Top 10 Greatest Indian Cricketers

WatchMojo

It's only right that one of the greatest cricket countries in the world has produced a slew of incredible players. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the players who represent the best that Indian cricket has ever offered.

Transcript

00:00The little master himself has smashed that one!

00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the players who represent the best that Indian cricket has ever offered.

00:09He was a great fast bowler with a classy outswing.

00:13Number 10, Virender Sehwag.

00:15Attacking bowlers from the first delivery,

00:17Virender Sehwag is arguably the most aggressive opener in Indian history.

00:22What a start. Not a man you want to be giving a second chance to.

00:25England's fielding in the Netherlands game was not great.

00:29They don't start well here.

00:31Anderson with swing.

00:33Moves away. No feet from Sehwag. That's his way.

00:36It didn't matter if it were tests or limited overmatches,

00:39because Sehwag swung for the fences each time.

00:42Along with West Indies' Chris Gale,

00:43Sehwag is the only batsman to score a double century in ODIs and two triple centuries in tests.

00:49The batsman still possesses some of the highest strike rates in every format of the game,

00:54a testament to his clean-hitting ability.

00:56So it's just about showtime. Virender Sehwag on strike.

01:00His striking was particularly useful against arch-rivals Pakistan,

01:04boasting an incredible 90-plus average against them as well as a triple century.

01:08Sehwag rocked opposition pacers all around the field,

01:12trailblazing a style that present-day Indian batsmen still replicate.

01:15Somebody who changed the name of the game in test cricket when it comes to opening.

01:20Number 9, Saurav Ganguly.

01:22India might be a top team today,

01:25but it was under Ganguly that they first believed they could be the premier side in the world.

01:35The opener remains among the greatest captains India has ever produced.

01:39His side beat the best and nearly became world champions in 2003.

01:43As an opener, Ganguly was absolutely menacing on the offside,

01:47conjuring breathtaking strokes that wowed audiences.

01:53His partnership with Sachin Tendulkar was the cornerstone of India's ODI lineup,

01:57setting the platform for big scores.

02:00Ganguly's resilience is among the best cricket has ever seen,

02:04as the batsmen returned from obscurity with a bang after the infamous Greg Chappell controversy.

02:16His dedication to the team was second to none,

02:20His dedication to the team was second to none,

02:23which he continued as BCCI president long after retirement.

02:27Number 8, Mitali Raj.

02:29Easily among the greatest female cricketers of all time,

02:32Mitali Raj's contributions to the game cannot be understated.

02:41Her two-decade-long career saw India rise all the way to the top,

02:45becoming a powerhouse in the sport.

02:47Possessing the records for most half-centuries, centuries, ODI and international runs,

02:52her list of accomplishments might just stand the test of time.

03:00Although unable to win the World Cup,

03:02Raj led the side to two global finals and multiple Asia Cup victories.

03:07The sheer longevity of her run puts her in esteemed company alongside the likes of Sachin Tendulkar,

03:12as Raj signed off with one of the longest-lasting careers in cricket.

03:17Number 7, Rahul Dravid.

03:20At a time when cricket began to transition into an attacking sport,

03:24Rahul Dravid made defense look cool.

03:26Nearly half an hour since he scored, that's just ridiculous for a player of his caliber.

03:31Living up to his nickname, The Wall,

03:33Dravid was a nightmare for bowlers with his unmatched patience.

03:36His batting partners could play freely knowing Dravid was at the other end playing the anchor role.

03:41The team had a long history of being a very competitive team,

03:44but the team had a long history of being a very competitive team.

03:46The team has him to thank for racking up some of their biggest scores.

03:50Well, that had all the elegance and ease you expect of Rahul Dravid at his best.

03:54A master of the five-day game,

03:56the batsman could keep his cool like few others could.

03:59With his penchant for staying at the crease,

04:01Dravid scored 36 test centuries

04:04and holds the record for most consecutive innings without a duck.

04:08His stellar away record is a testament to his skills,

04:11as Mr. Dependable could perform on just about any pitch.

04:22Kumle is among the players who made Indian soil an absolute stronghold,

04:27bamboozling visiting players with ease.

04:29Ah, well bowled. York team.

04:31Beautifully bowled.

04:37Very dangerous man, this Anil Kumble.

04:39The leg spinner wasn't a great turner of the ball,

04:42yet his variation and bounce was enough to take batsmen down.

04:45Of course, his greatest achievement remains taking all 10 wickets in an innings,

04:50a feat achieved only once before and once since.

04:53Ah!

04:54Well bowled, beautifully bowled.

04:56And a stop is at the ground.

04:59Anil Kumble has once again delivered for the Indians.

05:02Bowling over 40,000 deliveries and finishing with over 600 wickets

05:07are numbers only a handful of players have replicated.

05:10His achievements extended to the shorter format as well,

05:12where Kumle had over 300 wickets to his name.

05:16The Indian team is mainly associated with batting,

05:19but Kumle broke the mold to become one of the highest wicket-takers in the game.

05:23Very intense competitor, always mumbling to himself,

05:27but an absolute champion for India and world cricket.

05:32Before the nation got its reputation for producing superb batsmen,

05:35Gavaskar was unquestionably its star player.

05:38The opener took a daring approach during a time when West Indies pacers dominated the game.

05:43Gavaskar excelled against the strongest team in the world,

05:46even playing without a helmet at a risk to his own safety.

05:50The little master successfully saw off the new ball

05:53and continued further,

05:54piling up a then-world-record 35 test centuries

05:58and scoring the most runs in the format.

06:07Maintaining an average above 50 is remarkable for any batting position,

06:11but Gavaskar did so while opening the innings against fearsome bowling lineups.

06:15About four decades since his retirement,

06:18Gavaskar remains among the highest run-getters

06:21and was a first-ballot ICC Hall-of-Famer.

06:24He's more of a surgeon than a butcher,

06:25just quietly took you apart.

06:29The person responsible for filling India's trophy cabinet is none other than Captain Kool.

06:42Dhoni led India to victories in the inaugural T20 World Cup,

06:46the ODI World Cup and the Champions Trophy.

06:49The team jumped to the top of the test rankings,

06:51as Dhoni also claimed the Test Mace.

06:54As a player, Dhoni cemented himself as a finisher at the death

06:57to take India over the line time and again.

07:00His cricketing brain enabled him to be one of the most legendary wicket-keepers behind the stumps.

07:19Dhoni scored all kinds of dismissals,

07:21whether it were catches, stumpings and run-outs.

07:24As an uncontroversial figure,

07:26Dhoni's compiled fans far beyond India to be known as one of the most respected players to take the field.

07:39No matter how many trophies India might win,

07:42the 1983 World Cup triumph will always be their most cherished achievement.

07:46At only 24 years of age,

07:49Kapil Dev led a team that was initially written out as contenders.

07:52As a batsman, he could change the game with aggressive stroke play

07:55and kept the middle order together.

07:57However, his effectiveness as a bowler was his biggest strength.

08:08Dev's swinging abilities garnered him numerous scalps,

08:11making him the highest wicket-taker at the time of his retirement.

08:14Whether he was batting or bowling,

08:16opposition teams were not safe either way.

08:19His record as a captain complements his contributions as a player,

08:23as Dev remained the greatest all-rounder in Indian history.

08:37Undoubtedly the biggest superstar of the present-day sport,

08:40Virat Kohli was built for greatness.

08:46Yes!

08:48Very well enough!

08:49After leading the under-19 team to World Cup glory,

08:52Kohli instantly made his mark in the senior game.

08:54After winning the 2011 World Cup,

08:56he became far and away India's best player.

08:59As an expert in all three formats of the game,

09:02Kohli is a chase master like no other.

09:05Tossed up,

09:06hit high, hit hard, hit for six, 50 for Kohli.

09:10He is a run machine!

09:11The batsman has single-handedly defied the odds to lead his side to victory,

09:16Racking up massive scores is a habit,

09:18with Kohli recording multiple 200-plus scores in tests

09:21and 150-plus in ODIs.

09:24As a captain,

09:25he turned India into an absolute fortress

09:27and finally turned the team into a force overseas.

09:31Scoring a record 50 ODI centuries,

09:33Kohli's mind-boggling average might never be surpassed.

09:36Terrific shot!

09:37And not even the best in the world can stop Virat Kohli.

09:40Before we continue,

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09:56Number 1.

09:57Sachin Tendulkar

09:58Nicknamed the God of Cricket by his fans,

10:01Tendulkar was the complete technician of his craft.

10:03He's been this fantastic ambassador of the field,

10:07but at the same time on the field,

10:09just a consistent run machine.

10:12With 100 international centuries,

10:14the most runs in tests and ODIs,

10:17most Man of the Match awards and most games played,

10:20Tendulkar broke all sorts of records.

10:22He could turn the match around as a bowler too,

10:24claiming 200 wickets across formats and bagging multiple fivers.

10:29On the grand stage,

10:30there was no one better,

10:31as the batsman saved his best for global events.

10:34This is fantastic batting.

10:36You may be looking at the best batsman of all time.

10:39His excellence in the field lasted for a quarter of a century,

10:42with Tendulkar finally winning the big one in the twilight of his career.

10:46A contender as the greatest batsman of all time,

10:49there might never be a sportsman as revered as Sachin Tendulkar.

10:53Sachin Tendulkar, to me, in his era,

10:55he's the ultimate cricketer.

10:57He is the best cricketer to have played the game.

11:00Can you think of any names who deserve to be on this list?

11:02Let us know in the comments.

11:05There he goes again.

11:06This has gone a long way.

11:09And it's down in the crowd.

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