bore the brunt of weak team more than nay batsman before Lara.Averaged 60.83 which is better than any West Indies batsman ever.Responsible for West Indies winning their fist ever series against England in 1935 and his double hundreds enabled his side to share a series at home in 1929.30.
22= Steve Smith/Murlitharan
Steve Smith statistically is next to only Bradman and arguably the best ever on Australia tracks after the Don.Never seen a batsmen exhibiting more pomp or command in recent times.Plundered runs more than anyone after the Don averaging over 63 but not faced as great bowling as previous greats like Lara or Sachin. Also not at his best agaisnt the moving ball or on green tops.Murlitharan is stats wise the best of all spinners or even bowlers but did not win as many games as Shane Warne and not equally effective overseas.
24.Everton Weekes
Plundered runs like none in his time.Similar to a re-incarnation of Bradman revealing Pugnacity at supreme height playing the best bowling as though mowing grass on a lawn.Staggering run aggregate in India in 1948-49 of 779 runs averaging over 11 and against India later at home.
25.Greg Chappell
After Barry Richards the most complete batsmen of his era who blended technical skill with attacking aggression like nonone else.Statistically also the best batsmen of his era who topped the run aggregate in World series cricket and was most prolific against the top West Indies pace attack on their soil .In supertests in West Indies in 1979 scored 621 runs at an avergae of 60 with 3 centuries in 1979 .Scored 246 and 174 facing a World XI in World series Cricket in 1977-78 and averaged 56.14 overall in WSC cricket,which was more than Viv Richards.Averaged 100 playing against Rest Of the World in 1972.Morally scored 31 centuries at an average of over 55.Also a successful skipper and medium pace bowler.
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