100 Greatest Men’s International Cricketers of the 21st Century | The BCD List

by Nitesh Mathur | Nov 14, 2026 | Article Index, World XIs - With Twists

Ranking cricketers across eras is a fool’s errand. I’ve done it over and over again anyway, and this time, it took six months.

Earlier this year, Cricinfo released its Top 25 Men’s International Cricketers of the 21st Century, and it sparked plenty of debate. Rightly so.

Jacques Kallis came in at No. 1, and Ricky Ponting once called him “the greatest cricketer that has ever played.” Hard to argue, but was he the most impactful of the century?

Since 2000, should Kohli have ranked above Tendulkar?

Where were Glenn McGrath, Shakib Al Hasan, Ross Taylor, Alastair Cook, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Hashim Amla, and Ravindra Jadeja? Or any Pakistani player?

These questions wouldn’t leave me alone, so I decided to make my own. Twenty-five spots was never going to be enough. To fit every match-winner of the 21st century, I needed a hundred: the BCD 100.

Key Takeaways

• In the BCD 100, Australia (21) has the most players, followed by India (19), South Africa (14), England (12), Sri Lanka (9), New Zealand (8), West Indies (5), Bangladesh (2), and Afghanistan (1). Pakistan, which had no players in Cricinfo’s top 25, has nine.
• Jimmy Anderson (991 wickets), Muttiah Muralidaran (943), Stuart Broad (847), Mitchell Starc (777), and Tim Southee (776) have taken the most wickets across formats this century.
• Virat Kohli leads the run-scorers over the same period with 28,527 runs, followed by Kumar Sangakkara (28,016), Mahela Jayawardene (24,182), Joe Root (23,074), and Ricky Ponting (22,183).

Table of Contents

• Honorable Mentions
• 81-100: Unforgettable Careers
• 61-80: The Stalwarts
• 41-60: Box Office
• 21-40: World Beaters
• 1-20: Absolute Legends
• Final Thoughts
• Others Considered
• Appendix
  • Stats after 2000
  • ICC records post 2000
  • Sources

Why Six Months?

I wanted the list to tell the story of the century: Australia’s Test and World Cup dominance, India’s 25 years of consistency, Sri Lanka’s four finals in six years, South Africa’s golden generations, Pakistan’s titles in 2009 and 2017, New Zealand’s habit of reaching ICC knockouts, the West Indies’ two T20 titles, and England’s white-ball revolution.

And there was a lot to consider: 6 ODI World Cups, 10 T20 World Cups, 8 Champions Trophies, 3 WTC finals, and dozens of Ashes, Border-Gavaskar, and other memorable Test series.

How I Ranked the Players

I only considered men’s international performances from January 1, 2000, through October 19, 2026, regardless of when a player debuted. Tendulkar’s Desert Storm in Sharjah? Doesn’t count. Jayasuriya’s 1996 heroics? Out of the window.

I started by brainstorming the first 150-plus names that came to mind. Then I went through the stats in every format, along with the winners, finalists, and players of the tournament from every ICC event.

After I had my first draft, I scored each player out of 100 and argued my way down the list in several rounds: trimming my top 25 to 15, weighing the new 16-25 against 26-40, and so on. Along the way, I remembered a few players I’d forgotten, so I kept adding to the list.

Altogether, 227 players were considered for this list.

The 100-Point System

In Tests, I weighed the full record alongside major series performances at home and away. In ODIs, the World Cup and Champions Trophy mattered as much as the career stats. In T20Is, World Cup performances carried more weight than bilateral series. And a great career in one format could make a strong case on its own.

Each player’s card shows their breakdown under How the points add up.

*This section will only include player stats since January 1, 2000.

Debates

Where scores tied, I made a head-to-head call.

Some debates took longer than others: Sehwag vs Warner vs Gayle (in the end, all three made the top 25). Tahir vs Rashid Khan vs Adil Rashid vs Ish Sodhi vs Zampa vs Yasir Shah (only one made the top 100). The Test batters stuck between 8,000 and 10,000 runs: Pietersen, Clarke, Amla, Graeme Smith, Sehwag, and Hayden.

There were many more like these.

Cricinfo’s list came from a 25-member jury. Mine came from six months of arguing with myself. And just when I thought I was done, I spent another month breaking it and putting it back together.

The goal was simple: no cricketer with a real claim gets left out.

Let’s begin.

Also Read: Other BCD Lists

Greats Whose Best Years Came Before 2000

These players all played into the 2000s and most of their best cricket came before the turn of the century. What was left wasn’t enough to make the cut.

• Saeed Anwar, Michael Bevan, Steve Waugh, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Aravinda de Silva, Jonty Rhodes, Grant Flower, Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Allan Donald, Marvan Atapattu

Future Stars

These players are not considered either but in a future 21st century list, they may make their way in.

• Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Blessing Muzarabani, Glenn Phillips, Jayden Seales, Kyle Jamieson, Marco Jansen, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nahid Rana, Rachin Ravindra, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sanju Samson, Shamar Joseph, Tilak Varma, Towhid Hridoy, Wanindu Hasaranga, Wiaan Mulder, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mahli Beardman, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Honorable Mentions (101-130)

• 111-130: Jason Roy, Adil Rashid, Azhar Ali, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dean Elgar, Chris Woakes, Ishant Sharma, Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill*, Martin Guptill, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shai Hope*, Harry Brook*, Nathan Astle, Matt Henry, Yasir Shah, Brendan Taylor, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Imran Tahir

*May still rise up the list by the end of their careers.

101-110: Those Who Just Missed out

• 110. Hardik Pandya*: Defended 16 off the final over in the 2024 T20 World Cup final and made the 2026 Team of the Tournament.
• 109. Marlon Samuels: Player of the final in two T20 World Cup finals deserves a shoutout.
• 108. Andy Flower: Made 232* at Nagpur and scores of 142 and 199* in the same Test against South Africa. Averaged 80.38 in 2000 and 89.90 in 2001 in Test cricket.
• 107. Adam Zampa: Took 13 wickets in Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup win and 23 in its 2023 ODI World Cup win.
• 106. Jonny Bairstow: Without Bairstow, there is no ODI World Cup win. Without Bairstow, there is no Bazball.
• 105. Rishabh Pant*: His 159* at Sydney in 2019 showed what he could do in Australia, and his unbeaten 89 at the Gabba two years later won India the series.
• 104. Justin Langer: Langer turned grit into an art form. Alongside Matthew Hayden, he gave Australia a stubborn, durable opening partnership.
• 103. Stephen Fleming: A calm, inventive kind of leadership who made New Zealand believe it could take on anyone.
• 102. Faf du Plessis: Du Plessis announced himself with a defiant fourth-innings hundred on Test debut in Adelaide and carried that same nerve into his captaincy.
• 101. Umar Gul: Gul taught the world death bowling in T20 cricket. One of the key performers in 2007 & 2009 T20 World Cups.

The Greatest 100 Men’s Cricketers of the Century

Congratulations, you made it. There are several videos and scorecards to relive the moments.

Enjoy.

81-100: Unforgettable Careers

This was the hardest section to rank. Several players just outside the top 100 had a case as strong as those who made the cut. Some were brilliant for only a couple of seasons, while others made their name perfecting a very specific role. Either way, these players had memorable careers that we shall never forget.

100. Mohammad Asif (2005-2010, Pakistan)

Asif was magic. He could make the ball talk. The swing king. If you ask any of his contemporaries, they all had high regard for Asif. If it wasn’t for the 2010 spot fixing scandal, he would be closer to the Top 10 rather than the 100.

99. Ian Bell (2004-2015, England)

One of the most majestic cover drivers of the century, Ian Bell was part of the core group in England’s rise in Test cricket. With 22 Test centuries, 118 Tests, and over 13,000 international runs, Bell just makes it into our Top 100.

98. Neil Wagner (2012-2024, New Zealand)

There will probably never be a fourth-innings bowler like Neil Wagner. He would bowl his heart out, even with a broken toe if he had to. He famously said, ‘Unless they carry me off a stretcher, I’m going to try and do everything I can.’ I will never forget his battles against Matthew Wade and Steve Smith.

Also Read: They Don’t Make Warriors like Neil Wagner Anymore

97. Kemar Roach (2008-, West Indies)

Kemar Roach has been one of West Indies’ shining lights in an era where we began to wonder if Test cricket would survive in the region. First West Indian to take a World Cup hat-trick, Roach is now also the 5th highest wicket-taker for the West Indies in Test cricket.

96. Mushfiqur Rahim (2005-2026, Bangladesh)

Part of the core group that took Bangladesh to the next level in international cricket, Mushfiqur will be remembered for his 56* against India in the 2007 ODI World Cup, Test match double centuries, wicket keeping, and the many rescue acts in the middle order. First Bangladeshi player to score 7000 Test runs.

Also Read: Why Shakib And Co are the True Fab 5 of this Era

95. Shane Bond (2001-2010, New Zealand)

One of the biggest what-ifs in world cricket this century had his body held up. Although Bond ended with only 87 Test wickets and 147 ODI wickets, he was one of the fiercest bowlers of the early 2000s. He will always be remembered for his memorable spells and that beautiful action.

94. Misbah-ul-Haq (2001-2017, Pakistan)

Misbah’s name will forever be etched in Pakistan cricket for his leadership after Pakistan cricket hit rock bottom between 2009-2010. Having to play all their home games in the UAE without key players, Misbah steadily brought Pakistan back to #1 in Test rankings and retired with a glorious win against the West Indies. Often remembered for occupying the crease and batting at a ‘Tuk tuk’ pace, he could switch gears as seen in the 2007 T20 World Cup, hit a record 56-ball Test hundred, and even do push-ups at Lord’s.

93. Gautam Gambhir (2003-2016, India)

Between 2007-2011, Gambhir was one of top openers in world cricket and won the ICC Test Player of the Year in 2009. With 75 in 2007 T20 World Cup final, 137 vs NZ at Napier batting 643 minutes, and 97 in the ODI World Cup final, Gambhir stood up under pressure whenever India needed him the most.

92. Dwayne Bravo (2004-2021, West Indies)

From the 2004 Champions Trophy till the 2020s, Dwayne Bravo was the face of West Indies cricket alongside Chris Gayle. With over 300 international wickets, 5000 runs, and two T20 World Cup wins, DJ Bravo was a true champion. Although we are not considering franchise cricket, Bravo’s impact at the T20 level was another level with 631 T20 wickets and multiple championships.

Also Read: 41 Greatest IPL Cricketers Ever

91. Damien Martyn (1992-2006, Australia)

Martyn’s best batting looked almost effortless. He was a key part of Australia’s rise in the early 2000s.

90. Vernon Philander (2007-2020, South Africa)

Philander showed how much damage accuracy can do. At an average of 22.32 and strike rate of 50.80, he took international cricket by force. Perfect foil for Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn.

89. David Miller (2010-, South Africa)

If it was ‘Killer Miller’ time, you would just drop everything and watch Miller hit it out of the park. One of the great modern-day ODI finishers, Miller always saved his best against Australia: 142 (93) in 2026 pink-day match, 139 (108) in 2018, 118*(79) in 2016, and 101 (116) in the 2023 World Cup semi-final. Not to forget his 49 (18) against NZ in the heartbreaking semi-final.

88. Usman Khawaja (2011-2026, Australia)

One of my favorite players of the last decade, Khawaja stood for resilience. His defining moment came in the UAE in 2018 when he batted for days in the heat. Much like Strauss, Australia has yet to find a consistent opener since Khawaja’s retirement.

Also Read: ICC Legalizes Ball Tampering, Releases Official Guidelines for Responsible Use (Satire)

87. Shoaib Akhtar (1997-2011, Pakistan)

Along with Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar sent fear down the spine for an entire generation. He would bowl mean bouncers and stump breaking yorkers. 178 Test wickets and just 46 Tests does not reflect Shoaib Akhtar’s potential, one of Pakistan’s all-time greats.

86. Shikhar Dhawan (2010-2022, India)

Between 2013-2019, there was something soothing about India’s Top Order. If Shikhar doesn’t get you, Rohit will. And if Rohit won’t, Kohli definitely will. Shikhar Dhawan always stood up in the ICC tournaments, the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophy, the 2015 ODI World Cup, and even in the 2019 ODI World Cup, where he scored a hundred with an injury against Australia before he had to sit out.

85. Saeed Ajmal (2008-2015, Pakistan)

Nobody could pick Ajmal at his peak: 89 wickets at a bowling average of 21.13 in 2011, 95 wickets at 19.45 (2012), and 111 wickets at 22.97 (2013). Unfortunately, questions over his action truncated his career.

84. Graeme Swann (2000-2013, England)

Graeme Swann brought control, personality, and wickets to the side that won the 2009 and 2010–11 Ashes. In the age of declining off spinners, he kept the art alive.

83. Herschelle Gibbs (1996-2010, South Africa)

Herschelle Gibbs could turn a match into a blur of boundaries. He might have infamously dropped the 1999 World Cup, but his knock 175 in the famous 438 game against Australia took him to the next level. Also, don’t forget the six sixes in the 2007 ODI World Cup vs Netherlands.

82. Morne Morkel (2006-2018, South Africa)

Morkel’s height gave him bounce, but his real strength was the relentless pressure he built over a spell. He was a key part of one of South Africa’s finest fast-bowling generations.

81. Babar Azam (2015-, Pakistan)

Babar Azam has probably not touched the heights many expected him to touch. Still, he has already surpassed many that came before him in ODI cricket. The 2019 ODI World Cup and the Test series are some of the highlights in his career. Hope he rises up the list.

61-80: The Stalwarts

Several players in this section played only part of their careers in the century or had peaks only in one format. They were match-winners nevertheless.

80. Andrew Strauss (2003-2012, England)

It’s been 14 years since he retired, but England are yet to find his replacement. That is his lasting legacy. My favorite memory of Strauss though was in ODIs with the 158 in that tied World Cup match against India in 2011. Also led England to the 2010-11 Ashes win in Australia.

79. Mark Boucher (1997-2012, South Africa)

Boucher’s career was built on the hard, often unseen work behind the stumps and on a fierce refusal to give away a run or a chance. At 998 dismissals, Boucher has the most dismissals of all time, 796 coming in this century.

78. Quinton de Kock (2012-, South Africa)

De Kock brought a wicketkeeper’s sharpness and an opener’s appetite together in one player. His opening series against India was one for the ages.

77. Cheteshwar Pujara (2010-2023, India)

Pujara made Australia earn every wicket in those long tours of 2018–19 and 2020–21. He stood in the way, took the blows, and kept batting until the match began to turn India’s way.

Also Read: Watching Pujara Bat Was Poetry in Motion. Quietly Unforgettable, Pujara Retires

76. Eoin Morgan (2006-2022, England)

Morgan changed what England thought was possible in one-day cricket. He led the team from its painful 2015 World Cup exit to the 2019 title. Hit a world record of sixes against Afghanistan.

75. Andrew Symonds (1998-2009, Australia)

Symonds was the kind of allrounder every team wants: powerful with the bat, useful with the ball, and extraordinary in the field. His contribution in the 2003 ODI World Cup showed his significance to that Australian side.

Also Read: Top 32 Best Fielders in Cricket History

74. Makhaya Ntini (1998-2011, South Africa)

Ntini bowled with a boundless energy that seemed to lift the whole team. He became a trailblazer for South African cricket and a fast bowler batters could never relax against.

73. Glenn Maxwell (2012-2026, Australia)

Part of the 2015 ODI World Cup, 2021 T20 WC, and 2023 ODI WC winning squads, Glenn Maxwell was the game-changing all-rounder Australia always bet upon. He was a pioneer in T20 cricket with 5 T20 centuries and his reverse scoops. Without his 201* against Afghanistan hobbling on one leg, Australia does not win the 2023 World Cup. Possibly the greatest ODI innings of all-time.

72. Inzamam-ul-Haq (1991-2007, Pakistan)

Inzamam could make the most pressured innings look unhurried. He had the touch to find gaps, the strength to clear the rope, and the presence to anchor Pakistan’s middle order.

71. Rashid Khan (2015-, Afghanistan)

With 237 ODI wickets and 200 T20I wickets, Rashid Khan is this generation’s premier leg-spinner.

70. Chaminda Vaas (1994-2009, Sri Lanka)

Vaas made the first few overs count. His swing and accuracy gave Sri Lanka early breakthroughs, and he remained a dependable presence through several World Cup campaigns. Took a first-over hat-trick in the 2003 WC against Bangladesh.

69. Michael Hussey (2004-2013, Australia)

Hussey arrived late and made every season count. “Mr Cricket” could steady an innings, finish one, or rescue a match. His knock against Saeed Ajmal in the 2010 T20 WC was one for the ages.

68. Angelo Mathews (2008-2025, Sri Lanka)

Often misunderstood off the pitch, Mathews spent much of his career being the person Sri Lanka needed in the middle. He could bat through a crisis, offer a useful seam spell, and lead with a cool head.

67. Zaheer Khan (2000-2014, India)

Zaheer was India’s left-arm answer to every kind of surface. He led the attack through the 2011 World Cup and could make the old ball swing when a match most needed a breakthrough.

66. Sanath Jayasuriya (1989-2011, Sri Lanka)

Jayasuriya brought a rare combination of opening-batter aggression and genuine left-arm spin. Even as the game changed around him, he kept finding ways to shape it.

65. Anil Kumble (1990-2008, India)

Kumble made persistence look like a skill of its own. He gave India control through long spells, led with quiet authority, and was the sort of bowler teammates trusted when a match was on the line.

64. Daniel Vettori (1997-2015, New Zealand)

Vettori was more than a left-arm spinner: he was a thinker, a captain, and a genuine lower-order batter. He gave New Zealand control and balance for nearly two decades.

63. Andrew Flintoff (1998-2009, England)

Flintoff’s 2005 Ashes series became one of cricket’s defining modern stories. He bowled with fire, batted with courage, and made England believe that Australia could be beaten.

62. Harbhajan Singh (1998-2016, India)

If you grew up in an Indian household, chances are you probably copied Harbhajan Singh’s action at some point in your childhood. Harbhajan’s spell in the 2001 series against Australia announced a new force in Indian cricket. He bowled with aggression, personality, and the belief that no batter was beyond him.

61. Mohammad Yousuf (1998-2010, Pakistan)

Yousuf’s batting had a beautiful rhythm: late hands, soft touch, and a remarkable ability to keep scoring. His extraordinary 2006 remains one of the great individual years in Test cricket.

41-60: Box Office

These were some of the biggest match-winners of the generation, at least in one format.

60. Shane Watson (2002-2016, Australia)

Watson could change a game with either skill, and often with both. He was a central figure in Australia’s 2012 T20 World Cup and a match-winner across formats. Formed a decent Test opening partnership with Simon Katich in 2009 as well.

59. Sourav Ganguly (1992-2008, India)

Ganguly made India believe it could win away from home. He backed young players, demanded more from his team, and helped build the confident side that followed him. Loved those straight sixes.

58. Tim Southee (2008-2024, New Zealand)

Southee could find movement with the new ball and make it count in big games. He was there for New Zealand’s rise to the top of Test cricket. His 7/33 against England was probably the highlight of his career.

57. Yuvraj Singh (2000-2017, India)

The man for the big moments. Natwest Series Final, 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup. His six sixes will remain in the folklore forever, but his 70 off 30 against Australia was my favorite. Don’t forget his ODI World Cup all-round performance. And then the cancer, heartbreak, and the comeback. The 150 after his comeback was inspiring in a way only Yuvraj Singh can.

56. Shahid Afridi (1996-2018, Pakistan)

Shahid Afridi was possibly Pakistan’s greatest icon. The great entertainer. His numbers do not do him justice, but his match-winning impact remained till the end of his career. Shahid Afridi definitely left a mark as the Player of the 2007 T20 WC, player of the match performances in the 2009 T20 World Cup semi-final and final, and the joint-highest wicket-taker of the 2011 World Cup.

55. Brendon McCullum (2002-2016, New Zealand)

I will always remember the 2015 ODI World Cup as the ‘time of our lives’ as McCullum used to say as the captain of the home World Cup side. His quick starts, especially in that tense semi-final against South Africa, provided NZ the boost that they needed. Also broke the Test triple century barrier for a Kiwi.

Also Read: What is Bazball? The Official Definition of Bazball is…

54. Travis Head (2016-, Australia)

2023 ODI World Cup Final. WTC Final. 2025 Ashes. Need any more? Travis Head has stood up whenever Australia needed a hero.

Also Read: What If Flintoff Kept His Cool to Yuvraj Singh?

53. Jos Buttler (2011-, England)

Buttler has made the impossible finish look routine. From the 2019 World Cup final to England’s 2022 T20 title, he has brought nerve and invention to the biggest moments. His run-out in the ‘barest of all margins’ is probably one of the photographs of the century in the cricketing world.

52. VVS Laxman (1996-2012, India)

Laxman had a gift for arriving when India needed someone to stay. His 281 in Kolkata in 2001 remains legendary, but so many of his finest innings came when defeat seemed close. I vividly remember his 2010 rescue knocks with back spasms.

51. Rangana Herath (1999-2018, Sri Lanka)

Herath proved that a spinner’s craft can grow with age. He kept finding new ways to trouble batters and became one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable Test match-winners.

50. Josh Hazlewood (2010-, Australia)

Hazlewood’s greatest strength is that he makes excellence look simple. He hits his length, gives batters no easy scoring, and has delivered for Australia in World Cups and Test finals alike. 36/9, Remember the Name.

49. Trent Boult (2011-2024, New Zealand)

Boult could make a new ball talk in conditions that seemed to offer nothing. He immediately made a mark in the 2015 ODI World Cup. His swing, his calm, and his part in New Zealand’s World Test Championship triumph made him a modern great.

48. Mitchell Johnson (2005-2015, Australia)

Mitchell Johnson 2013. The peakest peak of any fast bowler ever. You feared for the batter’s life, but you also enjoyed every moment of it.

47. Mohammad Shami (2013-, India)

Shami’s seam position and late movement can make a good delivery look unplayable. His 2023 World Cup run showed how devastating he could be when India needed a strike bowler. Fastest bowler to 50 ODI World Cup wickets. At a 13.52 average and 15.80, Shami is one of World Cup’s great bowlers.

46. Brett Lee (1999-2012, Australia)

Lee bowled with breathtaking pace, but there was more to him than speed. His aggression, skill, and warmth made him one of the most compelling fast bowlers of his generation.

45. Tillakaratne Dilshan (1999-2016, Sri Lanka)

Dilshan brought invention to the crease, most famously with the scoop that took his name. He could open, keep, bowl, and make Sri Lanka’s white-ball cricket feel full of possibility. If you lived in 2009, you lived in Dilshan’s year.

44. Nathan Lyon (2011-, Australia)

Lyon became Australia’s long-serving offspinner in Australia’s greatest ever bowling line up.

43. Ross Taylor (2006-2025, New Zealand)

Taylor was the steady hand through New Zealand’s greatest modern moments. His contribution to the 2019 World Cup final and the 2021 Test championship win made him a national treasure. The greatest #4 ODI batter of all-time. The 181 vs England without being able to walk was my favorite Ross Taylor innings.

Also Read: Ross Taylor, An Underrated Cricketer Who Was A Giant Among New Zealand’s Greatest Generation

42. Brian Lara (1990-2007, West Indies)

Lara’s 400 not out in 2004 still stands. Had some of the great battles with Murali. Slightly lower on the list because several of his great knocks came in the 90s.

Also Read: Most Stylish Batsman Of The Modern Era, Exclusive Interview with Wiaan Mulder

41. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (1994-2015, West Indies)

Lara and Chanderpaul back to back. The genius and the grinder of West Indies cricket. Chanderpaul’s crab-like stance became one of this century’s most familiar sights. Through West Indies’ difficult years, he simply refused to get out.

21-40: World Beaters

These players had prolonged successful careers across conditions. However, some retired earlier than expected, form tapered off towards the end, or only played part of their careers in this century.

40. Lasith Malinga (2004-2020, Sri Lanka)

Malinga’s slinging action made his yorkers seem to arrive from another angle entirely. He turned the death overs into a specialty and brought Sri Lanka a World T20 title as captain. His 4 in 4 were my favorite Malinga moments.

39. Shaun Pollock (1995-2008, South Africa)

Pollock gave South Africa control with the ball and dependable runs with the bat. He was a captain who led without fuss and an allrounder whose value showed up in every phase of a match.

38. Kagiso Rabada (2014-, South Africa)

Rabada arrived in international cricket with pace and a fierce competitive edge and has quickly become the leader of South Africa’s attack. At 39.62, he has the 10th best bowling strike-rate of all-time! What a player.

37. Matthew Hayden (1993-2009, Australia)

Hayden helped set the tone for a side that dominated Tests and World Cups alike. Hayden charging down the wicket against fast bowlers was one of the defining memories of my childhood.

36. Alastair Cook (2006-2018, England)

Another one of my all-time favorites. Cook made opening the batting look like a long, lonely act of will. He scored runs through England’s greatest Ashes years and gave the team a rock-solid start for more than a decade. Batted the most balls in this century in Test cricket.

Also Read: Top 11 Cricketers Who Retired Too Early

35. Ravindra Jadeja (2009-, India)

Jadeja gives a team three ways to win: left-arm spin, valuable batting, and fielding that can change a match in seconds. His allround game has become essential to India.

Also Read: Top 55 All-Rounders in Cricket History List

34. Hashim Amla (2004-2019, South Africa)

Amla’s batting was all timing and balance. He was the fastest to every ODI milestone from 2,000 to 7,000 runs. His 311* at the Oval was his finest hour. Or 13 hours.

33. Kevin Pietersen (2004-2014, England)

KP took the world by storm in the ODI series against South Africa. He could change the shape of a Test with one audacious stroke, and his 2005 Ashes performances announced a rare match-winner.

Also Read: List of 63 South African Born Cricketers Who Represented Other Nations

32. Shane Warne (1992-2007, Australia)

Warne’s 2005 Ashes comeback reminded everyone that his imagination was as dangerous as his legbreak. He could make a batter doubt the pitch, the ball, and their own judgement.

31. Michael Clarke (2003-2015, Australia)

2012 was Michael Clarke’s year. Double and triple centuries. Great batter, wonderful captain as well.

30. Stuart Broad (2006-2023, England)

Broad saved his most devastating spell for the biggest stage. His 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge in 2015 remains one of the most extraordinary Ashes performances ever. And his celebrations were top notch.

29. Graeme Smith (2002-2014, South Africa)

Smith led South Africa with a toughness that never asked for sympathy. He built a team that could win anywhere, and his courage at the top of the order matched his authority as captain. Batting with a broken hand will be the lasting image of Graeme Smith in cricket fans’ mind.

28. Younis Khan (2000-2017, Pakistan)

The best Test batter Pakistan has ever produced. Captaining the 2009 T20 World Cup win was a perfect fit for his competitive spirit. The greatest sweeper and fourth-innings batter the world has ever seen.

27. Pat Cummins (2011-, Australia)

Fastest Australian to 100 Test wickets since World War II, leading wicket-taker in three consecutive Ashes, one of the best bowling strikes of the generation at 46.52, what’s not to like? And to top it off, Pat Cummins has led Australia to the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup victory in 2023.

26. Ben Stokes (2011-2026, England)

Probably the most clutch player of the century. Headingley, the 2019 World Cup final, and the 2022 T20 title are all reminders that he can turn a game when it seems lost.

25. David Warner (2009-2024, Australia)

Warner attacked from the first ball and helped redefine how Australia opened in every format. He won World Cups in both 50-over and T20 cricket, and has a 335* to his name in Test cricket as well.

24. Chris Gayle (1999-2021, West Indies)

The Universe Boss. Triple century in Tests, double in ODIs, century in T20Is. Double T20 World Cup Winner and a Champions Trophy winner. Entertainment packaged in a cricketer.

23. Ravichandran Ashwin (2010-2024, India)

Ashwin is a student of batting as much as a master of offspin. He kept evolving, kept finding new variations, and became one of India’s most reliable match-winners at home and abroad.

Also Read: R Ashwin’s I Have the Streets Book Review

22. Virender Sehwag (1999-2013, India)

Sehwag made Test cricket feel like a one-day game without losing the patience to bat all day. His triple hundreds in Multan and Chennai wrote his name in the history books.

21. Mahela Jayawardene (1997-2015, Sri Lanka)

Jayawardene brought elegance to the biggest stages. He was one of the key players in Sri Lanka’s golden generation, which was marked by his World Cup final century in 2011 and the 2014 T20 triumph.

1-20: Absolute Legends

These were not only the greatest players of the generation, but some of the finest players in cricket’s history across eras and formats. Future generations will be measured against these legends.

20. Kane Williamson (2010-2026, New Zealand)

Williamson’s calm is not passivity; it is a form of control. He led New Zealand through the 2019 World Cup final and to the 2021 Test championship, always making the hard moments look manageable.

19. Adam Gilchrist (1996-2008, Australia)

Gilchrist changed what teams expected from a wicketkeeper-batter. His World Cup final innings in 2007 was memorable, and his attacking style transformed the role of the keeper in Test cricket too.

18. Shakib Al Hasan (2006-2024, Bangladesh)

Shakib is one of the great all-rounders of this generation. His brilliance, especially at the 2019 World Cup, kept Bangladesh in the tournament till the end. The only player to achieve the double of 14,000 international runs and 700 wickets, and only cricketer to achieve No. 1 all-rounder status simultaneously across all formats. Surpassed Kapil Dev as the most days (4276) spent as the No. 1 all-rounder in ODIs.

17. Jimmy Anderson (2002-2024, England)

Anderson kept finding ways to make the ball move long after most fast bowlers would have slowed down. His longevity and command of swing made him one of England’s great match-winners.

Also Read: Jimmy Anderson Made Me Fall in Love with Swing Bowling

16. MS Dhoni (2004-2019, India)

Dhoni had a way of making the last few overs feel under control. He captained India to three major ICC titles and gave the team a finisher who trusted his nerve.

Also Read: MS Dhoni and SK Raina Retire: An End of An Era

15. Rohit Sharma (2007-, India)

Rohit’s timing can make a huge score look effortless. Five hundreds at the 2019 World Cup and the 2024 T20 title as captain showed two sides of his greatness: the batter and the leader. Not to forget the 264 and his other double centuries.

14. Rahul Dravid (1996-2012, India)

Dravid was the wall, but he adapted in all formats. 2002 Headingly, 2003 Adelaide, 2004 Rawalpindi, 2006 Jamaica. His 2011 series in England epitomized what Rahul Dravid meant to the Indian team in the 2000s.