The International Cricket Council rankings are calculated on a player’s performance over an extended period in international matches; using an intricate formula incorporating both their batting and bowling performances, these rankings provide a window into how their international rivals have fared against one another.
England batsman Jos Buttler has made an enormous mark since making his Test debut back in 2014. Capable of producing both lengthy Test innings and effective white-ball cameos, Buttler is making waves across both platforms, often leading fans to debate Who is the Best Cricket Player in the World based on his consistent performances and match-winning abilities.
| Player Name | Country | Era | Format Strength | Why Considered the Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Don Bradman | Australia | 1928–1948 | Test Cricket | Highest batting average (99.94), unmatched dominance |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1989–2013 | All Formats | Most runs, centuries, longevity across eras |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2008–Present | ODI & T20 | Consistency, chase mastery, modern great |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 1995–2014 | All-rounder | Elite batsman + fast bowler |
| MS Dhoni | India | 2004–2019 | Limited Overs | Greatest captain, finisher, leader |
| Vivian Richards | West Indies | 1974–1991 | ODI & Test | Fearless batting, changed attacking cricket |
| Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 1984–2003 | Fast Bowling | Swing mastery, match-winner |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 2004–2018 | All Formats | 360-degree batting, innovation |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 1992–2011 | Bowling | Highest wickets in Tests & ODIs |
| Imran Khan | Pakistan | 1971–1992 | All-rounder | Leadership, World Cup winner |
1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is an Indian cricketer widely considered one of the greatest batsmen ever seen on a cricket field. He plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in Indian Premier League and captains India across all three formats of international cricket, scoring prolific runs while producing key hundreds in key matches.
He became the fastest to reach 14,000 runs in one-day international cricket, taking only 287 innings to do it. Additionally, he became only the third player (after Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Sharad Dravid) to score four double centuries in Test cricket.
Kohli was an integral member of India’s teams that won both the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy tournaments, earning three Player of the Tournament awards on each occasion. He earned himself three “ODI Player of the Tournament” accolades.
He led India for 68 Tests before handing over to Rohit Sharma; an outstanding record that ranks with other great captains of all eras. During that time he won 40 Tests while his record for home and away series victories stands alone.
2. Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan is widely considered the finest all-rounder in Bangladesh cricket history, having excelled across all formats of the game and earning numerous accolades and awards for his performances across them all. An adept bowler and aggressive batsman who boasts an array of strokes.
Khulna Royal Bengals’ star performer in the inaugural Bangladesh Premier League tournament was Jabbar, becoming an Icon Player and helping lead them all the way to victory and reaching the Finals.
He has made an impressionful debut Test career for Bangladesh, both scoring runs and taking wickets. He played an integral part in winning Bangladesh their inaugural overseas series win with scores of 96 in Grenada’s second Test as he contributed towards victory.
He has also proven his worth as a T20 bowler for both Bangladesh’s national team and his franchise sides, bowling spin variations. His performance was an integral part of Bangladesh’s rise in this format – even taking over as captain during 2022-23 when Mashrafe Mortaza was injured; leading them to an impressive 3-0 series win against England.
3. Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada has quickly become one of the world’s most feared fast bowlers across all formats of cricket, becoming the youngest player ever to take 150 Test wickets at just 24 years old and one of its most feared bowlers overall. His unique, jerky action creates awkward angles for batters while swinging and seaming the red ball to devastating effect – plus there’s his devastating bouncer and yorker for good measure!
He made his T20I debut in 2014 and quickly progressed into Test cricket, becoming an extremely effective fast bowler across both formats – becoming one of the youngest ever bowlers to top both ODI and Test bowling rankings aged 22! He eventually became one of only seven players ever to achieve these heights of success.
He was an outstanding performer in his debut IPL season with Delhi Capitals in 2020, taking 30 wickets across 17 matches to claim 30 Purple Cap wickets and help DC reach their first ever IPL final. Off the pitch, he spends time with family and plays music (notably house and hip hop genres) while running multiple business ventures simultaneously.
4. Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja is an all-round performer, capable of both hitting the target with the bat and bowl. After an inauspicious start to his international career, he came into his own during India’s Test series against Australia when helping India secure victory. Additionally, Jadeja’s three triple tons in first-class cricket have been put on display during IPL franchise matches; these performances earned him several franchise gigs as well – currently on Chennai Super Kings roster for 2024 season.
While not quite making an impressionful mark in white-ball cricket, he has nevertheless kept himself on the national selection radar through consistent performances and impressive fitness levels. His partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin in Test cricket has proven pivotal.
He has also established himself in T20Is, hitting several fifties and sixes en route to an impressive T20I total of 161. With such impressive versatility across formats – being capable of both lengthy Test innings as well as producing explosive white-ball cameos – it makes him hard for captains across formats to overlook him as an option for their sides.
5. Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah has quickly emerged as India’s finest bowler across all forms of cricket. From making his T20I debut against Australia in 2015-16 – taking one wicket off Australian star batsman Steven Smith during that first ODI innings; to claiming three in his T20I bow on that same match day. Bumrah stands alone as an exceptional talent who has rocketed his way up through the ranks to become India’s premier pacer in all formats of the game.
Unorthodox action and ease under pressure have made him India’s go-to man in high stakes situations, whether Tests or T20Is; his performance against South Africa at the 2024 T20 World Cup final underscores this point.
He earned the Player of the Tournament award due to his skill at keeping things tight with the new ball and unleashing damage at death, earning India’s series win against England after their 2021 ODI World Cup semifinal defeat by New Zealand. Additionally, with five-wicket hauls against South Africa, England, and Australia within one calendar year alone he became the first Asian bowler ever to do so!
6. Jason Root
England’s most gifted batsman, Joe Root is adept at both long Test innings and explosive white-ball cameos, averaging just under 50 runs in both formats and is poised to overtake Sachin Tendulkar as its highest run scorer. One of the most valuable players at the 2024 IPL auction, he was also an adept captain. Prior to cricket he played with Iowa thrash metal band Atomic Opera before performing with Slipknot and DeadFront.
7. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal is one of the latest young Indian batsmen to step forward and replace an older generation of Indian batting stars. At 22 years old from Mumbai he already boasts several achievements: scoring his debut Test double century at age 18 and reaching 10,000 ODI runs fastest of any Indian player ever!
He made waves at the World Cup and has been an essential component of India’s T20 success ever since. Hailing from Pretoria, his ODI strike rate exceeds 40 and can annihilate any bowling attack thrown his way. After receiving an enormous payout ahead of the 2024 auction, he looks poised to become an all-format superstar.
Sunil Gavaskar was an international batting icon who dazzled cricket lovers around the world with his near flawless technique and amazing appetite for runs. Even when making his debut in England’s hostile conditions, Gavaskar silenced critics with an amazing innings – going on to set an unrivalled Test run record of 10122 runs scored during his tenure; breaking Sir Don Bradman’s legendary Test run tally record.
8. Heinrich Klaasen
Heinrich Klaasen may only have featured in four Tests, yet his powerful hitting skills make him one of the premier white ball cricket hitters. Able to strike quickly against both new ball and mid-innings bowling attacks with ease and boasting an outstanding career ODI strike rate, Klaasen will surely be missed by CSA.
He made his mark as part of the Proteas side that reached the final of 2024 World Cup and since then has continued his outstanding form with bat. 2019 will be an especially crucial season and he hopes to continue this remarkable run of form.
Some judges assess batsmen by their runs scored, while others assess them on how those runs are scored. Brian Charles Lara embodied this latter ethos better than anyone since Sir Don Bradman; his never-say-die attitude enabled him to hit massive centuries on difficult pitches while his exquisite footwork and razor-sharp eyesight allowed him to clear fielders effortlessly.
