The men with the bat that have lit up the game.
As Sachin Tendulkar plays the ‘Little Master’s’ 200th and final Test, fanatix thought it was about time to determine who are the best batsmen of all time.
10. Jacques Kallis, South Africa
Tests: 164, average 55.44.
ODIs: 321, average 45.26.
Arguably the best all-rounder ever to have played the game, Kallis is the only cricketer to have over 11,000 runs and 250 wickets in Test and one-day cricket.
Breaking onto the international scene in 1995 the South African has a career at the top spanning almost two decades and has the second most centuries in Test history.
9. Allan Border, Australia
Tests: 156, average 50.56.
ODIs: 273, average 30.62.
Cricket dominance goes in peaks and troughs and before the Australians were superb in the 1990s, the stubborn and talented Australian captain was the beating heart.
No player in history has played more Tests as skipper than Border and the middle-order batsman also had an array of shots and was a brilliant fielder.
8. Sir Jack Hobbs, England
Tests: 61, average 56.94.
The only Englishman to make the list and the prolific batsman is also from an era when not as much cricket was played and therefore Hobbs’ opportunities were limited by modern standards.
The Three Lions legend also played well into the player’s 50s and remains one of the true greats to ever play the game.
7. Rahul Dravid, India
Tests: 164, average 52.31.
ODIs: 344, average 39.16.
The man nicknamed ‘The Wall’ for the difficulty to get the Indian out was considered something of an old fashioned player with an elegant, yet determined style.
Dravid’s concentration and professionalism helped the batsman maintain an impressive Test record that relied less on natural talent and more on sheer hard work.
6. Sir Garfield Sobers, West Indies
Tests: 93, average 57.78.
The other man to compete with Kallis for title of best all-rounder to have ever played cricket, Sobers was a player that just exuded talent and presence.
During an impressive career Sobers held the record for largest individual Test score (365 v Pakistan) and also once hit unfortunate bowler Malcolm Nash for six sixes in an over.
5. Ricky Ponting, Australia
Tests: 168, average 51.85.
ODIs: 375, average 42.03.
Unfortunately for Ponting the Australian is the only captain ever to lose two Ashes series to rivals England, but as a batsman there is no disputing the man’s talent.
An uncompromising player who made 96 on the batsman’s Test debut aged just 20-years-old and second place on the list for most combined five-day and ODI centuries.
4. Sir Viv Richards, West Indies
Tests: 121, average 50.23.
ODIs: 187, average 47.00.
The great batsman played in true West Indian style – laid back and as if nothing in the world mattered as Richards chewed gum whilst batting.
Yet his play was another matter as powerful and aggressive shots sent most of the world’s bowlers shuddering to the shadows.
3. Brian Lara, West Indies
Tests: 131, average 52.88.
ODIs: 299, 40.48.
The third West Indian on the list and an exciting and free-flowing batsman that scored quickly and sent the ball continuously flying to the boundary.
Lara is also the only Test player to ever score and astonishing 400 runs in a single innings and the player’s retirement coincided with the West Indies’ fall from grace.
2. Sir Don Bradman, Australia
Tests: 52, average 99.94.
An utterly devastating batsman who will forever be a cricketing legend for an average just shy of 100, which is unlikely to ever be beaten.
Bradman also captained Australia and scored a hugely impressive 29 centuries in just 80 innings for the nation.
1. Sachin Tendulkar, India
Tests: 199, average 53.71.
ODIs: 463, average 44.83.
A true genius with the bat who at just 5’5″ was not a dominating presence until the ball came down the wicket at the man known as the ‘Little Master.’
Bowed out of the game after playing 200 Test matches, nobody has scored more five-day runs or scored more centuries than Tendulkar in an international career spanning almost 25 years.