India’s contribution to the international cricket scene is truly undeniable. In a country where the sport is celebrated as a festival and the players are worshipped as Gods, the enthusiasm is contagious. Over the years, India has seen multiple players go in and out of the game but only a few of them were able to make a long-lasting effect with their impeccable performances.
The list below mentions the six greatest Indian cricketers of all time and discusses some of their biggest achievements. Keep scrolling to get more such articles, updates, and India cricket team latest news.
- SACHIN TENDULKAR
The name needs no introduction. Withholding records more than any other Indian cricketer to his name, there are absolutely zero arguments against this man’s success. At 16, he made his international debut in a test match against Pakistan and became the youngest Indian player to do so.
The Little Master’s not-so-little statistics prove why he is the undisputed king of cricket. The only player to score over 30,000 international runs and 100 international centuries in his career, Tendulkar has stellar records in all three formats of the game by his side.
He has been awarded several titles both in India and overseas. Some of his honors include Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and the Padma Vibhushan Award. At 40, he became the youngest person to receive Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India,
for his exceptional contribution to Indian cricket. In June 2002, he won the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century award.
- KAPIL DEV
The man who revolutionized Indian cricket by bringing the first-ever World Cup to India in 1983. His captaincy changed the face of the Indian Cricket Team from underdogs to champions. A dependable batsman and an even better pacer, Dev was lethal on the pitch both with bat and ball. During the early 80s, India was in desperate need to strengthen its bowling department, and the induction of Dev in 1978 proved a perfect addition to the team. He is among the very few all-rounders to score more than 5000 Test runs and have over 400 wickets to their names. He was named the Indian Cricketer of the Century by the Wisden in 2002 and became a part of the ICC Hall of Fame in 2010.
The player was truly one of a kind, and India has never been able to find someone with talent that’s as close to Kapil’s.
- VIJAY HAZARE
The man behind the legendary Vijay Hazare Trophy or the Ranji One Day Trophy, which is a domestic cricket tournament in India. Vijay Hazare and Jasu Patel were the first Indian cricketers to be awarded the fourth-highest civilian award in India, the Padma Shri. Born in Sangli, a district in the state of Maharashtra, Hazare guided the Indian Test team in 14 matches from 1951 to 1953. He was among the greatest Indian cricketers of his era, who reshaped the state of cricket in India. In his 30 Test matches, Hazare scored over 2000 runs and picked up 20 wickets. He played an unforgettable inning during India’s first-ever tour of Australia in 1947-48, wherein he scored two centuries against the Aussies. Hazare was the first Indian captain who led India to its first Test victory during the 1951-52 series against England. Despite his short career, his contribution to Indian cricket is invaluable.
- JAVAGAL SRINATH
The 1983 World Cup victory under the guidance of Kapil Dev gave rise to a wave of fast-bowling talent across India, and that’s when the fastest bowler in India was born. His raw pace and the deadly combo of reverse and out-swing, which he started experimenting with later in his career, gave batsmen a mini hear-attack on the cricket pitch.
Srinath was the leading wicket-taker of India in his era, having over 300 ODI wickets and 236 Test wickets under his belt. Srinath’s performance during the 1998-99 Asian Test Championship was one of the best in history, where he knocked off 5 for 46 from his 19 overs in the first and 8 for 86 from his 27 overs in the second inning against Pakistan.
- SUNIL MANOHAR GAVASKAR
Manohar is a former Indian cricketer and the person responsible behind the legendary Test series India and Australia, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gavaskar was one of the most prolific first-class run makers and was at the peak of his domestic career when he made his international debut with a Test match against West Indies in 1971. He quickly became the country’s most dependable opener as his wickets were the hardest to earn.
In his 16-year-long career, Gavaskar played 125 Test matches and scored over 10,000 runs, including 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries, at an impressive average of 51.12. In his 108 ODI matches for India, he scored 3,092 runs at an average of 35.13. He held the record for most Test centuries (34) until it was overtaken by the Master Blaster in 2005. But these statistics show just a part of his contribution to Indian cricket, as he gave rise to a wave of talent across the country and set strict examples of professionalism for his teammates.
- ANIL KUMBLE
He is the former Indian cricketer turned coach and commenter. The Karnataka-born spinner was an absolute sight on the pitch, bowling right-handed deliveries with just enough spin and impeccable accuracy.
He is the second-fastest bowler to take 600 wickets, only behind Muthiah Muralidaran, in Test cricket history. In his career, Kumble took 619 wickets in his 132 Test matches at a bowling average of 29.65 and picked up 337 wickets from his 271 ODI performances with an average of over 30.
He has been awarded several titles for his exemplary contribution to the sport, including the 2003 Indian Cricketer of the Year award and Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1996 for his performance during the 1995 English cricket season. He has also received the country’s fourth-highest civilian award in 2005, the Padma Shri.
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