15 best cricketers of all overall ranked in order of merit?

[Harsh Thakor]

This is my list in order of merit of the 12best cricketers of all timeoverall-80%consideration to tests and 20% to other forms,apart from the likes of Hobbs and Grace who played much less test cricket.In the case of W.G Grace and Jack Hobbs much greater emphasis to1st class cricket.

 

1.W G Grace

 

The inventor of the art of batting who stood out like a colossus like no sportsman ever.If you consider the condition she batted in he could well have been the best of all batsman.No cricketer ever was as impactful or defined cricket as much.He conquered the most treacherous pitches with grass uncut like a surgeon successfully performing an operation on a patient considered incurable.Aggregated 54896 runs at an avergae around 39 and averaged only 32 in tests .Possibly had he played in Bradman's era he would have statistically matched him 8 performing the double of 1000.Also took 2876 scalps at an average of around 18 .For 8 successive seasons achieved the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets.When scoring 400 and 344 he looked closest to performing a miracle on the cricket field .In 1876 scored 2622 runs in a season and in August scored more runs than any batsman ever.Playing against Kent for Gentleman MCC he amassed 344 when his team was 329 runs in the arrears.,the highest score ever made till then in 1stclass cricket.That season he also achieved a heroic feat of scoring 177 and capturing 8 wickets for 69,for Gloucestershire against Nottinghamshire.

 

 

 

2.Gary Sobers

 

Morally no all-rounder came near Sobers who too all-round cricketing skill to regions of divinity.No bowler had a greater bowling repertoire,no batsman had a greater range of strokes and no fielder could pull of more stunning catches.A three-in one cricketer who could turn a complexion of game 360 degrees. ni every department.Statistics do scant justice to the extent of how he towered above any other cricketer of his day.No allrounder equalled Sobers' majestic performances in 1970 for rest of the world when he took 21 wickets and scored 583 runs or in 1966 in England when he scored 722 runs and took 20 scalps.Averages 57.78 with the bat . Even if he was overall statistically expensive as a bowler averaging 34.03 he was outstanding in peak era for his time ,averaging around 27 .In my view would have been by a margin of a whisker more impactful than Bradman in a test side.

 

 

3.Jack Hobbs

 

Some cricket historians rate Hobbs better than Bradman in all types of conditions.Hobbs was more prolific on wet or bad pitches and was more proven in a crisis.Hobbs still has the highest first class aggregate of 61237 runs and scored 197 centuries,which is still a record.I would not envisage even a Bradman,Tendulkar,Steve Smith or Lara equalling Hobbs in unfavorable conditions,who made the technical improvisation of a magician.Hobbs participated in a record 166 century partnerships.No opening batsman has equalled the quality of his centuries at the Oval in 1926 and at Melbourne in 1928-29 which determined the fate of the Ashes.Above all never played for his individual records.In modern era I would have backed him to average around 65 in tests .It is worth reading historians account, of how Hobbs batting completely turned the complexion of a game when his team was in dire straits and he could bat in accordance with the situation as noone ever could ,including Bradman..For longevity he was the king,scoring 98 centuries after the age of 40 and 117 centuries after the Ist world war.No batsman ever scored over 2000 runs in a season 17 times.

 

 

4.Sachin Tendulkar

 

No batsman ever may score 100 International centuries  or dominate a sport at the top for such a long sustained  duration.Nor did anyone take batting skill to such sublime levels,conquering every type of conditions or wickets.The youngest to achieve all the 1000 run landmarks.Arguably did not deliver a knockout punch to win games as much a he could have like a Viv or Lara,but at his best virtually played the role of a lone crusader.I doubt any middle order batsman ever faced as much pressure.Posessed every component of a perfect batsman more than anyone.Few batsman made a Muhammad Ali style comeback as Sachin did in 2008 down under.

 

 

5.Don Bradman

 

Displayed glory of supremacy in sport more than anyone ever,like an invincible emperor  reaching heights of divinty.Statistically on another tier from any cricketer.Bradman literally re-defined  the law of averages, putting  the best mathematicians in a quandry  in how to evaluate or scale his figures.None ever will even come close to his test average of 99.94 or rate of making a century in every 2nd test.No batsman ever so clinically dissected a bowling attack or posessed such phenomenal powers of concentration .However not at his best on wet or bad wickets or against express pace as shown in the 'bodyline' series.Also only played in England and Australia.I would back him to still average around 70,-75 in tests in modern era . Still I doubt  he would surpass Tendulkar in all forms of the game ,play spin better than Lara ,tackle express pace better than a Viv or Gavaskar or better the strike rat of Sehwag or Gilchrist.

 

 

6.Viv Richards

 

No batsman ever delivered as convincing  a knockout punch or placed opposing bowlers to submission as Viv.Considering his era in peak period the best after Bradman,averaging above 60 from 1976-81.Viv took domination of bowling to regions of divinity which he illustrated at a crescendo in Kerry Packer supertests in 1977-78.The best ever batsman in ODI cricket,who championed many a final.Fell out because of inconsistency in the latter part of his career.Turned the complexion of game more than any batsman ever who at his best blazed a cricket field like a streak of light shimmering.If he wished could have averaged above 60.The best ever against sheer pace.Won more ODI tournament finals than Tendulkar.

 

 

 

 

 

7.Shane Warne

 

 

Re-defined the role of the leg-spinner being the greatest match-winning cricketer of his day.Warne was a major architect of the ressurection of Australia into emerging what was arguably the greatest cricketing power ever. He created more prodigious turn than anyone. in addition to having an unplayable flipper.No cricketer of his day could make such a dramatic turn in fortunes of a game.708 wickets haul was less than Muralitharan,but morally he was considerably more impactful and better overseas.

 

 

8.Sydney Barnes

 

Figures simply speak for themselves taking 7 scalps per tset at an average of 16.49.At medium pace cut the ball both ways with the skill or deception of a  wizard.The equivalent of Bradman to bowling.He jagged the ball in a manner which made it unplayable for batsman.

 

 

 

 

9.Imran Khan

 

No cricketer did so much to define the shape of it's cricketing destiny as Imran .From 1981-87 he was the most outstanding all-rounder in the world,outplaying Botham and Kapil.Imran pioneered the art of reverse swing and from 1981-83 be acme the bets fast bowler in the world.His performances and leadership enabled Pakistan to win their first test series on Indian and Englsih soil and morally capture the test world champion tag in 1988 in West Indies  with a drawn series.In 1992 he ressurected his team from the grave to reach the pinnacle of glory in the 1992 world cup.No paceman performed a well against the best team of his era,West Indies.In peak era arguably performed better than any paceman ever averaging around 17 with a strike rate of around 43 balls per wicket.What went against him was that he was not at  his best with both bat and ball.

 

 

 

10.Brian Lara

 

Simply the equivalent of a Rembrandt or a Beethoven to batting who at his best could sit with the Gods of Olympus.Took batting wizardry to regions unexplored ,executing strokes that were surreal.No batsman ever with such relish played the role of a lone crusader to win or turn games single-handedly as Lara.None had a better penchant for registering mammoth scores or being so mercurial even after crossing three figures.Not as technically sound as Tendulkar or as merciless as Viv Richards but for sheer aesthecism,ahead of both these icons.Inconsistency marred his career but no batsman scored such a high percentage of his team's runs after Bradman and Headley,than Lara.Arguably 2nd only to Bradman ,amongst test batsman.In peak period better than Tendulkar and proved himself more in a crisis than Viv or Sobers.To me the best left-hand batsman of all.His most defining moments were   in the 1999 Frank Worrel trophy and in Sri Lanka in 2002,.In 2 successive tests against Australia  in 1999 after his team was one down, he resurrected his team from the grave to reach a pinnacle of glory.In Sri Lanka he aggregated a record 688 runs,for a 3 test series.Also captured the world record score twice ,which no batsman has ever done.Best test strike rate of most of his era of around 60.Arguably at best,no batsman ever reached such heights of glory.

 

 

11.Malcolm Marshall

 

No right arm paceman disguised  which direction a ball would swing and nonone mastered the art of skidding a ball as effectively.Took pace bowling artistry to metaphysical regions with complete mastery of bio-mechanics.Even as a component of the greatest pace quarter ever,convincingly overshadowed every bowler who comprised it.His strike rate of 46.7 and avergae of 20.94 speak for itself,even if he could not join the elusive club of those who captured 400 or more scalps.A more creative version of Dennis Lillee.Did not swing a ball so much but posessed lethal swerve.In England in 1988 when taking 35 scalps,bowled biter than anyone ever.A ore than useful batsman,too.

 

 

12.Walter Hammond

 

Unfortunate to have played in the , in addition to taking 85 wickets.era of Bradman but still often came into touching distance of him.In full flow none of his time was more majestic than Hammond,who resembled a Galleon in full sail.Scored 7624 runs at an average of 58.46.Equivalent of a great all-rounder in a later era.At his best could be more impressive than even the Don,scoring the fastest ever triple century.His 240 at the Oval was amongst the game's classics.

 

 

13.Wasim Akram

 

Revolutionized the art of fast bowling more than anyone ,virtually taking it to another dimension .Wasim was the ultimate magician taking bowling wizardry to regions of the divine.In peak ear overshadowed Waqar,Ambrose an Donald in terms of bowling avergae.Took a record 502 scalps in ODIS.In combined cricket to me the bets of all paceman,considering the support he received from his teammates.For a great part of his career averaged around 22 with the ball and had a strike rate around 50.At one stage also a very fine batsman,in the class of a Kapil Dev.In Australia in 1989-90 arguably bowled better than any overseas paceman ever and displayed all-round skill ni the Botham class.Best paceman of his time against West Indies and best ever on flat tracks of the sub-continent.Performed two test and ODI hat tricks.Scored 257 against Zimbabwe .Best achievement as his match-winning performance in 1992 world cup final.Whne taking 21 wickets in a home series in 1990 against West Indies revealed pace bowling mastery on flat pancakes at its supre me height.

 

 

14.Ian Botham

 

At his best the best ever match-winner amongst all-rounders exuded cricketing energy at it's zenith.No all-rounder ressurected a side from a grave like Botham did in the 1981 Ashes at home or in the 1980 Jubileee test in Mumbai.Even if not as artistic in sum total more explosive at his best than Sobers or Miller,whose wickets,runs or catches could make a more sensational twist or turn to match than anyone.From 1997-82 2nd to only Sobers.No batsman hit a ball harder,bowled more intelligently or leaped more spectacularly in the slips than Botham.Sadly lost consistency after 1982 when he was overshadowed by Kapil Dev and Imran Khan. Relatively poor against West Indies but neverthless in 1984 at Lords against them scored 81 runs and took 8-103.In 1986-87 gave a sterling allround performance down under to enable England to retain the Ashes.Scored a century and captured 5 wickets in test matches on a record 5 occasions.Best all-rounder statistically combing centuries(14) and five wicket hauls.(27)

 

 

 

15.Jacques Kallis

 

Statistically the best all-rounder ever in terms of aggregate and average.From point of pure all-round skill 2nd to only Sobers and to bat for your life the best ever batsman amongst all-rounders.At his best with ball potentially as dangerous as Botham or Kapil and in small phases excelled with both ball and bat.As a pure batsman in tests next to only Tendulkar in terms of run aggregate and centuries.Remarkably captured 5 wickets and scored a century twice in test cricket.However lacked the 'x' factor and  at times did not sufficiently press the pedal on the accelerator.He also scored quite a bulk of his runs against the weaker teams of his era.Noteworthy also that he hardly bowled much for most of his career.A champion in terms of consistency ,but could not surpass  the match-winning prowess of a Sobers.Imran,Botham or Miller.Arguably the leading candidate to replace Sobers in a team.Played a major role as an architect in enabling South Africa to reach the top of the pedestal in test cricket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2020 by Harsh Thakor

[zen]

From the top of mind recall In Tests and in order of debut (retired players)
 

Sydney Barnes

Don Bradman

Garry Sobers

Imran Khan

Richard Hadlee

Malcolm Marshall

Shane Warne

Adam Gilchrist 

Edited September 3, 2020 by zen

[Harsh Thakor]

Please come back here ICF viewers.Plead your participation.Appreciate.

[velu]

where is thala dhoni ..

if you are going to give 80% weight-age to tests , thala can play tests in all the 3 formats sans last over 

[zen]

27 minutes ago, velu said:

where is thala dhoni ..

if you are going to give 80% weight-age to tests , thala can play tests in all the 3 formats sans last over 

Yes, it requires special skills to be able to play tests in 3 formats

 

Also Thala is more interested in taking the game to the last over to worry about personal milestones 

Edited September 3, 2020 by zen

[rtmohanlal]

My rankings  based on all formats combined.

 

Criteria - all rounders, batsmen, bowlers  get  weightage in that order

              longevity,fair play, being in a weaker team etc get more weightage

 

1. Jacques Kallis - GOAT allrounder

2. Don Bradman - GOAT batsman

3. Gary Sobers - 2nd GOAT allrounder

4. Viv Richards - 2nd GOAT batsman

5. Sachin Tendulkar - 3rd GOAT batsman

6. Adam Gilchrist - GOAT  WKbatsman

7. AB Devilliers  - one of the most complete batsmen of all time

8.  Kapil Dev - 3rd GOAT all rounder

9.   Brian Lara

10. Allan Donald - GOAT fast bowler

11. Curtley Ambrose - 2nd GOAT fast bowler

12. Andrew Flower -  2nd GOAT WKbatsman

13. Ian Botham

14  Dale Steyn

15. Glenn Mgrath - would have placed him higher, but being part of a great team & presence of Warne helped him immensely

 

As of now, this is my TOP 15.  May change depending on further analyses.

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by rtmohanlal