Cricket was first introduced to the Indian subcontinent by the English colonies and it become an integral part of the country. The country played its international match in 1932 against the Englishmen and has since had a victorious, yet thrilling journey. The country has never had to settle for anything less than extraordinary in its batting department and is known to introduce some of the best batsmen on the pitch. So, who exactly makes the top 8 list?
Keep scrolling to know the eight most successful batsmen in Indian cricket history and watch the latest cricket live video free.
1. SACHIN TENDULKAR
The name hardly needs any introduction. The epitome of class, hard work, and dedication, Tendulkar’s records in all three formats of the game prove why he is the ultimate king of cricket in India. Having made his international cricket debut at the age of 19, Tendulkar rose to fame pretty early and went on leave a legacy that continues to inspire the younger generations even today. The first player to score a double century in One Day cricket, the only player to have over 15,000 Test runs, and the highest Test centuries to his name, Tendulkar, undoubtedly was the best Indian cricketer of his era.
2. RAHUL DRAVID
A complete heartthrob of his era, Rahul Dravid is the former Indian cricketer turned coach who was an exceptional top-order batsman, a great off-spinner, and an occasional wicketkeeper for India. Having made his international debut at a time when India already had a great batting line-up, his progress as a leading batsman for the Men in Blue was rather steady. The 2001 Test series against Australia was a turning point in Dravid’s career, wherein he built a massive score of 180 against the Aussies in the second innings at a batting average of over 50 and never looked back. He made over 20,000 international runs in his 16-year-long career.
3. SAURAV GANGULY
Often regarded as the God of offside strokes, Ganguly was undoubtedly one of the best batting talents of his generation.
The man who changed India’s Test fortune by directing a bunch of talented, but confused young cricketers into becoming one of the strongest in the format. His candid nature might have landed him in some controversies, but nobody can deny the impact of his leadership in the late 90s. Ganguly’s ODI career is as impressive as his Test career. He is the third player to make the fastest 10,000 runs in ODI history.
4. VIRAT KOHLI
A classy batsman and one of the most prolific run-chasers of our generation, Kohli’s name became synonymous with explosive batting in all three formats of cricket. He made his international debut with an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2008 and went on to become the fastest player to cross the mark of 12,000 runs in ODI history, exceeding the records of legendary cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Kumar Sangakkara. Often criticized for his aggression on the pitch and a failed captainship, Kohli’s importance in the Indian cricket team, however, is rather undeniable. With the stamina of an athlete, the velocity of a cheetah, and eyes as powerful as of an eagle, Kohli still has a long way to go.
5. MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI
The man with zero haters and whose retirement shook the international cricket fraternity with the fans. The captain cool is still continuing his IPL journey as a Chennai loyalist but announced his retirement from the international cricket scene in 2020. Coming at number five or six on the pitch as a middle-order batsman, Dhoni still managed to build massive scores for team India. He was one of the most dependable players for his team and gave some of the most memorable and jaw-dropping finishes of all time. He was able to make massive scores on his own while guiding his peers for 9-long-years as a captain in all three formats. Under his leadership, India took home several trophies, including the 2011 50-over World Cup and the historic 2007 T20 World Cup.
6. YUVRAJ SINGH
In a game where a player is either known for his bowling or batting, Yuvraj Singh was the jack of the trades, blessed with exceptional bowling, batting, and fielding skills. Singh’s performances are proof of why he was among the best assets of the Indian cricket team during the early 2000s. He became the player of the match in his very first ODI against the Aussies in 2000 and went on to score 8000 runs in 304 ODIs at an average of 36.55. His international career is quite impressive despite being a short one. Even cancer could not tame his spirits down as he played brilliantly with both bat and bowl post his treatment. He rewrote history by scoring six sixes in an over in the 2007 T20 International against England.
7. SUNIL GAVASKAR
Sunil Gavaskar was the most successful cricketer of his generation and the man behind the legendary Test series, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, between India and Australia. A dependable bowler and an excellent run scorer, Gavaskar is among the top 5 fastest players to score 5000 runs in the longest format. An absolute charmer for the public and a nightmare for the bowlers, Gavaskar is among the pioneers of Test cricket in India who taught the next generation of Indian cricketers the virtue of professionalism. In his cricket journey of almost two decades, Gavaskar made over 10,000 Test runs at an average of 51.52 and 3092 ODI runs at an average of over 30.
8. DILIP VENGSARKAR
Vengsarkar was among the most important pillars of the Indian batting line-up in the 70s and 80s. Starting his career as an opening batsman for India in his 1976 ODI debut against New Zealand, he later found his strength playing in the middle order. An absolute genius of the game, Vengsarkar was lethal on the pitch with his destructive batting. After back-to-back impressive performances, he became a part of the 1983 World Cup squad, but unfortunately had to step out mid-tournament due to a chin injury.
