Top 10 Cricket Players in the World


Cricket has many strong players. Some have scored a lot of runs. Others have taken many wickets. A few do well with both bat and ball. These players help their teams win matches. Some play Tests, ODIs, and T20s. This list has players who are active now. They play at a high level and often lead the team or change the game. Many fans follow them and enjoy their matches.
Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar played cricket for 24 years. He started in 1989 when he was 16 years old. His skill with the bat was strong from the beginning. Many fans call him the best batsman in cricket.
No other player has scored 100 international centuries. That record belongs only to Sachin. In 2010, he became the first player to score 200 runs in a One Day International. He stayed not out on 200 against South Africa.
By 2007, Sachin reached 11,000 runs in Test matches. Only two players had reached this before him. By the end of his career, he had scored 34,357 runs in international matches. That includes 15,921 in Tests and 18,426 in ODIs.
During the 2007–2008 Test series against Australia, he played one of his best innings. After a heavy defeat in the first match, he scored 154 not out. India won that match. He made 493 runs in the series and finished as the top scorer.
Sachin’s style was calm and steady. Many young players still look up to him. His career brought pride to Indian cricket.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Handed Batsman |
Cricket Career |
1989–2013 |
Test Matches |
200 |
ODI Matches |
463 |
Total Test Runs |
15,921 |
Total ODI Runs |
18,426 |
Total International Runs |
34,357 |
Test Batting Average |
53.78 |
ODI Batting Average |
44.83 |
International Centuries |
100 |
Special Moment |
Scored 200 not out vs South Africa in 2010 |
Don Bradman

Don Bradman played cricket from 1928 to 1948. He was a right-handed batsman. Many people still see him as the strongest name in cricket. His Test average was 99.94. No player has come close to this number. This record still stands.
Bradman played 52 Test matches and scored 6,996 runs. In First-Class cricket, he scored 28,067 runs from 234 matches. His batting showed strong control and clear thinking.
In 1930, he scored 334 runs in one Test innings against England. That score became famous. In that series, he made 974 runs with an average of 139.14. England used the “Bodyline” plan to stop him. Even with that, his average stayed at 57.
He started his Test career with 468 runs in his first series against England. His talent was clear from the start. Bradman helped the Australian team stay strong during the Great Depression.
After his playing days, he stayed close to cricket. He worked as a selector, writer, and board member. His name still stands as a strong symbol in the game.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Handed Batsman |
Cricket Career |
1928–1948 |
Test Matches |
52 |
First-Class Matches |
234 |
Total Test Runs |
6,996 |
Total First-Class Runs |
28,067 |
Batting Average (Test) |
99.94 |
Special Moment |
334 runs in one Test vs England in 1930 |
Best Test Series |
974 runs vs England, average 139.14 |
Post-Retirement Role |
Selector, writer, board member |
Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan was a right-arm off-break bowler from Sri Lanka. He played international cricket from 1992 to 2011. He played 133 Test matches and 350 ODI matches. In Test cricket, he took 800 wickets. In ODIs, he took 534 wickets. His bowling average was 22.72 in Tests and 23.08 in ODIs.
He was born on 17 April 1972. He had a unique bowling style. He caused trouble for many batsmen. His control and spin were hard to face. He helped Sri Lanka win many matches. He played five World Cups between 1996 and 2011.
In his last Test match, he took his 800th wicket. That was a big moment. In ODIs, his best performance was 7 wickets for 30 runs against India in Sharjah in 2000.
He took 10 wickets in one Test match 22 times. He also took 5 wickets in one Test innings 66 times. No other bowler has taken 10 wickets in one match in every Test-playing country.
In 2006, he took every wicket in four Tests in a row against England in Nottingham. In 1999, Wisden named him Cricketer of the Year. He won 11 Best Player of the Series awards in Test matches.
He is still remembered for his records and strong bowling.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Arm Off-Break Bowler |
Cricket Career |
1992–2011 |
Test Matches |
133 |
ODI Matches |
350 |
Total Test Wickets |
800 |
Total ODI Wickets |
534 |
Bowling Average (Tests) |
22.72 |
Bowling Average (ODIs) |
23.08 |
Special Moment |
800th Test wicket in last match |
Best ODI Performance |
7 for 30 vs India (2000, Sharjah) |
World Cup Appearances |
5 (1996–2011) |
Viv Richards

Viv Richards was a right-handed batting all-rounder from the West Indies. His cricket career lasted from 1974 to 1991. In Test matches, he scored 8,540 runs and took 32 wickets. In ODIs, he scored 6,721 runs and took 118 wickets. His batting average in Tests was 50.23. In ODIs, his average was 47.00.
He was born on 7 March 1952 in St John's, Antigua. That place was part of the British Leeward Islands at the time. Many still call him one of the best players in cricket history. He played with a strong mindset and stood without fear. Richards was known for batting without a helmet. He often walked down the pitch and hit the ball with force.
In the 1979 World Cup final, he scored 138 runs and remained not out. West Indies won the title for the second time. His way of playing changed how batters approached the game. His strike rate was 97 per 100 balls, which was rare during that period. People called him the “King of Sixes” because of his power-hitting style.
Wisden named him the best ODI player in 2002. It also placed him third among Test players in history. In 1986, he scored a century against England. Many fans still remember that match.
In domestic first-class cricket, Richards scored over 36,000 runs. He also hit 100 centuries. In his 121 Test matches, he kept an average of 50.23. Many young players still learn from his style and records.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Handed Batting All-Rounder |
Cricket Career |
1974–1991 |
Test Runs |
8,540 |
ODI Runs |
6,721 |
Test Wickets |
32 |
ODI Wickets |
118 |
Batting Average (Tests) |
50.23 |
Batting Average (ODIs) |
47.00 |
Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram was a left-arm fast bowler from Pakistan. He played cricket from 1984 to 2003. Akram took 414 wickets in Test matches and 502 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs). His bowling average in Test matches was 23.62 and in ODIs, it was 23.52.
Akram was born on June 3, 1966, in Lahore, Pakistan. He is known as one of the best fast bowlers in cricket history. His ability to reverse swing the ball made him famous. This skill earned him the nickname “Sultan of Swing.” His impact on Pakistani cricket is unmatched.
Akram helped Pakistan win the 1992 World Cup. In the final match, he took 3 wickets for 49 runs against England. He was the first bowler to take 500 wickets in ODIs during the 2003 World Cup.
Akram began his international career in 1984. He was given a chance by Javed Miandad to play in a One Day and Test series against New Zealand. Akram was known for his speed and accuracy.
In 1993, Akram was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year. He also won 17 “Man of the Match” awards in Test matches. He is the only player to take four hat-tricks in his career.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Left-Arm Fast Bowler |
Cricket Career |
1984–2003 |
Test Wickets |
414 |
ODI Wickets |
502 |
Bowling Average (Tests) |
23.62 |
Bowling Average (ODIs) |
23.52 |
Special Moment |
3/49 in 1992 World Cup Final |
Wisden Honour |
Cricketer of the Year – 1993 |
Brian Lara

Brian Lara was born on 2nd May 1969 in Santa Cruz, Trinidad. As a child, he didn’t get much support from his family, but he chose to become a cricketer. He went to Fatima College, where he started playing cricket. Over time, he became a professional player.
Lara was known for his amazing batting skills. He is one of the best cricketers in history. In 2004, he set a record for the highest individual score in Test cricket by scoring 400 runs against England. Lara also scored 277 runs against Australia in 1993, a record for the fourth-highest maiden century in Test history.
Lara’s cricket career had many memorable moments. In 1999, he scored 153 runs against Australia in Barbados, which is ranked as the second-best innings in Test cricket. He is the only player to achieve the highest individual score in two separate Test matches.
Brian Lara is remembered as one of the greatest left-handed batsmen. His impact on West Indian cricket is still remembered today.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Left-Handed Batsman |
Cricket Career |
1990-2007 |
Total Runs |
11,953 (Test) & 10,405 (ODI) |
Total Matches |
131 (Test) & 299 (ODI) |
Batting Average |
52.88 (Tests), 40.48 (ODIs) |
Special Moment |
Scored 400 in 2004, highest individual score in Test cricket |
Shane Warne

Shane Warne was a right-arm leg-break bowler from Australia. He played cricket from 1992 to 2007. Warne is one of the best bowlers in cricket history. A famous moment in his career came in 1993 when he bowled the “Ball of the Century” to Mike Gatting. The ball spun sharply and surprised everyone. Warne became known for his style and skill at spinning the ball.
He started his career in 1992-93 against India. He became very popular due to his talent and charm. After his career, Warne retired in 2007 following a successful Ashes series. Outside cricket, Warne enjoyed poker, football, and tennis.
Warne set records, including taking the most wickets in a year in Test cricket with 96 wickets. He was also the first bowler to take 600 wickets in international cricket. A Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka was named the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy. In 2000, he was named “Wisden Cricketer of the Century”. Warne has 708 wickets in Test cricket, making him one of the top wicket-takers in history.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Arm Leg Break Bowler |
Cricket Career |
1992-2007 |
Total Wickets |
708 (Tests), 293 (ODIs) |
Total Matches |
145 (Tests), 194 (ODIs) |
Bowling Average |
25.41 (Tests), 25.73 (ODIs) |
Special Moment |
“Ball of the Century” in 1993 |
Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis was a cricketer from South Africa who played from 1995 to 2014. He was known for his ability to bat and bowl well. Kallis played a key role in South Africa's cricket team, especially in Test matches and One Day Internationals (ODIs). He scored twin centuries against India in the 2011 Boxing Day Test, which was one of his special moments.
Kallis was a right-handed batsman and all-rounder. He was important for his team, both with the bat and the ball. Even though he was a big man, he could dive for catches in the field. Many consider Kallis one of South Africa’s best cricketers. He was second to Sachin Tendulkar in scoring the most centuries.
Kallis became only the third player in history to score more than 13,000 runs in both Test and ODI cricket. His style of play was often steady and defensive, focusing on building innings. From 1998 to 2002, Kallis was one of the best all-rounders in the world. In 1998, he was named “Man of the Match” twice and “Player of the Series” when South Africa won the ICC Champions Trophy.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Handed Batting All-Rounder |
Cricket Career |
1995-2014 |
Total Runs |
13,289 (Tests), 11,579 (ODIs) |
Total Wickets |
292 (Tests), 273 (ODIs) |
Batting Average |
55.37 (Tests), 44.36 (ODIs) |
Bowling Figures |
577 wickets (Tests and ODIs combined) |
Special Moment |
Twin hundreds against India in 2011 Boxing Day Test |
Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara was born on 27th October 1977. He played cricket for Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2015. He is known for being a great batsman and wicketkeeper. Sangakkara was one of the best players to ever play the game. He has been ranked among the top 3 batsmen in the ICC rankings for all formats at different times in his career.
Sangakkara played international cricket for 15 years. During this time, he scored 28,016 runs across all formats. He has eight double centuries in his career, ranking just behind Bradman and Lara. Sangakkara is remembered for his style, skill, and elegance on the field.
Although he was not eager to be the captain at first, he later became the leader of Sri Lanka’s team. He worked closely with Mahela Jayawardene, who was the captain. The two players helped Sri Lanka achieve many great things, including a partnership of 624 runs in a match against South Africa in Colombo. Sangakkara captained Sri Lanka in 15 Test matches, winning five of them. He also led the team to the 2009 and 2011 World Cup. In 2014, after winning the ICC World Twenty20 title, he was the best batsman in the team.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Left-Handed Batsman – Wicketkeeper |
Cricket Career |
2000-2015 |
Total Runs |
12,400 (Tests), 14,234 (ODIs) |
Total Matches |
134 (Tests), 404 (ODIs) |
Special Moment |
Led Sri Lanka to the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 title |
Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting was born on 19th December 1974. He played cricket for Australia from 1995 to 2012. As a right-handed batsman, he scored a total of 27,483 runs, with 13,378 runs in Tests and 13,704 runs in ODIs.
Ponting is remembered as one of the best captains in cricket. He led Australia to win the World Cup in 2003 and 2007. He captained the team in 77 Test matches, winning 48 of them. In ODIs, he led Australia to 162 victories in 229 matches.
Ponting was also known as a great fielder. He played a key role in Australian cricket from 2004 to 2011. He holds the record for the most runs scored by a captain in ODIs with 8,497 runs.
Field |
Detail |
Primary Role |
Right-Handed Batsman |
Cricket Career |
1995-2012 |
Total Runs |
13,378 (Tests), 13,704 (ODIs) |
Total Matches |
168 (Tests), 375 (ODIs) |
Special Moment |
Led Australia to World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007 |
Conclusion
To sum up, these cricketers, from Shane Warne to Ricky Ponting, have made a huge mark on the game. Their skills and leadership changed cricket and inspired many players and fans. Whether it was with the bat or on the bowling side, each player brought something special to the game. Their careers, filled with records, key moments, and great achievements, have earned them a place among the best players in cricket history.






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