Greatest cricketer of the century: here are 3

Greatest cricketer of the century are among Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar, and Muthiah Muralidaran. All three have been named the greatest men’s international cricketers of the 21st century by an all-star ESPNcricinfo jury of players and former players.

Tendulkar was voted the greatest batter, Muralidaran the greatest bowler, and Kallis the greatest all-round cricketer, for their performances in the 2000-2025 period across international formats. Ellyse Perry was voted the greatest women’s international cricketer of the century in a separate exercise.

The selections were made based on voting by a 25-member jury that included Wasim Akram, Greg Chappell, Faf du Plessis, Matthew Hayden, Angelo Mathews, Tom Moody, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Shastri, Daniel Vettori, and Shane Watson.

Jacques Kallis– cricketer of the century

Kallis, who ranks alongside Garry Sobers as the greatest all-round performer in the history of the game, finished with 13,289 runs and 292 wickets in Tests, which places him fourth among the all-time Test run-scorers. His international career lasted just short of two decades, and he was pivotal in the South Africa teams of the 2000s and early 2010s, including the one under Graeme Smith that was ranked the No. 1 Test side in the world.

Reflecting on his career on the occasion of the award, Kallis said South Africa’s back-to-back Test series wins in Australia [in 2008-09 and 2012-13], and England [2008 and 2012] were the highlights.

Among his individual Test innings, he picked his 201 not out against India in Centurion in 2010 as a standout. His first Test hundred, 101 against Australia to save the Melbourne match of 1997 for South Africa, was also special, he said. In that match, South Africa were up against a fourth-innings target of 381, and Kallis’ six-hour century fetched them a draw.

Sachin Tendulkar

The stadium was a sea of blue, a living, breathing entity united by a single, deafening chant: “Sa-chin! Sa-chin!” Every eye was fixed on the pavilion steps, waiting for the man who carried the hopes of a billion people. As Sachin Tendulkar walked out to the crease, adjusting his helmet and tapping his bat, the world paused. He was not just a batsman; he was the icon who earned the title of the cricketer of the century 11 times over in the hearts of his fans.

The crisp afternoon air carried the electric tension of a high-stakes match, but for Sachin, it was just another day at the office. Over the years, the pressure had ceased to be a burden; it had become the fuel that ignited his genius. Every time he stepped past the boundary rope, he knew he was stepping into a colosseum where failure was not an option.

Born in Mumbai on April 24, 1973, Sachin’s journey began with a heavy bat and boundless dreams. Gifted with an innate sense of timing, he was guided by his strict coach, Ramakant Achrekar, who would place a coin on top of the stumps during practice sessions.

If Sachin survived without getting out, the coin was his—a priceless reward that taught him the true value of his wicket. By the time he was sixteen, he was thrown into the ultimate test, debuting against Pakistan’s fierce bowling attack in 1989. Facing the furious pace of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, the young boy was tested like never before. Bloodied but unbowed after being hit squarely on the nose by a sharp bouncer, he brushed aside the medical assistance and declared, “Main khelega” (I will play). He stood his ground, showing the world that this brave teenager was destined to become the cricketer of the century.

Sachin’s batting was a masterclass in textbook perfection, combined with an unparalleled flair that kept fans spellbound. His straight drive was a work of art, a shot so divine that opposition bowlers could only watch in quiet admiration as the ball raced to the boundary. Through the 1990s, he single-handedly carried the Indian batting line-up, dismantling legendary bowling attacks with surgical precision. Whether it was the famous “Desert Storm” innings in Sharjah against Australia or his masterful counter-attacks on bouncy pitches in Perth, he redefined the art of batting. Commentators, analysts, and opposing captains globally agreed that his sheer consistency, technique, and absolute dominance made him the true cricketer of the century.

Every time Sachin walked out to bat, an entire nation stopped working. Televisions were switched on in offices, crowded markets grew completely quiet, and city traffic subsided into a strange calm. People from all walks of life, regardless of their differences, found common ground in watching him play. The pressure of carrying a billion expectations on his shoulders would have crushed an ordinary athlete, yet he absorbed it all with supreme grace and dignity. He was a modern deity of the sport, and fans constantly chanted that he was the supreme cricketer of the century. His presence at the crease provided a sense of security to millions of households across India.

His career spanned an astonishing twenty-four years, a testament to his fitness, mental fortitude, and undying love for the game. He accumulated statistics that read like mythical legends, scoring 100 international centuries and over 34,000 runs across all formats. Despite the dizzying heights of global fame, Sachin remained remarkably humble, never letting success get to his head. He respected the game, his seniors, and his opponents alike, embodying the virtues of the ultimate cricketer of the century. He was the perfect role model, demonstrating that true greatness is measured not just by the runs you score, but by how you conduct yourself on and off the field.

The crowning glory of his illustrious career arrived on April 2, 2011, at his home ground, the historic Wankhede Stadium. India won the ICC Cricket World Cup after a long wait of twenty-eight years, fulfilling Sachin’s lifelong childhood dream. As his jubilant teammates carried him on their shoulders around the ground, the stadium erupted in pure joy. Virat Kohli famously remarked to the media that Sachin had carried the burden of the nation for twenty-four years, so it was only fair that they carried him on their shoulders. It was a fitting tribute to the verified cricketer of the century, who had finally achieved the one trophy he cherished above all individual honors.

Even after his emotional retirement from international cricket in 2013, Sachin’s legacy remains entirely untouched by time. In discussions across cricket academies, clubs, and sports bars from Melbourne to Mumbai, purists still crown him as the undisputed cricketer of the century. His impact transcends mere numbers and statistics, defining the cultural fabric of modern India during a period of economic growth and transformation. He was the symbol of a rising nation that was confident, ambitious, and ready to take on the world.

Young players entering cricket academies today still watch archived videos of his flawless technique, hoping to emulate the legendary cricketer of the century. His commitment to the sport was so absolute that he would spend hours in the nets refining a single shot, even after achieving everything possible in the game. He showed the world that cricket was not just a game, but a religion driven by passion, dedication, and sportsmanship. Generations of cricket lovers will come and go, but history will always remember him as the finest cricketer of the century.

Looking back at his magical journey, from a young boy running around Shivaji Park with an oversized bat to a global sporting phenomenon, his story inspires millions worldwide. He proved that humility and greatness can coexist beautifully, even in the highly competitive world of professional sports. Without a doubt, Sachin Tendulkar will forever be celebrated as the definitive cricketer of the century. His life serves as a blueprint for anyone chasing excellence in any field of human endeavor.

Ultimately, Sachin’s life is a timeless epic of passion and perfection. He gave his youth, his energy, and his soul to the game, and the game rewarded him with immortality. Long after the stadium lights have faded and the cheers have grown quiet, his name will echo through eternity as the ultimate cricketer of the century.

Anyway, Tendulkar, the most prolific scorer across formats in the history of the game, is the leading run-maker in Tests and ODIs; has the most hundreds and fifties in Tests; the most fifties in ODIs, and till recently held the record for most hundreds in that format. He is undoubtedly the greatest cricketer of the century.

Muthiah Muralidaran

Muthiah Muralidaran is widely regarded as the most successful and magical off-spinner in the history of world cricket, a bowler whose unique action and mesmerizing skills consistently left the world’s best batsmen completely baffled. Making his international debut for Sri Lanka in 1992, he went on to dominate the sport for nearly two decades with his sharp turn, incredible accuracy, and the deadly introduction of the ‘doosra’. Because of his absolute mastery over the art of spin bowling, numerous sports analysts and cricket purists confidently celebrate his legacy as the true cricketer of the century.

The way he could snap his wrist and use his fingers to generate massive turn on any pitch was something standard bowlers could only dream of achieving. Even when his unique bowling action faced intense scrutiny and controversial reviews early in his career, he cleared every scientific test with absolute transparency and returned to the field even stronger. This relentless fighting spirit, combined with an iconic smiling face under immense pressure, quickly turned him into a global sporting icon and a certified cricketer of the century in the eyes of fans everywhere.

When looking at his career statistics, Muralidaran’s numbers read like an unreachable fairy tale. He captured an astonishing 800 wickets in Test cricket and 534 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs), making him the highest wicket-taker in the history of both formats—a monumental record that remains completely unbroken to this day. His unmatched ability to win matches single-handedly from hopeless situations helped Sri Lanka secure the 1996 Cricket World Cup and the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, firmly cementing his status as his nation’s greatest sporting treasure and a phenomenal cricketer of the century.

Off the field, Muralidaran always maintained a wonderfully humble, warm, and approachable personality that earned him deep respect across all cricket-playing nations. He proved to the world that ultimate greatness can be achieved through pure hard work, resilience, and dignity, serving as a perfect role model and an inspirational cricketer of the century for young generations.

The dramatic manner of his Test retirement in 2010, where he dismissed Pragyan Ojha with his very last ball in Test cricket to reach the historic 800-wicket milestone, stands as one of the most emotional and poetic moments ever witnessed in sports history. Even now in 2026, whenever legendary players gather to debate the greatest match-winners to have ever played the game, Muralidaran is constantly crowned as the definitive cricketer of the century. His incredible career was not just about breaking numbers; it was a beautiful journey of passion, triumph over adversity, and timeless magic. Ultimately, his legacy as a wizard of spin ensures that history will forever remember him as the ultimate cricketer of the century.

Other Award winner

Other winners at the Cricinfo Honours night in Mumbai included AB de Villiers, who was voted best T20 batter, and Jasprit Bumrah, who was picked as best T20 bowler. De Villiers finished his T20 career with just short of 9500 runs, at a strike rate of 150, before that sort of scoring came to be normalised in the format, and was a lynchpin of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side in the IPL. Bumrah, who has won two T20 World Cups with India and five IPL titles with Mumbai Indians, has 349 wickets in 283 matches and counting, at an economy of under 7 an over.

Perry, one of the greatest talents across all sports in the modern era, picked the 2020 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne, which Australia won to record their fifth title in six editions of the tournament, as a highlight of her career – despite not having played in the game herself. “It was a real moment and also a nod to the foundations that had been laid for women’s cricket and every person who had worked hard for women’s cricket and fought for its development that day.”She may be the greatest female cricketer of the century.

Among the few women’s cricketers to have played more than a handful of Tests in an age where the format is little seen in women’s cricket, she picked out her Ashes encounters with England as special. In 11 Tests against England, she has stellar numbers, averaging over 60 with the bat and under 20 with the ball. The Canterbury match of 2015, where she took 6 for 39 in the fourth innings to get

Australia’s win was a particular highlight, she said, but her finest all-round performance in the format came in Perth in 2014, against England again, when she made 71 and 31 and took 8 for 79, but her team lost. “It was probably the most phenomenal game of Test match cricket I played,” she said. “We ended up losing, but I just thought the challenge that that provided and the competition, and the way that every ball mattered, that was really special.”

Muralidaran finished his epoch-making career with a round 800 Test wickets at an average of under 23, in 2010, and was central to Sri Lanka’s status as a force in cricket in the 2000s.

Apart from Kallis, Tendulkar and Muralidaran, the other players in Cricinfo’s top five men’s internationals are Virat Kohli (No. 3) and Ricky Ponting (No. 5). Other than Kohli, currently active players who feature in the top 25 are Mitchell Starc (No. 17), Kane Williamson (16), Bumrah (15) and Joe Root (9).

Future stars

At just fifteen years old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has completely revolutionized modern power-hitting, turning the biggest cricket stadiums into his personal playground. Playing for the Rajasthan Royals, this explosive left-handed prodigy from Bihar shocked the sporting fraternity by smashing an unbelievable 776 runs in the IPL. His fearless batting style against legendary international bowlers instantly earned him a massive global reputation, with media commentators boldly identifying him as a generational cricketer of the century.

Vaibhav’s legendary campaign saw him rewrite history books by hitting a staggering 72 sixes, comfortably shattering Chris Gayle’s long-standing single-season record. When he launched a 15-ball half-century and a blistering 97 off just 29 balls, senior sports analysts declared that the sport had found its true future cricketer of the century. The sheer audacity of his batting, maintaining an astronomical strike rate of over 237, left opposing captains entirely clueless. Critics watching his historic rise remarked that he possesses the unique DNA of an era-defining cricketer of the century.

Despite the skyrocketing media hype and relentless public scrutiny, the young sensation remains heavily focused on working hard in the training nets. Even legendary veterans have stepped forward to praise his composure, validating his status as a legitimate cricketer of the century. Every single time Vaibhav walks out to open the batting, fans erupt in sheer excitement, knowing they are witnessing a revolutionary cricketer of the century in the making. His historic milestone as the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket stands as definitive proof of his elite potential. While his professional journey is only beginning, his monumental performances strongly hint that he is destined to retire as the ultimate cricketer of the century.