Today, I am going to take on a monumental task. I will attempt to rank 150 years of Australian cricketers across formats and eras.
Six ODI World Cups, a World Test Championship, a T20 World Cup, 30 ICC Hall of Famers, and decades of Ashes dominance, and that’s just scratching the surface.
This is going to spark some serious debate. Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
Sir Donald Bradman tops the list of the greatest Australian cricketer of all-time. Following up close behind are Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Steve Smith, Adam Gilchrist, Mitchell Starc, and Keith Miller.
The list of 78 features the following-mix: 32 specialist batters, 20 fast bowlers, 10 all-rounders, 8 wicketkeepers, and8 spinners.
Era-wise, the list includes 33 players who featured after the year 2000, 26 players from the 1950–1990 era, and 19 pioneers from 1877 to 1950.
Usman Khawaja has just retired, Mitchell Starc has had an all-timer of an Ashes series, and Travis Head has produced some of the great match-winning innings of all time. It is the perfect time to re-evaluate where they stand in history.
The goal is that the list contains all the contenders for the greatest Australian fast bowlers, spinners, keepers, and batters.
Using the same framework that I used to rank England’s greatest 65 cricketers, I evaluated every player on a 100-point scale. The score is heavily weighted toward Career Stats, Match-Winning Performances, and Big Stage Impact (20 points each), with the remainder split between Longevity, Versatility, Leadership, and Era-specific adjustments to ensure a fair fight between the 1890s and the 2020s.
In the event of a tie, the player with more Test matches is ranked higher.
Top 78 Greatest Australian Cricketers of All-Time (Ranked)
Honorable Mentions
Over 130 Australian cricketers were considered for this list. While I initially aimed to include every Wisden Cricketer of the Year or World Cup hero, the list became stretched out. Below are some impactful players that missed out.
Honorable Mentions: Norm O’Neill, Bert Ironmonger, Ted McDonald, Syd Gregory, Adam Voges, Billy Murdoch, Joe Darling, George Bailey, Tom Moody, Rick McCosker, Herbie Collins, Ian Redpath, Colin Miller, Darren Lehmann, Kim Hughes, Geoff Lawson, Jack Ryder, Chris Rogers, Phil Hughes, Simon Katich, Michael Slater, Terry Alderman, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Ian Harvey, Keith Stackpole, Peter Burge, Gil Langley, Jim Burke, George Tribe, Bruce Dooland, Bill Brown, Jack Fingleton, Alan Fairfax, Sid Barnes, Johnny Mullagh (“The WG Grace of Aboriginal cricketers”)
World Cup Heroes & Players with Brief Peaks That Missed Out:
Charles Bannerman: Scored 67% of the runs in the first ever Test when he scored 165*
Gary Gilmour: Most Wickets in the 1975 ODI WC (11)
Alan Turner: Most Runs for Australia in the 1975 ODI WC, 5th most overall
Damien Fleming: Joint 3rd Highest Wicket Taker in 1996 WC
Ryan Harris: Took 113 wickets in a short 6-year career including a delivery we will never forget: Ryan Harris to Alastair Cook. If only the knee would have persisted.
Zampa, why is Zampa in the list? It is because he is Australia’s highest T20I wicket-taker by a fair distance. Made an impact in both the 2021 T20 WC and 2023 ODI WC campaigns. Underrated.
Role: Leg Spinner
Domestic Teams: South Australia, New South Wales
Matches: 99 (ODIs), 87 (T20Is)
Wickets: 169 (ODIs), 105 (T20Is)
Bowling Average: 28.05 (ODIs), 22.46 (T20Is)
5-Wicket Hauls: 1/1 (ODIs/T20Is)
Player of Match Awards: 12
Player of Series Awards: 1
World Cup Winner? ✅✅
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: 2nd Most Wickets in 2021 T20 WC (13); 2nd Most Wickets in 2023 ODI WC (23)
Arguably the most technically perfect wicketkeeper in Australian history. Even 80 years after his retirement, he holds the record of most stumpings in Test cricket of all-time. Before his cricket career, he was a corporal during WWI and almost died.
Role: Wicketkeeper
Domestic Team: New South Wales
Matches: 54 (Tests), 245 (FC)
Runs: 1427 (Tests), 6135 (FC)
Hundreds: 0/6
Average: 22.65 (Tests), 23.77 (FC)
Catches/Stumpings: 78/52 (Tests), 399/263 (FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
Notable Achievements: Most stumpings in Test cricket
Not many cricketers get the honor to take hat-tricks on their birthday. Mostly a 3rd seamer in the attack, Siddle still broke the 200-Test wicket mark. His energy on the cricket field was unmatched.
Although he played 9 Tests (8 for Australia, 1 for England), he has the second best bowling strike rate (37.73) and average (12.70) of all-time behind England’s George Lohmann.
Role: Left Arm Swing
Domestic Team: New South Wales
Matches: 9 (Tests), 198 (FC)
Wickets: 61 (Tests), 812 (FC)
Bowling Average: 12.70 (Tests), 17.54 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 6/63 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Best bowling strike rate and average for an Australian bowler; Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1889)
Known as “The Voice” for his constant chatter, Grout was a livewire wicketkeeper whose “grizzling” grit and sharp reflexes made him the heart of Australia’s golden era under Richie Benaud. Grout once refused to run-out Titmus since he had slipped while running between the wickets. In his Wisden obituary, Bob Simpson mentioned, ‘He was the greatest wicket-keeper I ever saw.’
Role: Wicketkeeper
Domestic Teams: Queensland
Matches: 51 (Tests), 100 (FC)
Runs: 890 (Tests), 2824 (FC)
Average: 15.08 (Tests), 23.93 (FC)
Catches/Stumpings: 163/24 (Tests), 473/114 (FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Australia did not lose a Test series while he played
65. Graham ‘Garth’ McKenzie (1961-1971) — 67 Points
Between Alan Davidson and Dennis Lillee, there was Garth McKenzie who flew Australia’s fast bowling flag high.Played his last Test at the age of 29 for a County contract, falling two short of Richie Benaud’s 248 Test wickets, Australia’s record at that time.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: Western Australia, Leicestershire
Matches: 60 (Tests), 383 (FC)
Wickets: 246 (Tests), 1219 (FC)
Bowling Average: 29.78 (Tests), 26.96 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 16/49 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
Notable Achievements: Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame, Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1965)
He was a great fast bowler and had a beautiful action. Part of the one of the finest bowling line ups in world cricket. However, he will go down in cricket history as the man who scored 201* after being sent in as a night watchman.
Did Khawaja live up to his potential? Maybe, maybe not. But he was an important Australian cricketer, both on and off the field. In a tough era for opening batters, he became one of the standouts. Will forever be remember for his 9-hour marathon in Dubaito save a Test. The man of many comebacks.
The “Unshakeable” captain during the Bodyline series who led with immense moral courage and technical grit against the most controversial tactics in history. Known as ‘The Rock’ for his temperament. Died while playing golf.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: Victoria
Matches: 35 (Tests), 174 (FC)
Runs: 2300 (Tests), 13388 (FC)
Average: 46.00 (Tests), 64.99 (FC)
Hundreds: 7/49 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1927); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; 7th highest FC average of all-time
A pioneer in T20 cricket. Led Australia to their first T20 World Cup victory, a format where Australia had languished behind the rest of the world for 15 years.
Role: Top Order Batter; Part-Time Left Arm Spinner
Notable Achievements: Has highest scores of 172 and 156 in T20Is; 11th most career T20I runs; 3rd Most matches as captain in T20Is; 2nd Most runs in T20I for Australia
Does Maxwell even deserve to be in this list? Known for his X-factor and innovation, he had a rather up and down career. But when he did deliver, he was second to none. It all came together in the 2023 ODI World Cup against Afghanistan, when he produced the greatest World Cup innings of all-time. On one-leg.
After years of disappointing the Australian public, he finally lived up to his potential during the 2021 World Cup Final. On his best days, Mitchell Marsh is a true match-winner. A funny bloke too.
World Cup Winner? ✅✅✅ (2015 ODI, 2023 ODI, 2021 T20)
Captained Australia? ✅ (T20Is)
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Allan Border Medal (2024); Player of the Match – 2021 WC Final; Best of 177* from #5 in ODIs
Career Stats (20)
Match-Winning (20)
Big Stage Impact (20)
Longevity (15)
Versatility (10)
Accolades (10)
Leadership (5)
Era Bonus (5)
Fielding Bonus (3)
100-Test Bonus (2)
Total
10
15
15
14
8
4
4
0
0
0
70
57. Bill Ponsford (1924-1934) — 71 Points
If Bradman was Mozart, then Ponsford was Salieri. Apart from Brian Lara, only Ponsford has the distinction of two quadruple first-class centuries with 429 & 437.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: Victoria
Matches: 29 (Tests), 162 (FC)
Runs: 2122 (Tests), 13819 (FC)
Average: 48.22 (Tests), 65.18 (FC)
Hundreds: 7/47 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1927), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1935); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; 6th highest FC average of all-time
One of the greatest left-handed Test batters Australia produced, Morris combined technical brilliance with a calm temperament to become one of the game’s most respected run-getters. Averaged 53.78 away compared to 41.18 at home.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 46 (Tests), 162 (FC)
Runs: 3533 (Tests), 12614 (FC)
Average: 46.48 (Tests), 53.67 (FC)
Hundreds: 12/46 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ✅ (2 Matches)
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1949); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame
McDermott was the premier strike bowler of the late 80s and early 90s, renowned for his rhythmic, textbook action and lethal outswing. His pivotal role in the 1987 WC and 1990-91 Ashes cemented his place as an elite quick bowler of the era.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: Queensland
Matches: 71 (Tests), 138 (ODIs)
Wickets: 291 (Tests), 203 (ODIs)
Bowling Average: 28.63 (Tests), 24.71 (ODIs)
5-Wicket Hauls: 14/1 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 8
Player of Series Awards: 3
World Cup Winner? ✅ (1987)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Most Wickets in the 1987 ODI World Cup (18); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
An immovable opening batter who specialized in blunting the world’s fastest attacks, Lawry’s legendary defensive grit and stoic leadership provided the backbone of Australia’s top order for a decade before he became the iconic voice of the summer. Averaged 47 as a Test opener.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: Victoria
Matches: 67 (Tests), 1 (ODIs), 249 (FC)
Runs: 5234 (Tests), 27 (ODIs), 18734 (FC)
Average: 47.15 (Tests), 27.00 (ODIs), 50.90 (FC)
Hundreds: 13/50 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1962); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
With 46 fifties and 67 not-outs, Michael Bevan was the original “Finisher” who turned the art of the ODI chase into a cold, calculated science. With nerves of steel and an unmatched ability to find the gaps, he consistently pulled off miracles when victory seemed impossible.
Role: Middle Order Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, Tasmania
Matches: 18 (Tests), 232 (ODIs)
Runs: 785 (Tests), 6912 (ODIs)
Average: 29.07 (Tests), 53.58 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 0/6 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 13
Player of Series Awards: 1
World Cup Winner? ✅✅ (1999, 2003)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of the 5000 ODI runs and 50 dismissals club; 8th highest ODI career average (53.58) and highest of any player in his era
Gritty heart of Australia’s 80s and 90s resurgence, famously immovable at both the crease and short leg. Allegedly had 52 cans of beer on a flight from Australia to England.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Team: Tasmania
Matches: 107 (Tests), 181 (ODIs)
Runs: 7422 (Tests), 5964 (ODIs)
Average: 43.65 (Tests), 37.04 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 21/5 (Tests/ODIs)
Captained Australia? ❌
Player of Match Awards: 15
Player of Series Awards: 5
World Cup Winner? ✅
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achivements: Player of the Match in the 1987 WC Final; 2nd Highest Run-Scorer in the 1987 ODI World Cup (highest for Australia); 4th Highest Run-Scorer of 1992 WC (Highest for Australia), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1994); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
The “Grace of Australia” and the nation’s first true colossus of the game. As a giant all-rounder who could carry an entire team, he was the foundational superstar of the late 19th century.
Role: All-Rounder
Domestic Teams: South Australia
Matches: 31 (Tests), 251 (FC)
Runs: 1238 (Tests), 11758 (FC)
Average: 23.35 (Tests), 29.54 (FC)
Wickets: 103 (Tests), 1023 (FC)
Bowling Average: 27.09 (Tests), 21.31 (FC)
Captained Australia? ✅ (4 Matches)
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: The first Australian to achieve the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in Test cricket
The fastest and most frightening bowler of his generation. With a unique slinging action and a “sand-shoe crushing” delivery, he provided the terrifying edge to Australia’s 1970s resurgence.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, Queensland
Matches: 51 (Tests), 50 (ODIs)
Wickets: 200 (Tests), 55 (ODIs)
Bowling Average: 28.00 (Tests), 35.30 (ODIs)
5-Wicket Hauls: 8/0 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 1
Player of Series Awards: 0
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner up 1975)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1974); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
“Tubby,” the tactical visionary who inherited the captaincy from Allan Border and built the foundation for Australia’s decade of dominance. A masterful opening batter and slip fielder, his record-equaling 334* in Peshawar remains a monument to his endurance and class.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 104 (Tests), 113 (ODIs)
Runs: 7525 (Tests), 3514 (ODIs)
Average: 43.49 (Tests), 32.23 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 19/1 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 11
Player of Series Awards: 2
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner up 1996)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1990); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
43. Charles ‘Terror’ Turner (1887-1895) — 77 Points
One of the best fast bowlers of his generation, forming a formidable pair with JJ Ferris. Went past Fred Spofforth’s record of 94 wickets. He holds the best bowling average of all-time for an Australian bowler with at least 50 wickets.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 17 (Tests), 155 (FC)
Wickets: 101 (Tests), 993 (FC)
Bowling Average: 16.53 (Tests), 14.25 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 11/102 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
Notable Achievements: Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; First Australian bowler to reach 100 Test wickets
If Gilchrist and Hayden don’t get you, Ponting well. If Ponting doesn’t, Damien Martyn or Clarke will. If all fails, there is still the X-factor, Andrew Symonds, to change the game. His 2003 World Cup heroics remains the gold standard for middle-order dominance. One of the best fielders of the game. Unfortunately passed away at the young age of 46.
The “Iron Glove” who set the gold standard for Australian wicketkeeping and defined the “caught Marsh, bowled Lillee” era. A combative lower-order batter, his aggressive style and tactical sharp mind made him the heartbeat of the 1970s team.
Role: Wicketkeeper Batter
Domestic Teams: Western Australia
Matches: 96 (Tests), 92 (ODIs)
Runs: 3633 (Tests), 1225 (ODIs)
Average: 26.51 (Tests), 20.08 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 3/0 (Tests/ODIs)
Catches/Stumpings: 355/12 (Tests), 120/4 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 3
Player of Series Awards: 0
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner up 1975)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1982); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame
A tall, deceptive off-spinner with Trumble remains the only player in Test history to take two separate hat-tricks against England.
Role: Off Spinner
Domestic Teams: Victoria
Matches: 32 (Tests), 218 (FC)
Wickets: 141 (Tests), 929 (FC)
Bowling Average: 21.78 (Tests), 18.44 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 9/69 (Test/FC)
Runs: 851 (Tests), 5395 (FC)
Average: 19.79 (Tests), 20.35 (FC)
Captained Australia? ✅ (2 Matches)
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: First player to take two hat-tricks; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Held the record for most Test wickets at the time of his retirement
Stan McCabe was the artist that even the Don admired. A counterattacking genius of the 1930s. McCabe’s 187 in the Bodyline series is considered one of cricket’s great knocks.
Role: Middle Order Batter, Part-time Medium Pacer
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 39 (Tests), 182 (FC)
Runs: 2748 (Tests), 11951 (FC)
Average: 48.21 (Tests), 49.39 (FC)
Hundreds: 6/29 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1935), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1935); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame
The man who redefined modern wicketkeeping with his clinical skill and vocal leadership, serving as the vital anchor of the Warne and McGrath era.
Role: Wicketkeeper Batter
Domestic Teams: Queensland
Matches: 119 (Tests), 168 (ODIs)
Runs: 4356 (Tests), 1764 (ODIs)
Average: 27.39 (Tests), 21.00 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 4/0 (Tests/ODIs)
Catches/Stumpings: 366/29 (Tests), 194/39 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 4
Player of Series Awards: 0
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner up 1996)
Captained Australia? ✅ (8 ODIs)
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1994); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; 3rd Most Catches & dismissals in Test career; Most Stumpings in an ODI innings (3)
The uncompromising captain who transformed Australia into a ruthless, aggressive powerhouse during the 1970s. A courageous top-order batter, his “win-at-all-costs” mentality defined the modern Australian cricketing identity.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: South Australia
Matches: 75 (Tests), 16 (ODIs)
Runs: 5345 (Tests), 673 (ODIs)
Average: 42.42 (Tests), 48.07 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 14/0 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 3
Player of Series Awards: 0
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner up 1975)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1976); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame
Famous for his 150 kph+ rivalries with Shoaib Akhtar and battles against Sachin Tendulkar, Brett Lee was one of Australia’s most prolific and beloved all-format strike bowlers. Loved his bowling action and trademark chainsaw celebration.
Notable Achievements: 2nd Most Wickets in 2003 ODI WC (22); Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2006); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; 4th Highest wicket-taker for Australia across formats
Travis Head is getting in the habit of silencing crowds around the world. He has breached the Trifecta with match-winning performances in World Cup Finals, World Test Championship Final, and the Ashes.
Notable Achievements: Allan Border Medal (2025); Player of the Match – 2023 ODI World Cup Final; Player of the Match – 2023 WTC Final; 3rd Most runs in 2024 T20 WC
Notable Achievements: ICC Cricketer of the Year (2014); Allan Border Medal (2014); Took 59 wickets at 15.23 vs South Africa and England in 2013/14; Best of 123* in Tests
With Australia’s dominant batting line up of the 2000s, Hussey was a late bloomer. Once he broke in though, he was too good to ignore. He single-handedly took Australia to the 2010 T20 WC finals with that knock against Pakistan and Saeed Ajmal. Mr. Cricket for a reason.
The quintessential left-hander of the Golden Age, Hill was a prolific run-scorer and was regarded for his fielding as well. Once had a run of 99, 98, and 97 against England.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: South Australia
Matches: 49 (Tests), 252 (FC)
Runs: 3412 (Tests), 17213 (FC)
Average: 39.21 (Tests), 43.57 (FC)
Hundreds: 7/45 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Held the record for the most runs in Tests for Australia for over 40 years; Scored 6274 runs at 5.228 in Sheffield Shield, record until Bradman broke it; First batter to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year
A powerful all-format force who won two Allan Border Medals and remains statistically Australia’s most dominant white-ball all-rounder of the 21st century. A big tournament player and reinvented himself as a Test opener in 2009. A pioneer in the T20 franchise circuit as well.
Notable Achievements: Allan Border Medal (2010, 2011); Player of the Series – 2012 T20 WC; Most runs in 2012 T20 WC; 2nd Most runs in 2009 Champions Trophy
28. Alan ‘The Claw’ Davidson (1953-1963) — 82 Points
The premier left-arm spearhead of the mid-century, renowned for his devastating swing and pinpoint accuracy. He was a genuine all-rounder who famously dominated the 1960 Tied Test with 5/135 & 6/87.
Role: All-Rounder
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 44 (Tests), 193 (FC)
Wickets: 186 (Tests), 672 (FC)
Bowling Average: 20.53 (Tests), 20.90 (FC)
Runs: 1328 (Tests), 6804 (FC)
Batting Average: 24.59 (Tests), 32.86 (FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1961), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1962); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; First man to score 100 runs and take 10 wickets in a Test
The ultimate professional who dragged Australian cricket into the modern era through technical discipline and relentless slip-fielding. A gritty opening batter and a visionary coach, his influence on the baggy green’s culture is immeasurable.
Role: All-Rounder (Top Order Batter / Leg Spinner)
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, Western Australia
Matches: 62 (Tests), 2 (ODIs), 257 (FC)
Runs: 4869 (Tests), 34 (ODIs), 21029 (FC)
Average: 46.81 (Tests), 17.00 (ODIs), 56.22 (FC)
Hundreds: 10/60 (Tests/FC)
Wickets: 71 (Tests), 2 (ODIs), 349 (FC)
World Cup Winner? ❌
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1965); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
The “Junior” of the twins and perhaps the most effortless stroke-maker to ever wear the baggy green. Known for his “silky” elegance and world-class slip catching, he turned batting into an art form, making even the most difficult centuries look like a casual Sunday stroll.
Role: Middle Order Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 128 (Tests), 244 (ODIs)
Runs: 8029 (Tests), 8500 (ODIs)
Average: 41.81 (Tests), 39.35 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 20/18 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 26
Player of Series Awards: 0
World Cup Winner? ✅
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: 2nd Highest Scorer of 1996 WC – 484 Runs (Highest for Australia); Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1991); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
Career Stats (20)
Match-Winning (20)
Big Stage Impact (20)
Longevity (15)
Versatility (10)
Accolades (10)
Leadership (5)
Era Bonus (5)
Fielding Bonus (3)
100-Test Bonus (2)
Total
18
14
15
14
6
6
1
3
3
2
8
11-25: The Hall of Famers
These are the giants who would be the first names on the team sheet in any era of history. Consistent, dominant, and feared worldwide. The standard bearers of Australian excellence.
25. Fred ‘The Demon’ Spofforth (1877-1887) — 83 Points
In chase of 85, England collapsed from 51/2 to 77 all-out due to Spofforth’s spell of 7/44. And that was the birth of the Ashes.One of the pioneers of fast bowling in early Test cricket.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, Victoria
Matches: 18 (Tests), 118 (FC)
Wickets: 94 (Tests), 853 (FC)
Bowling Average: 18.41 (Tests), 13.55 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 7 (Tests), 79 (FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Was in the running for the Six Giants of the Wisden Century, but did not make the final cut; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; First bowler to take a Test hat-trick; First bowler to take 50 Test wickets
Known as “The Governor-General,” he was the most audacious and destructive batter of the 1920s.
Role: Batting All-rounder (Right-hand bat, Slow left-arm orthodox)
Domestic Team: New South Wales
Matches: 35 (Tests), 170 (FC)
Runs: 2131 (Tests), 15019 (FC)
Average: 41.78 (Tests), 45.78 (FC)
Hundreds: 7/49 (Test/FC)
Wickets: 45 (Tests), 419 (FC)
Bowling Average: 27.55 (Tests), 20.91 (FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1921, 1926), Was in the running for the Six Giants of the Wisden Century, but did not make the final cut; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame
A dazzling left-handed stroke-maker and the finest Australian batsman of the 1950s. His superb footwork and youthful flair made him the vital link between the Bradman era and the modern age. Also known for his athletic fielding.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: Victoria, New South Wales
Matches: 79 (Tests), 306 (FC)
Runs: 6149 (Tests), 21699 (FC)
Average: 48.41 (Tests), 50.93 (FC)
Hundreds: 21/67
Captained Australia? ✅ (1 Match)
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1954); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Scored 6 hundreds in first 13 Test innings; 2nd Highest Test hundred maker and run scorer at the time of his retirement
The greatest off-spinner Australia ever produced. A constant workhorse supporting the line of fast-bowlers. His famed battles with Pujara will be remembered. He can bat a bit down the order as well.
Role: Off Spinner
Domestic Teams:
Matches: 141 (Tests), 29 (ODIs), 2 (T20Is)
Wickets: 567 (Tests), 29 (ODIs), 1 (T20Is)
5-Wicket Hauls: 24/0
Bowling Average: 30.15 (Tests), 46.00 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 6
Player of Series Awards: 1
World Cup Winner? ❌
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: 5th Most Balls bowled in a career (34832); 2nd Highest Wicket-Taker for Australia of All-Time
When he passed away at the age of 37, 250,000 people came to pay their respects. That was the stature of Victor Trumper, the most stylish player of cricket’s Golden Age. Although his stats may not be Bradman-esque, he played in the era of sticky wickets. He changed the perception of old school batting and and once hit a Test century before lunch on Day 1.
Role:
Domestic Team: New South Wales
Matches: 48 (Tests), 255 (FC)
Runs: 3163 (Tests), 16939 (FC)
Average: 39.04 (Tests), 44.57 (FC)
Hundreds: 8/42 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1902), Named one of the Six Giants of the Wisden Century; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame
The technical benchmark of his era, Chappell was the standard for aesthetic perfection and ruthless run-scoring in the 1970s.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: South Australia, Queensland
Matches: 87 (Tests), 74 (ODIs)
Runs: 7110 (Tests), 2331 (ODIs)
Average: 53.86 (Tests), 40.18 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 24/3 (Tests/ODIs)
Wickets: 47 (Tests), 72 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 16
Player of Series Awards: 1
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner up 1975)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1979), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1973); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Scored 100s in his first and last game; Selected in Australia’s Team of the Century
Don Bradman once said, “Bill O’Reilly was the greatest bowler he ever faced.”
Role: Leg Spinner
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 27 (Tests), 135 (FC)
Wickets: 144 (Tests), 774 (FC)
Bowling Average: 22.59 (Tests), 16.60 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 11/63 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1935); Was in the running for the Six Giants of the Wisden Century, but did not make the final cut; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Took 27 wickets in the Bodyline series; Selected as member of Australia’s Team of the Century
Was the leading bowler in the ‘Invincibles’ side, forming a legendary new-ball partnership with Keith Miller. One of the most perfect bowling actions, Lindwall ended as the first Australian fast bowler to reach the 200-wicket milestone.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, Queensland
Matches: 61 (Tests), 205 (FC)
Wickets: 228 (Tests), 794 (FC)
Bowling Average: 23.03 (Tests), 21.35 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 12/39 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ✅ (1 Match)
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1949); Was in the running for the Six Giants of the Wisden Century, but did not make the final cut; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Selected in Australia’s Team of the Century;
After losing six years of his early career to injury, Cummins returned to become the most consistent fast bowler of the modern era. His ability to maintain elite pace and accuracy across long spells is a testament to this physical and mental toughness. At 45.68, he has one of the best bowling strike rates for a modern-day fast bowler. Now a World Cup and WTC winning captain as well.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 72 (Tests), 90 (ODIs), 57 (T20Is)
Wickets: 315 (Tests), 143 (ODIs), 66 (T20Is)
5-Wicket Hauls: 14/1 (Tests/ODIs)
Bowling Average: 22.05 (Tests), 28.78 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 10
Player of Series Awards: 3
World Cup Winner? ✅✅✅
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌ (Not yet, at least)
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (2023), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2020); Allan Border Medal (2019)
16. Matthew ‘Haydos’ Hayden (1993-2009) — 87 Points
Hayden redefined the role of the modern opener. With 30 Test tons, two World Cup medals, a then-world record of 380 against Zimbabwe, he was the immovable rock of Australia’s greatest era. The 2001 India tour was one of the highlights of his career. Left a lasting image of walking down the track to quick bowlers.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: Queensland
Matches: 103 (Tests), 161 (ODIs)
Runs: 8625 (Tests), 6133 (ODIs)
Average: 50.73 (Tests), 43.80 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 30/10 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 19
Player of Series Awards: 6
World Cup Winner? ✅✅
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Most Runs in 2007 ODI WC (659); Most Runs in 2007 T20 WC (265); Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (2002); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Allan Border Medal (2002); Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Scored 1000+ Test runs in five consecutive years (2001-05)
A combative and revolutionary opener who conquered all three formats with sheer aggression. Despite the controversy and one-year ban, he was a bonafide match-winner, which included a Test match triple-century, a brilliant 2019 ODI WC and 2021 T20 WC campaigns. Ended as Australia’s 2nd highest run-getter across formats.
Notable Achievements: Player of the Series – 2021 T20 WC; Most Player of the Series Awards for Australia across formats; Allan Border Medal (2016, 2017, 2020); 2nd Most Hundreds in ODI World Cups (6); 6th Most Runs in ODI World Cups (1527); 2nd Most Runs in 2019 ODI WC (647)
From a ton on debut in Bangalore to the 2015 WC victory as captain, Clarke had a remarkable career. His 2012 remains one of the most dominant statistical peaks in the history of Test cricket.
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (2012), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2010); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Allan Border Medal (2005, 2009, 2012, 2013); ICC Cricketer of the Year (2013); Scored 1595 runs at 106.33 in 2012 with 5 hundreds. Followed it up with 1093 in 2013; Highest Individual Test Score for a #5 (329*); Member of the 2006 Champions Trophy, 2007 & 2015 WC squads; 134 catches in Tests and 106 in ODIs
The “Grand Old Man” of leg-spin and the mastermind who pioneered the flipper. As the first bowler in Test history to reach 200 wickets, he provided the tactical blueprint for every leg-spinner who followed. Once took 44 wickets in a series against South Africa.Formed one of the great spin partnerships with Bill O’Reilly.
Role: Leg Spinner
Domestic Teams: Victoria, South Australia
Matches: 37 (Tests), 248 (FC)
Wickets: 216 (Tests), 1424 (FC)
Bowling Average: 24.21 (Tests), 22.28 (FC)
5-Wicket Hauls: 21/127 (Test/FC)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1931); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Took 29 wickets in the 1930 series vs England; First Bowler to take 200 Test Wickets
One of the game’s greatest all-rounders. Was Australia’s captain during the famed tied Test against the West Indies in 1962. Later became the voice of cricket.
Role: All-Rounder (Leg Spinner)
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 63 (Tests), 259 (FC)
Wickets: 248 (Tests), 945 (FC)
Bowling Average: 27.03 (Tests), 24.37 (FC)
5-fers: 16/56 (Test/FC)
Runs: 2201 (Tests), 11719 (FC)
Average: 24.45 (Tests), 36.50 (FC)
Hundreds: 3/23
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1962); Member of ICC Hall of Fame; First player to complete the double of 200 wickets and 2000 Test runs
Lillee was a constant force in the 70s and 80s for Australian cricket. Retired with 355 Test wickets, the world record at that time.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams:
Matches: 70 (Tests), 63 (ODIs)
Wickets: 355 (Tests), 103 (ODIs)
5-Wicket Hauls: 23/1 (Tests/ODIs)
Bowling Average: 23.92 (Tests), 20.82 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 5
Player of Series Awards: 2
World Cup Winner? ❌ (Runner Up 1975)
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1972, 1977), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1973); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Selected as part of Australia’s Team of the 20th Century; Part of the 1975 WC runner-up team; Lillee-Marsh has the best fielder-bowler combination of 95 wickets
Career Stats (20)
Match-Winning (20)
Big Stage Impact (20)
Longevity (15)
Versatility (10)
Accolades (10)
Leadership (5)
Era Bonus (5)
Fielding Bonus (3)
100-Test Bonus (2)
Total
20
20
17
13
2
10
3
3
0
0
88
Top 10: The Immortals
And finally, the immortals. These players not only emerged as Australia’s greatest, but also redefined the very soul of cricket. Mythical aura, freakish statistics, they sit on a pedestal above the rest. Names that will be spoken of as long as cricket is played on this planet.
An Air Force pilot and Australia’s greatest all-rounder, Keith Miller will forever be remembered in Australian folklore as the golden boy who defined the post-war era.
Role: All-Rounder
Domestic Teams: Victoria, New South Wales
Matches: 55 (Tests), 226 (FC)
Runs: 2958 (Tests), 14183 (FC)
Average: 36.97 (Tests), 48.90 (FC)
Hundreds: 7/41 (Test/FC)
Wickets: 170 (Tests), 497 (FC)
Bowling Average: 22.97 (Tests), 22.30 (FC)
5-fers: 7/16
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1951), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1954), Was in the running for the Six Giants of the Wisden Century, but did not make the final cut; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Selected as vice-captain of Australia’s team of the Century; Had best all-round statistic (wickets/runs) in world cricket at the time of his retirement
Australia are blessed to have had multiple left arm fast bowling Mitchells. When Johnson left the stage, Starc came in the picture. Mitchell Starc’s career was a testament to the level of fitness he had over his career. Always stood up at the big stage, Ashes 2005, T20 World Cup, and the ODI World Cups. The Ben Stokes bowled in 2019 and the 2015 games against New Zealand, both at Eden Park and the first over in the Final will be etched in fans’ memories for generations to come.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 105 (Tests), 130 (ODIs), 65 (T20Is)
Wickets: 433 (Tests), 247 (ODIs), 79 (T20Is)
5-Wicket Hauls: 18/9 (Tests/ODIs)
Bowling Average: 26.51 (Tests), 23.58 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 20
Player of Series Awards: 7
World Cup Winner? ✅✅✅
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Most Wickets in 2019 ODI World Cup (27); Player of the Series – 2015 ODI WC; Most Wickets in 2015 ODI WC (22), 3rd Most Wickets in ODI World Cups (65); 3rd Most Wickets in 2012 T20 WC (10); 2nd Most 5-Fers in ODI World Cups (3); Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2024) ; Allan Border Medal (2022)
Changed the role of the wicketkeeper. His 2007 World Cup Final innings against Sri Lanka remains one of the highlights. He struck at 81.95 in Tests and 96.94 in ODIs, 20 years ahead of his day.
Role: Wicketkeeper Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, Western Australia
Notable Achievements: 2nd Most Catches and Dismissals in Test Career; Player of the Match – 2007 ODI World Cup Final; 4th Most Runs in 2003 ODI WC (408); Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2002); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Allan Border Medal (2003); Member of ICC Hall of Fame; 3rd Most Sixes in Tests
The greatest Test batter of the modern generation. When he ‘finds his hands’, he is such a joy to watch. Even though not as prolific in ODI cricket, he hit the winning runs in the 2015 ODI World Cup. His one-handed catches are a sight to watch. The 2018-19 ball-tempering scandal was the only blemish in an otherwise spotless career, but his comeback in the 2019 Ashes started defined his greatness.
When an Australian cricketer does well over a year, they receive the ‘Allan Border Medal.’ And rightly so. 27131 First Class Runs with 70 tons. Played most Tests, captained the most, and took most catches than anyone else by the time he retired. Began the legacy of Australia winning the ODI World Cup in 1987. Handy fielder and part time bowler as well.
Role: Middle Order Batter, Left Arm Orthodox
Domestic Teams:
Matches: 156 (Tests), 273 (ODIs)
Runs: 11174 (Tests), 6524 (ODIs)
Average: 50.56 (Tests), 30.62 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 27 (Tests), 3 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 28
Player of Series Awards: 1
World Cup Winner? ✅
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1989), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1982); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Held the record for the most Consecutive Test appearances (153) at one point; Retired as Australia’s highest run scorer in both Tests and ODIs at the time of his retirement
Led Australia to 16 successive Test wins and the 1999 ODI World Cup. Most players of the series awards for Australia in Tests after Shane Warne.
Role: Middle Order Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 168 (Tests), 325 (ODIs)
Runs: 10927 (Tests), 7569 (ODIs)
Average: 51.06 (Tests), 32.90 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 32/3 (Tests/ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 35
Player of Series Awards: 8
World Cup Winner? ✅
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: 398 Runs in ODI WC (2nd Highest Run Scorer); Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1999), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1989); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Member of the 1987 and 1999 WC winning teams; Won 72% of Tests as captain (41 wins/57)
The most consistent, line and length bowler of all-time. With 563 wickets in Test cricket, he was the benchmark for fast bowlers. McGrath was Australia’s backbone in the 3 back-to-back ODI World Cup wins and led the bowling attack for a decade.
Role: Fast Bowler
Domestic Teams: New South Wales
Matches: 124 (Tests), 250 (ODIs), 2 (T20Is)
Wickets: 563 (Tests), 381 (ODIs), 5 (T20Is)
5-Wicket Hauls: 9/0 (Tests/ODIs),
Bowling Average: 21.64 (Tests), 22.02 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 26
Player of Series Awards: 7
World Cup Winner? ✅✅✅
Captained Australia? ❌
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Most Wickets in 2007 ODI WC (26); 3rd Most Wickets in 2003 ODI WC (21); 18 Wickets in 1999 ODI WC; Most Wickets in ODI World Cups (71); Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (2001); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Selected in Australia’s Team of the Century; Allan Border Medal (2000); Member of ICC Hall of Fame
Romanticized leg spin bowling. A constant sight in Australia’s dominance in the 90s and 2000s across both formats. He bowled perhaps the greatest delivery the world has ever witnessed. Was handy with the bat, and once even scored a 99 in Tests.
Role: Leg Spinner
Domestic Teams: Victoria, Rajasthan Royals
Matches: 145 (Tests), 194 (ODIs)
Wickets: 708 (Tests), 293 (ODIs)
5-Wicket Hauls: 37/1 (Tests/ODIs),
Bowling Average: 25.41 (Tests), 25.73 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 29
Player of Series Awards: 8
World Cup Winner? ✅✅
Captained Australia? ✅ (11 matches)
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Player of the Match in the 1999 WC Final; Most Wickets in 1999 WC; Joint-3rd highest wicket taker in 1996 WC (highest for Australia); Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1993, 1997), Named one of the 5 Wisden Cricketer’s of the Century, Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1994); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame
When you think of Australia in World Cups, you think of Ricky Ponting. Highly decorated captain. The heartbeat of Australian dominance. One of the best #3s and fielder the world has ever seen.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: Tasmania
Matches: 168 (Tests), 375 (ODIs), 17 (T20Is)
Runs: 13378 (Tests), 13704 (ODIs), 401 (T20Is)
Average: 51.85 (Tests), 42.03 (ODIs)
Hundreds: 41 (Tests), 30 (ODIs)
Player of Match Awards: 48
Player of Series Awards: 10
World Cup Winner? ✅✅✅
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ✅
Notable Achievements: Player of the Match in 2003 ODI WC Final; 3rd Most Runs in 2007 ODI WC – 539 Runs; 3rd Most Runs in 2003 ODI WC – 415 Runs; 3rd Most Runs in ODI World Cups (1743); 6th Most Centuries in ODI World Cups (5); Most Runs & Player of the Tournament – 2009 Champions Trophy; Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (2003, 2004), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (2006); Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Allan Border Medal (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009); Member of ICC Hall of Fame; 3
99.94, the benchmark of all sporting greatness, nearly 40 runs ahead of the rest of the pack in any era. Survived the Bodyline series and still averaged 56.57. Captained Australia with great pride, and was the leader of the ‘Invincibles’ in 1948. Never before, never again, has cricket seen a player with such aura.
Role: Top Order Batter
Domestic Teams: New South Wales, South Australia
Matches: 52 (Tests), 234 (FC)
Runs: 6996 (Tests), 28067 (FC)
Average: 99.94 (Tests), 95.14 (FC)
Hundreds: 29 (Tests), 117 (FC)
Captained Australia? ✅
100 Tests? ❌
Notable Achievements: Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year (1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1948), Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1931), Named one of the 5 Wisden Cricketer’s of the Century; Named one of the Six Giants of the Wisden Century; Member of Australia Cricket Hall of Fame; Member of ICC Hall of Fame; Selected as captain of Australia’s Team of the 20th Century; Bradman’s averages against the countries he played: 201.50 (SA),178.76 (India), 89.78 (England), and 74.50 (West Indies)
Career Stats (20)
Match-Winning (20)
Big Stage Impact (20)
Longevity (15)
Versatility (10)
Accolades (10)
Leadership (5)
Era Bonus (5)
Fielding Bonus (3)
100-Test Bonus (2)
Total
20
20
20
15
7
10
5
5
1
0
104
Final Thoughts
After weeks of internal debate, the list is finally complete.
Researching this list has made me appreciate Australian cricket even more. Every generation, they produce a number of world-class legends, and I hope they continue to do so.
What do you think? Is Greg Chappell too low? Is Starc too high?
Would you rank the players any differently? Comment below, would love to discuss!
***
Thank you all for reading. Below is the appendix with resources and data that I used to research this article.
100-Point Ranking System
Here is how I broke down each category.
Career Stats (20): Runs, wickets, averages, centuries, five-fors
For players who debuted pre-1975, FC performances were also considered. Otherwise, performances in domestic cricket or franchise leagues do not count
Big Stage Impact (20): Performances in World Cups, ICC finals, or major Test series like the Ashes
Longevity (15): Sustained excellence across number of years. Roughly 1 point per year of international cricket played, capped at 15 points
Versatility (10): Success across formats, roles, conditions (ex: All-Rounders)
Accolades (10): Major awards, ICC & Wisden recognitions, Player of the Match/Series awards
Leadership (5): Impact as captain, leading bowling attacks, building winning cultures or historic victories.
A couple of bonus metrics were also added:
Era Bonus (5): For excelling in tougher eras (uncovered pitches, no World Cups, etc.).
Pre-1950: +5
1950-75: +4 (More Tests were played)
1975-90: +3 (ODI cricket introduced)
Debut 1990-1994: +2
Fielding/Wicketkeeping Bonus (3): Outstanding fielding, slip catching, or wicketkeeping achievements.
100-Test Bonus (2): Rewarding consistency over long periods of time
In event of a tie, player with more Test matches won the tiebreaker.
Appendix A: Australia’s World Cup Squads
1987 ODI World Cup
Allan Border (C), Greg Dyer (WK), David Boon, Dean Jones, Geoff Marsh, Tim May, Craig McDermott, Tom Moody, Simon O’Donnell, Bruce Reid, Peter Taylor, Mike Veletta, Steve Waugh, Andrew Zesers
1999 ODI World Cup
Steve Waugh (C), Adam Gilchrist (WK), Michael Bevan, Damien Fleming, Paul Reiffel, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Shane Lee, Brandon Julian, Tom Moody, Darren Lehmann, Glenn McGrath, Adam Dale, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn
2003 ODI World Cup
Ricky Ponting (C), Adam Gilchrist (WK), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Nathan Bracken, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds
2007 ODI World Cup
Ricky Ponting (C), Adam Gilchrist (WK), Brad Haddin, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson
2015 ODI World Cup
Michael Clarke (C), Brad Haddin (WK), George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson
2021 T20 World Cup World Cup
Aaron Finch (C), Matthew Wade (WK), Josh Inglis (WK), Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Adam Zampa
2023 World Test Championship Final
Pat Cummins (C), Alex Carey (WK), Josh Inglis (WK), Scott Boland, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, David Warner
2023 ODI World Cup
Pat Cummins (C), Alex Carey (WK), Josh Inglis (WK), Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stonis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Appendix B: Australian Cricket – A Statistical Overview
Most Wickets for Australia
Test: Shane Warne (708), Nathan Lyon (567) Glenn McGrath (563), Mitchell Starc (433), Dennis Lillee (355), Pat Cummins (315), Mitchell Johnson (313), Brett Lee (310), Josh Hazlewood (295), Craig McDermott (291), Jason Gillespie (259), Richie Benaud (248), Graham McKenzie (246), Ray Lindwall (228), Peter Siddle (221), Clarrie Grimmett (216), Merv Hughes (212), Stuart MacGill (208), Jeff Thomson (200)
ODI: Glenn McGrath (380), Brett Lee (380), Shane Warne (291), Mitchell Starc (247), Mitchell Johnson (239), Craig McDermott (203)
T20I: Adam Zampa (134), Josh Hazlewood (79), Mitchell Starc (79), Pat Cummins (66), Nathan Ellis (50)
Most Wickets for Australia Combined Across Formats
Player
Wickets
Shane Warne
999
Glenn McGrath
948
Mitchell Starc
759
Brett Lee
718
Nathan Lyon
597
Mitchell Johnson
590
Pat Cummins
524
Josh Hazlewood
516
Craig McDermott
494
Dennis Lillee
458
Jason Gillespie
402
Most Runs for Australia
Test: Ricky Ponting (13378), Allan Border (11174), Steve Waugh (10927), Steve Smith (10763), David Warner (8786), Michael Clarke (8643), Matthew Hayden (8625), Mark Waugh (8029), Justin Langer (7696), Mark Taylor (7525), David Boon (7422), Greg Chappell (7110)
ODI: Ricky Ponting (13589), Adam Gilchrist (9595), Mark Waugh (8500), Michael Clarke (7981), Steve Waugh (7569), David Warner (6932), Michael Bevan (6912), Allan Border (6524), Matthew Hayden (6131), Dean Jones (6068)
T20I: David Warner (3277), Aaron Finch (3120), Glenn Maxwell (2835), Mitchell Marsh (2083), Shane Watson (1462), Marcus Stoinis (1338), Matthew Wade (1202), Travis Head (1197), Steve Smith (1094), Travis Head (1038)
Most Runs for Australia Combined Across Formats
Player
Runs
Ricky Ponting
27368
David Warner
18995
Steve Waugh
18496
Allan Border
17698
Steve Smith
17657
Michael Clarke
17112
Mark Waugh
16529
Adam Gilchrist
15437
Matthew Hayden
15064
David Boon
13386
Mike Hussey
12398
Mark Taylor
11039
Shane Watson
10950
Other Australian Records
Most Dismissals: Adam Gilchrist (903), Ian Healy (628), Rod Marsh (479), Brad Haddin (474), Alex Carey (329), Matthew Wade (255), Tim Paine (224), Wally Grout (187), Bert Oldfield (130)
Most Catches: Ricky Ponting (363), Steve Smith (346), Mark Waugh (289), Allan Border (283), Michael Clarke (253), Steve Waugh (223), Mark Taylor (213), Mike Hussey (210), Shane Warne (205), Matthew Hayden (197)
100 Test Club: Ricky Ponting (168), Steve Waugh (168), Allan Border (156), Shane Warne (145), Nathan Lyon (141), Mark Waugh (128), Glenn McGrath (124), Steve Smith (123), Ian Healy (119), Michael Clarke (115), David Warner (112), David Boon (107), Justin Langer (105), Mitchell Starc (105), Mark Taylor (104), Matthew Hayden (103)
Most Matches as Test Captain: Allan Border (93), Ricky Ponting (77), Steve Waugh (57), Mark Taylor (50), Greg Chappell (48), Michael Clarke (47), Steve Smith (44), Bob Simpson (39), Pat Cummins (38), Ian Chappell (30), Richie Benaud (28), Kim Hughes (28), Bill Lawry (25), Bill Woodfull (25), Don Bradman (24), Lindsay Hassett (24), Tim Paine (23), Joe Darling (21)
Most Matches as ODI Captain: Ricky Ponting (229), 178 (Allan Border), Steve Waugh (106), Michael Clarke (74), Mark Taylor (67), Steve Smith (64), Aaron Finch (55)
Gutenberg’s Printing Press. Columbus setting sail in 1492. The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Moon Landing.
Rarely does an event feel so monumental that it promises to change the course of the world as we know it.
But on November 2nd, it felt like one of those moments: India’s women cricket team winning the World Cup. Alright, perhaps not at the level of Gutenberg or the Moon Landing, but you get the point. Some moments carry an emotional force that transcends the game itself.
India has long been called the “Sleeping Giant” of world sport, a nation of passion and population, yet far from realizing its global potential. We are reminded of this with every passing FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. But even within cricket, India’s most popular sport, women’s cricket remained the final frontier.
This wasn’t an underdog story like Kapil Dev’s men of ‘83. There were expectations for the home nation, shadowed by past disappointments. A semi-final run felt realistic, but beating this world-class Australian side? Let’s be honest, not many dreamed that far.
And yet, here we are.
It wasn’t a flawless campaign by any measure. This was an imperfect victory, and that’s what made it so special. Three losses in a row. Mandhana and Harmanpreet not quite at their best early on. In-form Pratika Rawal getting injured on the eve of the semi-finals. The public turning against the team on social media. We had seen this story before.
But when Jemimah Rodrigues fought her inner demons to script an unforgettable semi-final chase, every run she took held a nation’s breath. Her silky cover drives gliding across the field, the hunger burning fiercely in her eyes, and that smiling face, the charming grace masking the depths of fear, self-doubts, and the what-ifs. She stretched her body and mind to the limit because she knew she had to see it through and remain at the crease till the end. Oh, that muddied jersey, I’ll never forget.
Then came Shafali Verma, the out-of-favor young star meeting the moment. Dancing around the pitch, hitting sixes down the ground, taking magical wickets that turned the tide as if pressure meant nothing to her.
And when the ever-positive Amanjot Kaur sprinted in for Laura Wolvaardt’s catch…dropped, caught, dropped, and caught again, in that moment, we finally started to believe.
Every player stood up and in the field, they put their bodies on the line, diving around the boundary. Lifting the trophy in the presence of Diana Edulji, Anjum Chopra, and other pioneers, bringing in Rawal on a wheelchair, celebrating with Mithali Raj and Jhulani Goswami, this was poetic justice.
Deserved world champions, a team whose grit, grace, and courage have the power to ignite the nation.
The barrier is now shattered.
Think of the impact this win will have on India’s sports culture and even its social fabric. Somewhere in a small town, a mother realizes that her daughter could dream bigger than she ever dared to. Somewhere in a boardroom, an executive finally questions pay disparity. Somewhere in the stands, a young girl’s destiny just changed, dreaming of becoming the next Richa Ghosh or Shree Charani, inspired by World Cup heroines like Deepti Sharma.
Change will not come overnight.
But on this night, it began.
This is part of a new series of short articles, where I try to aim for 500 words and make every word count. This one ended up at 549 words.
ESPNCricinfo’s Firdose Moonda recently wrote a fascinating article on how Zimbabwe are set to play 11 Tests this year—as many as Australia— despite not being a part of the World Test Championship. Even more surprisingly, they’re hosting eight of them!
The first thought that crossed my mind? “How in the world is Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) going to afford hosting 8 Tests?”
So, I went looking for answers.
I dug through 268 pages across four annual reports detailing ZC’s finances from 2018/19 to the 2022/23 season, tracing every ounce of revenue, surplus, and ICC payout…so you don’t have to.
Key Takeaways
At the end of 2017, Zimbabwe Cricket was $18.9 million in debt. By 2022, they had cleaned up their finances and reported a surplus of almost $12 million.
ZC remains heavily reliant on direct ICC distributions, which made up 63.5% of their revenue in 2018, rising to 96.6% (2019), 95.9% (2020), before dropping slightly to 90.7% (2021), and 74.5% (2022). Encouragingly, in 2022, they also earned $2.65 million or 16.74% of their revenue from TV rights, diversifying their income streams.
In 2018, ZC spent $445,763 to host Sri Lanka (2 Tests). The Bangladesh series (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is) in 2021 cost them $993,540, and Pakistan’s visit (2 ODIs, 3 T20Is) added an additional $889,340. Hosting regular World Cup qualifiers also costs ZC around $2-3 million every 2 years, although this is typically offset by an equivalent revenue.
England agreeing to pay Zimbabwe a ‘touring fee’ is a step in the right direction. Between 2018-2022, Zimbabwe paid $100,000-$400,000 to participate in overseas tours regardless of the format.
Having played just 12 Tests from 2020-2024, Zimbabwe are scheduled to play 11 in 2025 – the joint-most of any team 😮 pic.twitter.com/uOJdG5x6KC
One paragraph in Moonda’s article particularly caught my eye,
“….and an ICC suspension for government interference in 2019….Since then, they have cleaned up their finances, in particular and made their annual ICC disbursement of US $13.5 million stretch to fund a five-team domestic system, which includes a first-class competition, the national sides, and to host Tests at $500,000 a pop. This bumper year, hosting Tests will cost them about $4 million.”
This lines up with what I found in my earlier piece, “How Much Does It Take to Host A Test?” where we estimated that hosting a single Test can cost anywhere from $350,000-$1.4 million to host a Test depending on factors like the version of DRS used, size of support staff, logistics, etc.
Understanding Test hosting expenses is only one part of the puzzle. To get the full picture, we need to look at Zimbabwe Cricket’s overall financial health — how much revenue they generate, what they spend on operations, and how they have managed to shift from a deep deficit to a growing surplus.
ZC’s Statement of Comprehensive Income Summarized
Let’s dive into Zimbabwe Cricket’s annual revenue, operating costs, and overall financial health.
We can see the step-by-step progress made by the board over the last five years.
At the end of 31 December 2017, ZC had a deficit or total surplus of $-18,900,427. Their surplus at the end of each subsequent year was as follows:
2017:-$18,900,427 (4 Tests)
2018:-$14,182,531 (2 Tests)
2019:+$3,307,548 (0 Tests)
2020:+$1,568,441, after prior period adjustment of -$533,342 (3 Tests)
2021:+1,293,742 (5 Tests)
2022:+$11,979,997 (0 Tests)
Year
Revenues
Operating Cost
Other Gains/Charges*
Total Comprehensive Incomes
2018
+$14,167,700
-$13,502,975
+$4,053,171
+$4,717,896
2019
+$11,905,334
-$7,174,817
+$12,759,562
+$17,490,079
2020
+$5,520,442
-$6,940,391
+$214,183
-$1,205,766
2021
+$9,318,149
-$9,651,008
+$58,160
-$274,699
2022
+$15,829,422
-$12,118,204
+$6,975,037
+$10,686,255
Operating Surplus per year (Revenues – Operating Cost):
2018: +$664,725
2019: +$4,730,517
2020: -$1,419,949
2021: -$332,859
2022:+$3,711,218
*Note: This section is a net sum of (i) ‘Gain realised on conversion of local liabilities’ and (ii) ‘Finance charges’, (iii) share of profit of investments in subsidiaries accounted for using the equity method, and (iv) revaluation surplus on land and buildings.
We have used the 2022 Annual Report for both 2021 and 2022 years since there was $297,939 period correction from 2021, where inventory was erroneously marked as an operating expense.
Now, let’s take a look at how much revenue Zimbabwe receives from the ICC?
Under the previous ICC distribution model (2016-2023), Zimbabwe was allocated $94 million over seven years, which breaks down to roughly $13.42 million per year on average.
Under the new 2024-27 model, Zimbabwe are set to receive about $17.64 million a year.
Here are the contributions from the last four annual reports. The pandemic years definitely seemed to have an impact on the contribution in 2029.
Year
ICC Contribution
Trades & Receivables from ICC
Total from ICC
2018
$9,000,000
$2,969,358 (ICC Loan)
$11,969,358
2019
$11,500,000
$2,062,079
$13,562,079
2020
$5,292,791
$769,292
$6,062,083
2021
$8,459,915
$3,296
$8,463,211
2022
$11,788, 243
$3,239,324
$15,027,567
Note: In addition to ICC loan in 2018, ZCB also took upon Metbank loan and ZAMCO bank loan which totaled their borrowings to $14.4 million.
Operating Costs on Cricket Expenses
Alongside revenue, we also examined how much of Zimbabwe Cricket’s operating costs go toward organizing and administering cricket.
ZC’s investment in the sport has increased post the pandemic-induced break and signals a renewed commitment in growing the sport.
International Cricket Expenses
Year
International Cricket
Domestic Cricket
Central Administration
2018
-$4,840,396
-$1,457,251
-$1,846,502
2019
-$1,074,007
-$1,110,107
-$630,643
2020
–$1,218,449
-$1,332,304
-$434,704
2021
-$3,624,531
-$1,621,988
-$703,003
2022
-$4,604,893
-$3,115,367
-$947,410
Apart from these three areas, human resources and depreciation & impairment make the rest of their total operating costs.
The year-by-year and series-by-series breakdowns are provided below.
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) May 20, 2025
Other Interesting Findings
In 2018, ZCB received $571,949 for hosting the WC Qualifiers, $2.5 million for hosting other events, and $694,013 in sponsorship.
The cost of repairs and maintenance of ground equipment over the 5-year period was as follows: $120,739 (2018), $22,397 (2019), $110,413 (2021), $476,287 (2022).
$100,000 was the cost for the kit for their national team in 2018.
Total Sports Marketing in 2021 was $28,045.
In 2021, ZCB’s cricket income was made up of ICC distributions, World Cup Qualifier ($367,190), TV Rights ($435,381), and sponsorship/other income ($55,663).
In 2022, the new National Premier League (NPL) and Zim Afro T10 cost about $254,181.Women and age group tournaments investments also increased from $34,434 in 2021 to $217,073 in 2022.
Since the ICC suspension, Zimbabwe Cricket has been proactive in getting its financial act together. Even though COVID-19 was disastrous for the rest of their operations, during this period, they paid off their old debt, invested in women’s cricket and grassroot cricket, and inaugurated domestic tournaments like the National Premier League (NPL) and Zimbabwe Afro T10.
Here are some quotes from Tavenga Mukuhlani, ZC’s chairman and Givemore Makoni, the managing director in the annual reports over the 4-year period.
2019/20 Annual Report
With the ICC having frozen funding to ZC, our facilities were in disarray, with grass overgrown and the wickets needing a lot of work (Makoni).
“Having ended as badly as it started, the period under review has without any doubt been Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC)’s annus horribilis...At the close of the just-ended financial year, we had whittled the US$27-million legacy debt down to US$1 million, in the process breaking the chains that had enslaved our organisation to an unending cycle of financial troubles (Mukuhlani).
“With our revenues constrained, we seriously considered laying off staff and cutting salaries as so to future-proof the organisation….So, our only alternative was to live within our budget, which is almost entirely funded through distributions from the ICC” (Makoni).
“There was a time we genuinely feared the 2021/22 season was going to be a total disaster….The global pandemic had a huge impact on every element of the men’s and women’s game, putting huge pressure on our finances, as tours and matches were either cancelled or postponed and revenue streams destroyed….From a business perspective, we came up with the Zimbabwe Cricket Strategic Plan 2021-2026, which outlines the strategic visions and goals that we have identified to help the organisation realise its full potential and better [fulfill] its mission (Mukuhlani).
“From a business perspective, this was the first season in which we could begin to put the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, and we did with another clean audit outcome” (Mukuhlani).
“This Annual Report spans what has been one of my most challenging times as Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Chairman….Over the past five years, we have made significant strides in women’s cricket, including, for the first time in the history of the game in Zimbabwe, giving national contracts to women players and offering allowances to non-contracted women players” (Makoni).
One day you open up the news, and what do you see?
Zimbabwe will be playing 11 Tests in a single year. They are touring England for the first time in 22 years. A Curran brother has chosen to represent them, Sean Williams & Sikandar Raza are still going, Blessing Muzarabani leads the world in Test wickets this year, and even Brendon Taylor is in talks of making a comeback after serving his ICC ban.
So…did this happen overnight?
Well, it did not. Remember, Rome was not built in a day.
Since the 2019 ICC suspension, COVID-19 crisis, and failing to qualify for World Cups, Zimbabwe Cricket quietly got to work. They focused on cleaning up their finances, restructuring debt, and restoring stability in domestic cricket.
Now, with a bit of surplus in hand and increased ICC funding coming soon, they can finally dream a little bigger.
One Test at a time.
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This will help us provide an insight into the workings of the ICC and help us answer questions like:
How much does it cost the ICC to host a World Cup?
How much revenue does the ICC make from global tournaments?
Why has there been a recent influx in World Cups?
I read this 39 page document so you don’t have to.
Let me break it down for you.
Key Takeaways
The ICC earned about 95.59% of their annual revenue from ICC events in 2022 ($412,862,000 out of $431,929,000). In 2021, ICC events contributed to 93.38% of their annual income ($432,146,000 out of 462,767,000).
On the flip side, ICC events contributed the organization 75.27% of their expenditures in 2022 ($168,262,000 out of $223,554,000) and only 70.37% in 2021 ($96,510,000 out of $137,160,000).
The ICC has been profitable with total comprehensive income of $208,375,000 in 2022 and $325,607,000 in 2021 respectively. Adding prior years surplus and general reserves, ICC had a total surplus of $912,999,000 as of 31st December, 2022.
In 2021-2022, senior Men’s ICC tournaments added a profit (+ $602,968,000) to the ICC, while senior Women’s ICC tournaments (– $15,160,000) and U-19 ICC tournaments for both men & women combined (– $7,011,011) led to losses.
The ‘Advance to Full Members’ was $693,331,000 in 2022 and $513,331,000 in 2022 & 2021 respectively, while ‘Advance Allocated to Associate Member’s was $89,716,000 and $66,275,000 in the same period.
Total Revenue Generated from ‘Commercial’ ICC Events (2021-2022)
Now we look at the 2021-2022 tournament breakdown.
ICC Event
Revenue
Expenses
Total Income
2021 World Test Championship (WTC) Final
$36,318,000
$12,469,000
+ $23,849,000
2021 T20 World Cup (Men’s)
$383,624,000
$65,699,000
+ $317,925,000
2022 U19 World Cup (Men’s)
$13,822,000
$19,028,000
– $5,206,000
2022 ODI World Cup (Women’s)
$24,316,000
$35,025,000
– $10,709,000
2022 T20 World Cup (Men’s)
$354,795,000
$84,589,000
+ $270,206,000
Value in Kind* (2021)
$12,204,000
$12,204,000
$0
Value in Kind (2022)
$19,929,000
$19,929,000
$0
Total
+ $845,008,000
– $248,943,000
+ 596,065,000
*Definition in the glossary at the bottom of the article
This table reveals quite a bit of information. What have we learned here?
The ICC takes a hit financially while hosting the Women’s World Cup and U-19 World Cups.
The 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was the most profitable tournament for the ICC in the last couple of years.
It would be interesting to see how much the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup earned when the next round of financials come out.
Total Revenue Generated from ‘Pathway’ ICC Events (2021-2022)
But wait, there is more.
ICC also helps fund the global and regional tournaments. They are not considered ‘commercial’ events.
ICC Event
Expenses
2021 ODI World Cup Qualifier (Women’s)
$2,208,000
2021 T20 World Cup Regional Qualifiers (Women’s)
$1,518,000
2021 T20 World Cup Regional Qualifiers (Men’s)
$1,794,000
2021 CWC League 2 (Men’s)
$314,000
2022 Women’s Championship
$30,000
2022 Commonwealth Games Qualifier (Women’s)
$257,000
2022 T20 World Cup Regional Qualifiers (Women’s)
$695,000
2022 U19 T20 World Cup Qualifier (Women’s)
$828,000
2022 U19 World Cup Qualifier (Men’s)
$977,000
2022 T20 World Cup Qualifier (Men’s)
$1,138,000
2022 CWC Challenge League (Men’s)
$1,549,000
2022 T20 Regional’s Qualifier’s (Men’s)
$1,902,000
2022 CWC League 2 (Men’s)
$2,315,000
Total
– $15,525,000
We can clearly see that these pathway tournaments do not earn ICC big profits.
In essence, they virtually treat these global and regional qualifiers as investments for the growth of the game.
Long Term View: How Has Net Income from ICC Tournament’s Changed Over the Years?
Have you wondered why we have had an influx of ICC tournaments in recent times?
Let’s jog back our memories. In men’s senior tournaments alone, we have had:
2024 T20 World Cup
2023 ODI World Cup
2023 World Test Championship Final
2022 T20 World Cup
2021 T20 World Cup
2021 World Test Championship Final
2019 ODI World Cup
The clear and simple answer is: ICC tournaments (especially senior men’s tournaments) contribute majority of the earnings to the ICC.
We can see from this chart, that there were peaks during 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019, when the Men’s ODI World Cup took place (2007 had both the ODI and the T20 World Cup in the same year).
Even though the ODI format has received criticism in recent times, it is here to stay as the ODI World Cup generates a lot of wealth for the ICC (both the 2017 ODI Women’s World Cup and the Champions Trophy did very well financially).
On the other hand, we can see that the ICC took a hit in 2008 & 2018, two years when no major men’s ICC tournament took place. 2020 was an aberration due to the COVID, but the +$384,000 they did earn was due to the profitability of the Women’s T20 World Cup that broke barriers.
Why Did the ODI World Cup Shrink to 10 Teams?
According to this chart from ICC’s 2007/08 Annual Report, we can see that most of ICC’s money comes from these events. Even in 2007, ICC earned 93.66% of their revenue through events. Most of their costs are distribution of funds to the Members.
If cricket is to grow around the world, the ICC needs to be profitable year after year.
And here lies the double-edged sword of running an international sporting organization. We have often criticized the ICC for shrinking the participation in ODI World Cups, skewed formatting, and India-Pakistan games scheduled for the sole reason of financial gain.
But that profit is necessary for them to invest in the women’s game, U-19 cricket, and regional tournaments around the world because these tournaments provide no financial incentives.
In simple terms—the more money ICC earns from men’s tournaments, the more they can distribute to their members (How that distribution occurs is a deep dive for another day).
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What do you all think? Is there a better solution for ICC to increase their profits than shoving multiple ICC tournaments in a short period of time?
Thanks for reading! Here is some bonus content for you cause I felt like it today.
Other Observations: ICC World Cup Costs in the Earlier Days
Cricket tournaments have become more professional over the years.
Now it takes multi-million dollars to host an ICC event which includes breakthrough commercial deals. Only a couple of decades ago, it did not take as much money to host a world tournament (and the inflation was lower).
Total Comprehensive Income: “Comprehensive income is the sum of a company’s net income, as recorded on their income statement, and unrealized income (or ‘other comprehensive income’).”
Value in Kind: “Sponsorship received in forms of goods and/or services rather than money.”
Which cricketers have played the most World Cup matches? How many World Cups did Sachin Tendulkar Play in?
Here is a quick answer: Sachin Tendulkar played 45 World Cup matches, but he is actually the second for the most World Cup matches. Ricky Ponting at 46 has played the most ODI WC matches.
Here are all the details. Keep reading.
Key Takeaways – Most World Cup Matches
Ricky Ponting (46), Sachin Tendulkar (45), Mahela Jayawardene (40), Muttiah Muralitharan (40), and Glenn McGrath (39) have played the most World Cup matches.
The Top 20 cricketers in this list consist of: 1 South African, 2 Indians, 3 Australians, 2 from West Indies, 3 Pakistanis, 4 from New Zealand, and 5 Sri Lankan.
13 of the players with the longest World Cup careers were proper batters (or keepers), 2 bowlers, and 5 all-rounders.
*Note: Shakib Al Hasan & Mushfiqur Rahim currently have played 29 World Cup matches. They have a chance to go to the Top 5-6 in this list if they play all World Cup 2023 matches (Sadly, Tamim Iqbal ends his World Cup career at 29 matches after he was controversially left out of the World Cup).
31 Matches: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Adam Gilchrist, Chaminda Vaas
30 Matches: Mohammad Azharuddin, Andy Flower, Arjuna Ranatunga
29 Matches: MS Dhoni, Ijaz Ahmed, Lasith Malinga, Eoin Morgan, Mushfiqur Rahm, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal
Final Thoughts
Longevity is the key to several positive outcomes in life.
These players have stayed at the top of the game for more than a decade. WE can just sit back and appreciate their contributions to their teams, the Cricket World Cup, and the sport of cricket in general.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Most World Cup Matches Played by Cricketers
Which cricketers have played the most Cricket World Cup matches?
Ricky Ponting (46), Sachin Tendulkar (45), Mahela Jayawardene (40< Muttiah Muralitharan (39), and Glenn McGrath (39) have played the most World Cup matches.
How many World Cup matches has Virat Kohli played?
Virat Kohli has played 26 World Cup matches so far.
Other 2023 Cricket World Cup Content
If you liked reading facts about the World Cup, consider checking these articles out:
Can you name the batter with the most runs in Cricket World Cups?
It’s that time—The 2023 ODI World Cup is upon us!
So, let’s dive right in and explore the most prolific batters in men’s ODI Cricket World Cups (CWC). From Ross Taylor to Sachin Tendulkar, here are the most iconic batters to have played in the World Cup.
Table of Contents – Most Runs in Cricket World Cups
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs in Cricket World Cups (Men’s ODI) with 2278 runs, 535 runs ahead of the next best, Ricky Ponting. Ponting (1743), Kumar Sangakkara (1532), Brian Lara (1225), and AB De Villiers (1207) are the others in the Top 5 list of the highest run scorers in ODI World Cups.
21 cricketers have scored over 1,000 runs in ODI World Cups. Sri Lanka (5) features the most in this list followed by India, Australia, West Indies, South Africa (3), New Zealand (2), and Bangladesh & Pakistan (1).
Although most players have played over 30 ODIs, AB De Villiers is a class apart with 1207 runs in just 22 innings. He also boasts an average of 63.2 and a strike rate of 117.29.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored six hundreds in ODI Cricket World Cups followed by Ricky Ponting & Kumar Sangakkara with five each.
Shakib Al Hasan (#9), Virat Kohli (#17), Martin Guptill (#22), David Warner (#23), Rohit Sharma (#25), and Kane Williamson (#30) are the only active ODI players still playing international cricket.
ODI Cricket World Cup Batting Records: Top 21 List of Most Runs in Cricket World Cup (CWC)
1. Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 2278 Runs
Matches/Innings: 45/44
Best: 152
Average: 56.95
Strike Rate: 88.98
100/50: 6/15
ODI World Cups Played: 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Honorable Mentions: Martin Guptill* (995), David Warner* (992), Matthew Hayden (987), Rohit Sharma* (978), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (970), Arjuna Ranatunga (969), Faf du Plessis (926), Saeed Anwar (915), Kane Williamson* (911)
Final Thoughts on the Most Prolific Run Scorers in ODI World Cup History
Ah, the joys of ODI Cricket World Cup!
Every four years, the cricketing world descends into a frenzy of excitement and anticipation.
Which batsman will light up the 2023 ODI World Cup? Can Shakib Al Hasan & Virat Kohli rise to the Top 5? Comment below, we would love to know your thoughts!
Most Runs in Cricket World Cup – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Who has scored the most runs in World Cup cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs in Cricket World Cups (Men’s ODI) with 2278 runs, 535 runs ahead of the next best, Ricky Ponting. Ponting (1743), Kumar Sangakkara (1532), Brian Lara (1225), and AB De Villiers (1207) are the others in the Top 5 list of the highest run scorers in ODI World Cups.
2. Which country has scored the most runs in world cup cricket?
21 cricketers have scored over 1,000 runs in ODI World Cups. Sri Lanka (5) features the most in this list followed by India, Australia, West Indies, South Africa (3), New Zealand (2), and Bangladesh (1).
3. Who has scored the most runs for India in ODI World Cups?
Sachin Tendulkar (2278), Virat Kohli (1030), and Sourav Ganguly (1006) have scored the most runs for India in ODI cricket world cups.
Are you curious to learn how many World Cups has Australia won? Here’s a quick answer—Australia has won a mammoth 26 World Cups & ICC tournaments across formats!
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Australia’s exceptional cricketing achievements.
Last week, Australia defeated India to complete the only remaining trophy on their cabinet—The 2023 World Test Championship.
In this article, we’ll dive into the complete list of ICC trophies won by the mighty Aussies, including their World Cup triumphs in both Men’s and Women’s cricket, T20I victories, ODI successes, and U-19 accomplishments.
So, whether you’re an avid cricket fan or simply curious about Australia’s prowess on the pitch, we’ve got you covered with all the fascinating details. Let’s dive in and explore the rich legacy of Australian cricket!
Key Takeaways
Australia has won a total of 26 world tournaments in cricketout of 65 tournaments, a whopping 40%! (14 Under-19 World Cups, 12 Men’s ODI World Cups, 12 Women’s ODI World Cups, 8 Men’s T20 World Cups, 8 Women’s T20 World Cups, 8 Champions Trophies, 2 World Test Championships, and 1 Commonwealth Games). They have been in the finals on 34 occasions (52.3 %).
Australian women have lifted the trophy 14 times, the senior men’s side has won on 9 occasions, and the Under-19 men’s side has won a total of 3 times. This includes 7 Women’s ODI World Cup (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022), 6 Women’s T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023), 5 Men’s ODI World Cup (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015), 3 Under-19 Men’s ODI World Cups (1988, 2002, 2010), 2 Champions Trophies (2005, 2009), 1 Commonwealth Gold (2022), 1 Men’s T20 World Cup (2021), and 1 World Test Championship (2023).
Meg Lanning has been Australia’s most successful captain, winning ICC trophies on six occasions (2014, 2018, 2021, 2023 T20 World Cups, 2022 Commonwealth Gold, 2023 ODI World Cup) followed by Ricky Ponting – 4 (2003, 2007 ODI World Cups, 2006 & 2009 Champions Trophy).Sharon Tredrea, Belinda Clark, and Jodie Fields have won two World Cups each as well.
The Australian cricket team has been 8 runners-up times. This includes twice each in the Women’s ODI World Cup (1973, 2000), Men’s ODI World Cup (1975, 1996), and Under-19 World Cup (2012, 2018), and once each in Men’s T20 World Cup (2010) and Women’s T20 World Cup (2016).
Fun Fact: In finals they have won, Australia’s favorite opposition has been England (8 times) followed by New Zealand (5), India (4), Pakistan (3), West Indies, and South Africa (2). They have won World Cups in almost every cricketing country – India, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE.
Australia’s cricketing prowess is nothing short of extraordinary, with a total of 26 world tournament victories and 8 runner-up finishes. Their impressive trophy cabinet boasts 7 Women’s ODI World Cups, 6 Women’s T20 World Cups, 5 Men’s ODI World Cups, 3 Under-19 Men’s ODI World Cups, 2 Champions Trophies, 1 Commonwealth Gold, 1 Men’s T20 World Cup, and 1 World Test Championship.
These remarkable achievements showcase the Australian cricket team’s consistent dominance on the international stage, making them a force to be reckoned with.
As we celebrate their cricketing legacy, we eagerly anticipate what the future holds for this exceptional team and the exciting milestones they are yet to conquer!
Australia’s World Cup Wins – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How Many times has Australia won the Cricket World Cup and other ICC trophies?
Australia have won 26 world tournaments in cricket. This includes 7 Women’s ODI World Cup (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022), 6 Women’s T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023), 5 Men’s ODI World Cup (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015), 3 Under-19 Men’s ODI World Cups (1988, 2002, 2010), 2 Champions Trophies (2005, 2009), 1 Commonwealth Gold (2022), 1 Men’s T20 World Cup (2021), and 1 World Test Championship (2023).
2. How many times has Australia’s men team won the Cricket World Cup across formats?
Australia men’s cricket team has won five ODI cricket World Cups (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015). They have also won one T20 cricket World Cup (2021) and one World Test Championship (2023). In addition, they have also won 2 ICC Champions Trophy and 3 Under-19 World Cups.
3. How many cricket World Cups has Australia women’s team won across formats?
Australia women’s cricket team has won 7 ODI cricket World Cups (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022), 6 T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023), and one Commonwealth Gold (2022).
83 Movie Review – The much-anticipated Bollywood film on India’s unlikely 1983 World Cup victory has hit the theaters.
Watch it or Skip It? Here is my 83 movie review. Comment on what you thought of the movie. Below my Verdict, you will see India’s 1983 match scorecards, highlights of the semi-finals and finals, interviews, and the trailer/clips from the movie.
Guest Appearances from Kapil Dev (spectator) & Mohinder Amarnath (as father Lala Amarnath)
Other characters include Mr. Wankhede, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Jeff Dujon, Indian army, little Sachin Tendulkar (and older brother)
Where Can I Watch 83 movie? (And Other Frequently Asked Questions)
Where Can I Watch 83 movie?
The sports drama film, 83, is available on Netflix in different languages. *This may vary by region.
Is there a 1983 film on India’s World Cup win?
Yes, Kabir Khan’s 83 depicts team India’s miraculous journey in the 1983 Cricket World Cup.
Which actors are part of 83 movie cast?
Ranveer Singh (as Kapil Dev), Tahir Raj Bhasin (Sunil Gavaskar), Saqib Saleem (Mohinder Amarnath), Dhairya Karva (Ravi Shastri), Deepika Padukone (Kapil Dev’s wife, Roma Bhatia), Neena Gupta (Dev’s mother), Jiva (Kris Srikkanth), and Pankaj Tripathi (PR Man Singh) are some of the prominent cast members of the movie, 83.
83 is unlike any sports drama out there. Rather, it is an extended highlight reel (which has been shot spectacularly well) of the 1983 World Cup from the point of view of the players sprinkled in with some inspirational music.
The movie begins with that Viv Richards’ shot in the 1983 World Cup Final. Madan Lal’s seemingly innocuous delivery, Richards attempted pull, Yashpal Sharma closing in, and captain Kapil Dev running towards and completing that catch.
The movie pivots back to the months prior to the World Cup, where the Indian cricket team receives the invitation to the 1983 Prudential World Cup and manager PR Man Singh starts his preparation for the tour.
The rest of the movie is set in England. 83’s theme revolves around doubt cast by the rest of the world on Kapil Dev’s team and how they overcame it. The Indian cricket board, MCC officials, English journalist David Firth, Indian journalists, Indian fans, the commentators, and even some of the players themselves—none of them gave Team India a chance.
In order to NOT spoil the movie for you, I am not going to go in the details but let me lay out the general idea.
The rest of the movie basically dives into each and every fixture for India in the World Cup—What happened between each match, the conversations in the dressing room and net practices, the shenanigans in the hotel or bus during downtime, cultural influence back home, support from wives and family, and finally, the tension in the match itself. The direction of Kapil Dev’s 175* is the best moment of the movie, giving life to an innings uncovered due to BBC’s strike.
Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of captain Kapil Dev is spot on with accurate bowling action, accent, and leadership moments. Another character who is central to the movie is Pankaj Tripathi as PR Man Singh. He is the glue that keeps the movie together.
With Ranveer Singh highlighting the show, I had an underlying fear that he would overshadow the rest of the characters.
This could not have been farther from the truth as each actor came into his own just like each of the actual players coming to the party in the 83 WC. Ammy Virk (Sandhu) and Jiiva’s (Srikkanth) comic timing, Jatin Sarna’s (Sharma) fluency, and Tahir Raj Bhasin’s embodiment as Sunil Gavaskar with his subdued demeanor add immense value to the movie.
Even though they do not get as much screen time, Saqib Saleem (as Amarnath) and Nishant Dahiya (Roger Binny) shine and provide the best moments in the film while portraying their vulnerable side. From Patil & Shastri to Kirmani & Sunil Valson, each character has been given due role.
Boman Irani’s (Farokh Engineer) commentary acts like the fourth wall, conveying the differences in perception between the rising Indian dressing room and the outside world.
The beauty of this movie is that halfway in the movie you will feel like you are watching the actual players and are hooked into the storyline.
83 Movie Review – The Verdict: To Watch or Not to Watch?
Pros: Screenplay; Chemistry Between the Actors; Seamless Immersion of Real-Life Photos in the movie
Cons: Climax Ends Too Quickly (Not much focus on post-match speeches or the aftermath); Political References Interrupting flow of the World Cup
Verdict:
Is 83 the greatest sporting movie of all time? No, not even close.
Remember the Titans, the Rocky movies, Last Dance documentary, Moneyball, and Invictus all rank higher up that list. In terms of Bollywood, Chak de India, Lagaan, Iqbal, and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag are the golden standard.
Comparing 83 to any other sports movies would be an injustice. You see, there isn’t a rousing emotional speech in this one. There isn’t much background of players’ personal lives either like other stereotypical sport movies. The sole focus is on the couple of months preceding June 25th, 1983, and they do this exceedingly well.
The movie’s delivery is simple because Kapil Dev was a simple man.
The strength of 83 lies in the inside jokes and stories. We may have heard a few of them during the numerous interviews over the years, but 83 has breathed life into these characters on the big screen.
Credit to the writers of the movie for infusing little details like Keki Tarapore’s influence on Indian fast bowling and for illuminating on the aura of West Indian players at that time—Captain Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, and the fast-bowling unit, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, and Malcolm Marshall.
If you are a cricket fan, this is a 5/5.You will enjoy each and every moment of this movie. If you are watching objectively from a film critic point of view, there is a little more left to be desired at the very end.
While it cannot be claimed that this is the single greatest underdog story in sporting history, it definitely ranks among the top. What India’s 1983 journey can claim is the Most Consequential Underdog story.
In 83, you will see that Team India came in with dire financial situation and zero expectations. The Indian cricket board facility looks archaic, allowance per day & food is at a bare minimum, the 83 WC is just a stopping point for a self-funded trip to Miami, and there is no respect from the cricketing world.
The only WC game India had won so far was against East Africa (1975), and they even lost to Sri Lanka in 1979, a team with no Test status back then (equivalent of USA defeating Ireland in today’s world).
Fast forward 30 years, the BCCI controls world cricket as a multi-billion-dollar governing body, depth of Indian cricket is unparalleled, cricket is central to India’s culture and economy, and the Indian Premier League, limitless sponsorships, world class facilities & coaches are a given.
India is at a great position today due to the efforts & hard work of these men in 1983. If there was ever a fairytale story to get inspiration from, this is it. Never lose hope despite outside noises. Keep believing – you never know, it might come true.
I will leave you with one final thought – What if India had NOT won the 1983 World Cup? What if Kapil Dev had dropped Richards? If Dev had failed to arrest the slide at 17–5, with the 175*, would we be playing the Zimbabwe Premier League today?
A simple word that carries immense burden. What defines greatness in sports? Statistical brilliance, nostalgia, longevity? In cricketing terms, 99.94, memories like Brett Lee vs Sachin Tendulkar, 100 Tests, or 15 years+ career?
Legacies are largely depended on the final days in the international arena. Retirement has always been a tricky issue in cricket.
Sourav Ganguly’s Ian Chappell saga tarnished his otherwise positive legacy. A poor 2007 Cricket World Cup ended dreams for Brian Lara & Inzamam ul-Haq. Simon Jones’ career ended before it could start due to injuries.
Some overstay and risk going out on a low. Others like German soccer captain Philipp Lahm retired internationally at the age of just 30 after winning the FIFA World Cup in 2014.
The Lost Generation
Today we dive deep into the careers of the lost generation of 2005—Alastair Cook, AB De Villiers, Michael Clarke, and Hashim Amla, all of them would retire prematurely.
With the triple retirement of Dale Steyn, Brendon Taylor, and Lasith Malinga, the legendary class of 2004-06 is coming to a close. Only Broad-Anderson & Ross Taylor remain from the greats of this era.
Sandwiched between the 90s golden generations of Sangakkara-Jayawardene-Muralitharan, Tendulkar-Laxman-Ganguly-Dravid, Kallis-Pollock-Boucher-Ntini, Inzamam-Yousuf, Ponting led Australia, & the Fab 4 (Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith), there was the class of 2004 & 2005.
Why did these cricketers retire so soon? How does the future look like? Read till the end for our in-deptj analysis & final thoughts.
11 Cricketers Who Retired Too Early
While legends of the past played 12-15 years, the cricketers in this list only had about 9-12 years of international cricket. The fact that they followed the golden generation lead to slightly later debuts and hence, even shorter careers.
One of the clear indications of the early retirement for the batters is the statistics. Most did not cross 10,000, their averages fell below 50, and the centuries hovered between 25-27 (although at one stage it seemed each of these players would break them all).
Anderson’s long career seems like he is on another level (which he is) but in all reality, at one stage, all of these players would have careers as long as Jimmy Anderson.
The players in this list were not dropped. They retired on their own terms or because of other circumstances. Hence, we exclude players like Ian Bell, Virender Sehwag, Umar Gul, Suresh Raina, and Gautam Gambhir who were available for selection but were unfortunately dropped from the team plans later in their career.
Retiring on a high is every cricketer’s dream. Captaining Australia to a victory at home in front of the MCG crowd must have been a surreal experience. A few months later, the Ashes would be his final appearance. One of the bests #4 batters of all-time with a godly conversion rate in Tests. The 2012-13 season would always be remembered as Clarke’s year, the only batter to score 4 double centuries in a year.
Harris’ career was a classic cases of fast bowling injuries. Whenever he was fit, he bowled his heart out and made an indelible impact. Could not make the XI in Australia’s golden generation and had to leave early due to chronic knee injury. Retired 3 days before the Ashes because he could not recover even after surgery. Will always be remembered for the ball of this century to dismiss Alastair Cook.
“I played 27 more Tests than I ever thought I would and I have relished every single moment of them.”
At one point in time, he was touted to overtake Sachin Tendulkar as the highest run-scorer and century maker having scored 5000 runs at 26. Will always be remembered for the 2010-11 Ashes series down under. However, loss of form and inconsistency creeped in. Tougher playing conditions, 159 Tests in a row, and the KP saga probably got to him. Century in his first and last Tests against India showed that he still had it in him. Still the best opener in England?
Due to his late debut, it was inevitable that Strauss would not have an extremely long career, but England fans learned how great Andrew Strauss was after his retirement, for both his captaincy & batting. Since the Cook-Strauss partnership ended, England could not find a stable partner for Cook (and Cook’s effectiveness also decreased). KP himself said in an interview that the text-messaging scandal on the eve of Strauss’s 100th Test was one of his biggest mistakes, which tarnished Strauss’ last match. Later became ECB’s Director of cricket and subsequently received knighthood for his service to English cricket.
See Strauss above. Jokes aside, KP’s career had always been hampered by controversies. Although he had to leave South Africa and debuted relatively late, he quickly established himself as one of the greatest in his generation. Key contributor to the 2005 Ashes, 2012 India series, and 2010 T20 World Cup victories, he was a key component of driving English cricket forward. Although he was England’s highest scorerin the Mitchell Johnson 2015 series, he was a casualty of the 5-0 defeat. Poor relationship with Strauss & coach Andy Flower did not help as the management decided that KP’s career is over.
KP might have been controversial off the field, but there is no doubt he changed cricket for the better. Fast forward 15 years, everybody has an inner KP with the switch hits & aggressive mindset. Paved the way for English cricketers to join the IPL & other T20 leagues, thereby moving England one step closer to their eventual 2019 World Cup winning campaign.
T20Is: 39 Matches, 51 wickets, 16.84 average, 3/13 best
T20s: 80 Matches, 98 wickets, 18.88 average, 3/13 best
Cricketers Who Retired Trivia
Debut: January 22, 2000 (ODI), December 10-14, 2008 (Test)
Last Match: December 12-16, 2013 (Test)
Age Debuted: 29(Test), 20 (ODI)
Age Retired: 34
Why Did He Retire?
Statistically, Swann does not make the best bowlers of all-time list, but what he did in his 5-year Test career was continued the art of off-spin. After T20 cricket & ODI Powerplay rule changes, leg spinners flourished in the 2010s. Except for Daniel Vettori, finger spin was a dying art. Swann took off-spin forward and became a cog of the famed 2010-11 English lineup. Late Test debut, an elbow injury, and Johnson 2013 ensured that he retired mid-series (after the 3rd Test).
T20Is: 64 Matches, 85 wickets, 17.83 average, 4/19 best
T20s: 195 Matches, 271 wickets, 17.36 average, 4/14 best
Cricketers Who Retired Trivia
Debut: July 1, 2008 (ODI)
Last Match: April 23, 2015 (T20I)
Age Debuted: 31
Age Retired: 37
Why Did He Retire?
Another one who debuted late, but made an immediate impact. From the cricketers who retired too early, Saeed Ajmal’s ending was probably the saddest. During Pakistan’s toughest days, Saeed Ajmal & Umar Gul took Pakistan to great heights, especially in T20 cricket. However it was his action that was his downfall. Unlike Mohammad Hafeez & Sunil Narine, Ajmal’s remodeled action was not effective enough without the doosra. Will definitely go down as a Pakistani great.
T20Is: 44 Matches, 47 wickets, 25.34 average, 4/17 best
T20s: 190 Matches, 207 wickets, 25.29 average, 4/17 best
Cricketers Who Retired Trivia
Debut: December 25-29, 2006 (Test)
Last Match: March 29-April 2, 2018 (Test)
Age Debuted: 22
Age Retired: 33
Current Age: 36
Plays with Brisbane Heat in the BBL; Was at Surrey from 2018-2020
Why Did He Retire?
When Morne Morkel left international cricket after that Australia series for the Kolpak deal in England (with Surrey), it signaled the beginning of the end of the great 2008-2015 South Africa generation. From 2015-2019, each one slowly retired, and it was painful to watch South Africa collapse to new lows. What was not painful, however, was Morne Mornel’s bowling. High arm action, pace & bounce, & most importantly, consistent line & length. Dale Steyn would not have been as successful had he not had Morne on the other end as the ideal foil. Morkel, in his own right, will go down as a South African great. With 309 wickets at age 33, who knows, he could have gone past Steyn himself. Now a resident of Australia and plays in the BBL as a local cricketer.
Fastest to 10, 15, 16,17, 18, 20, 27 centuries & 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, and 7000 ODI runs, he was the only contemporary of Virat Kohli who could challenge him. South Africa’s fall from grace was confirmed in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, and it was especially painful to watch Amla being hit in the head by Jofra Archer and retiring hurt. He would retire at the end of the tournament. Sublime cricketer, wonderful human being, he still architects blockathons on the County Circuit. You just help but wonder if South Africa should have persisted a year or so more for his form to come back.
Will he? Won’t he? Speculation about AB De Villiers’ retirement has been as spicy as Hollywood gossip. It all began with the ghost of 2015 semi-finals loss, which he captained. He would then get the Test captaincy job, a dream for a long time. However, workload management & administrative struggles became a hassle. Picking & choosing on a series-by-series basis followed by an indefinite break was a sign of what was to come. He came back in brilliant home with Test series against India and Australia.
However a video retirement a year before the ODI World Cup took everyone by surprise. Since then, he has been in multiple conversations about coming for the 2019 ODI World Cup or 2021 T20 World Cup, but those conversations have not gone too far. He can still be seen smashing it out of the park in the IPL. He is still fit, takes mind boggling catches, and plays match changing innings even after no game practice for a year.Although ABD & Amla played 14 years, they could have been Tendulkar-esque with a career of 17-21 years in another era.
The best batter of the generation and the face of “Cricketers Who Retired Too Early.”
Given captaincy at a young age, Smith began the rebuilding of a squad that would take South AFrica to #1 Test rankings. One of the best openers of this era, his courage & leadership came to the fore. Batting with a broken hand to save a Test will in fans’ memories forever. Now the director of cricket for South Africa.
Plays for RCB in the IPL, SKNP in CPL, and the West Indies
*subject to change. He is selected in West Indies’ 2021 T20 World Cup squad
Surprised? Well, you should be.
Chris Gayle is the antithesis to the 2005 generated. Debuted in 1999, and he is still playing at the age of 42. 100 Test matches, a triple century, an ODI double century, 10000 ODI runs, 14000+ T20 runs (with 22 100s!), he is a legend. So how did he survive so long even though he can barely run?
The answer is enough breaks. While the 2005 generation succumbed to continuous burnout, Gayle was in-and-out of the international side, played T20 leagues around the world, and gave up first class/Test cricket in 2014 to prolong his career. A couple of World Cup wins also helps keeping the fire going.
Here is an exhaustive list of players that served between 12-15+ years in international cricket. Notice that as we get further along, the list gets smaller.
Late 90s Generation: Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid (India), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
2004-07 Generation: Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Brendon Taylor (Zimbabwe), Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa)
The Surviving Outliers
The main point to notice here is that those who played continuous cricket from 2005-2015 retired too soon.
However, there are plenty of cricketers who did not get a chance early on or were in-and-out of their national sides, but are still available for selection today. These players include Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, and the 2004 U-19 Cricket World Cup class of Shikhar Dhawan, Fawad Alam, Mahmudullah Riyadh, Dinesh Karthik, Ambati Rayudu, Tim Paine, Moises Henriques, William Porterfield, Kevin O’Brien, Wahab Riaz, who are still playing competitively and are available for international selection.
Since they did not get a chance earlier or play for lower-ranked teams, they are making the most of it now when opportunities finally came their way.
Hunger for success have caused these batch of cricketers to elongate their careers. To prove themselves as long as they are fit. Or to be a part of that elusive World Cup winning team.
Why Did The 2005 Generation Fall So Quickly?
Transition Periods
If we analyze these 10 cricketers who retired too early a bit more closer, we notice they mostly feature from England, South Africa, or Australia.
All of these teams went through a traumatic transition period. The 2013-15 period was especially stressful for England. While Mitchell Johnson dismantled the entire 2013 Test generation, forcing retirements of Trott, Pietersen, & Swann, the sacking of Cook in ODIs before 2015 World Cup would usher a new era in English cricket.
For South Africa, Grant Elliot’s semi-final six broke the gem of that South African team. AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla, & Vernon Philander were never the same again.
Finally, although Australia did not have it that rough, they have not really gotten back to the Warne-McGrath days. The Clarke era was the short transition between the longer lasting, Ponting & Steve Smith eras.
Frequency of World Cups
Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, world championships only happened once every 4 years. A decade earlier, we only had the 2003/2007 ODI World Cup, 2007 T20 World Cup, and 2002/2006 Champions Trophy.
Teams were built on the premises of four-year cycles. With England & Australia, the Test Teams were formed with the next Ashes cycle in mind. Then followed 2009 (CT), 2010 (T20 WC), 2011 (CWC), 2012 (T20 WC), 2013 (CT), 2014 (T20 WC), 2015 (CWC), 2016 (T20 WC), 2017 (CT), 2019 (CWC), 2021 (World Test Championship).
Frequent trophies meant teams did not have to carry players for 4 years. An in-form player could be drafted while seasoned cricketers could be dropped with the upcoming ICC trophy in mind. Hence teams started to experiment more and started taking bold calls.
Case and point 2013 Champions Trophy—India dropped Sehwag, promoted Rohit Sharma, and went with an in-form Dhawan (seems like a history repeat itself moment with Dhawan in the 2021 T20 WC team).
These cricketers who retired too early were raised on the backs of Test & ODI cricket. Almost everyone from the 90s era played both formats if they were good enough. With the entrance of T20 cricket, cricket began to be played all year long instead of season to season.
If you add captaincy to the 3 formats, that takes pressure & mental exhaustion to another level.
Openers Struggle
This still does not explain why Cook & Amla retired. They had given up captaincy towards the end, did not play all formats, and did not have new players vying for their spots either.
The obvious answer to this is form. Both Cook & Amla suffered drastic loss of forms, but so did openers worldwide.
Cook himself concluded that batting in England became tougher towards the end of his career. We can see from the Burns-Sibley partnership that it has not gotten better any since. It was not necesesarily that they were worse players, just that the conditions had become more difficult.
Kohli Shows The Way Forward
Three format players like KP and ABD prospered for a while, but it caught up with their health & form.
A decade later, it is clear that separate teams are now being picked for the 3 vastly different formats. Mental health conversations are in place. Fitness, physiotherapy, and analytics have jumped to another level altogether. Rest & rotation have been employed by certain teams to prolong the careers of cricketers.
This means that the current generation of the Fab 5 & Buttler-Stokes-Cummins-Rabada-Starc-Hazlewood-Bumrah have a better chance for longer careers and go back to the 15-year norms of the 90s. Who knows the COVID break might even have re-energized some to extend their careers.
However balance is key. Virat Kohli has already lead the way and given up IPL/T20I captaincy to manage workload and focus on other formats. If this generation of players have to survive, they might have to give up at least one format, release captaincy pressure, take mental health and paternity breaks, and keep up their fitness.
Greatness Achieved Nevertheless
Although Amla, Smith, Sehwag, Clarke, de Villiers stopped agonizingly close without reaching the coveted 10000 run-mark, it does not take away from the genius of these men.
Numbers are not everything. Although their tenure was short, their impact was not. They changed cricket for the better, and that is all that matters.
There are some players who will always give a sense that they left too early. Fans are left asking, ‘What If they had stayed on for a couple of years?’, ‘Maybe one more World Cup?’
We should just be grateful enough we witnessed some of the greatest cricketers of all time.
Abraham Lincoln famously remarked, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
England cricket is having that moment right now with the County Cricket vs The Hundred debate. From the outside, everything seems fine—2019 World Cup victory, Anderson-Broad still going strong, finally a somewhat stable opening Test partnership in Burns-Sibley, and an enviable depth.
Deep down, though, there are gaping cracks. Tradition, history, club cricket, professional contracts, indirect impact on Tests are stacked against city-based franchises, new format, media rights, and emphasis on limited overs cricket.
Today, I am not going to present an argument from an English perspective—David Hopps, Andrew Miller, and George Dobell (twice) provide well-articulated balanced views. On the other hand, I express my observations as an outsider.
Is Controversy Helping County Cricket or Hundred?
Full disclosure—I am not from England. I have no particular affinity with a specific county and do not follow much of the County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup, or the T20 Blast (unless of course Alastair Cook is nearing another ton or Shaheen Shah Afridi takes 4 in a row). Nor did I watch a single game of the Kia Super League.
Yet the endless debates and discussion on social media against The Hundred piqued my curiosity. I have since watched almost all games of The Hundred and have enjoyed them too. While County Cricket fans are trying to fight for their side, they might have actually helped publicize the Hundred.
First impressions—the possibility that a bowler can bowl 10 consecutive balls has added an extra dimension. Rashid Khan went as far as to say it’s now possible to take three hat-tricks! Imagine the flexibility with swing bowlers and death specialists. When a Joe Root-esque part-timer keeps it tight, let him or her continue.
I also like the speed of the game. The over-rate field placement penalty and the swiftness of DRS decisions has reduced the time down to less than 3 hours.
Most importantly, the cricket has been good, and it looks like a fun family time. Affordable tickets, priceless expressions of kids, last over thrillers, Lizelle Lee-Jemimah Rodrigues specials, find of Chris Benjamin, Alex Hales-Ben Stokes drama, and Bairstow being Bairstow. All good.
There is always room for improvement, however. Graphics are all over the place, crowds are not sell-outs, and even umpire Nigel Llong had to ask the DJ to dial it down a notch.
Disparity in Score Decreases
The simultaneous matches with the Women’s Hundred is turning out to be a gamechanger. The level of women’s cricket was criticized in Women’s T20 Challenge when the Velocity were bundled for 47 although conditions were not ideal.
In the Hundred, when the women’s team only scored 113-93, the men’s teams did even worse 87/10 a few hours later in a spin dominated pitch. The average scores are 124 and 137 so far for the women’s & men’s editions respectively, and quality of cricket equally enthralling.
Can County Cricket, T20 Blast, and The Hundred Coexist—Yay or Nay?
One argument has been why not just re-market the T20 Blast instead of creating a new format?
If we all agree that County Cricket, T20 Blast, and the Hundred are to coexist, the question then becomes of scheduling.
County Championship: 18 Teams, 3 Groups, 90 matches, April-July
The Hundred: 8 teams & 34 matches for Women’s/Men’s each, July-August
Add the home Test summer, the English rain, and this is a packed schedule. The issue with the T20 Blast is that it is played over 18 teams, broken over several months, with numerous games on the same day. The momentum is stagnant, regular international talent not retained, and coverage low.
About Time England Dominate The League World
England are the current ODI World Champions and one of the favorites for the T20 World Cup. If there was ever a time to invest in a franchise league of international standard, it is now before the likes of Eoin Morgan head towards retirement.
When the IPL was launched in 2008, India still had legends like Dravid-Tendulkar-Ganguly-Laxman to build stable fanbases & drive spectators to the ground but it was the 2007 T20 World Cup victory that ensured T20 would succeed in India. Yes, it might be weird that Jonny Bairstow from Yorkshire is playing for the Welsh Fire. There maybe no natural County support for an artificial franchise league, but Dhoni & Raina are not from Chennai either (far from it!) and probably possess the largest IPL fanbase.
England was reluctant to invest in franchise cricket and suffered till the 2015 Cricket World Cup debacle as a result. The rest of the world allowed India to become a monopoly in the T20 market. One can argue that losing Buttlers-Stokes-Morgans-Archers to the IPL 2 months in the year is indirectly hurting the County Cricket. Had English cricket invested in a T20 league earlier and provided it a window so it does not clash with domestic tournaments, they would have been at a better place. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
There is still time. Who knows, a high-quality concentrated domestic tournament can extend England’s golden era and throw up new stars.
Better players, more competition, more spectators/TV viewership, more money, higher salaries—Players, counties, leagues, everybody happy?
With 38 teams & multiple groups, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the IPL coexist. A separate window for the IPL ensures availability of homegrown talent as well as majority of foreign players. Ranji Trophy provides professional support, SMAT is scheduled strategically a month before the auction to showcase new talent, and the IPL, in return, provides developed players, academies, & scouting systems back to the domestic teams.
From the looks of it, ECB has almost made up its mind about the Hundred at least for a couple of seasons. So why not try to find a solution that benefits all parties involved instead of opposing it?
I will leave you with Michael Atherton’s warning on commentary today. Fans are drawn towards a new format because it is exciting and different. Administrators get greedy and keep expanding like the IPL and Big Bash. A few years later, the format becomes diluted and ‘loses its pizzazz.’
Just a short 1-month Hundred can probably survive and not hurt other formats. However, if this format is to spread to expand to more teams, other countries, or become an international format, then there will be detrimental consequences. Until then we can have some fun and adapt innovations from this experiment into the existing formats. Keep the Hundred simple, but do not forget the county game either.
Lincoln was right. Now England must choose—an internal divisive cricket Civil War or a mutual partnership?
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