There are a few Indian cricketers who have made a huge contribution to the success of the Indian cricket team and have set a high bar for future generations of Indian cricketers.
So, here are our top 10 picks for India’s Game-Changing Cricketers of all time and their specialties.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket well-known by the name The God Of Cricket.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run scorer of all time in international cricket and has scored the most centuries in international cricket, with 100 centuries in his career.
He is the first batsman to score a double century in an ODI match, and the only player to score a century in all three formats of the game.
He has also won the most Man of the Match awards in the history of cricket, with 62 awards.
He has also won several awards for his contributions to the game, including the Bharat Ratna in 2014, the Arjuna Award in 1994, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
2. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian cricket team in all formats. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler. Kohli is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the world and is considered the best contemporary batsman in the world.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Kohli’s specialty lies in his batting, which has been the cornerstone of his success in the world of cricket. He is a master of all three formats of the game and is known for his aggressive batting style, ability to rotate the strike, and ability to score quickly on any given occasion.
He is also known for his remarkable consistency and ability to play match-winning innings on a regular basis.
Kohli holds numerous records in the world of cricket, including most runs in a single calendar year in all three formats of the game, most centuries in a single calendar year in all three formats, most centuries in ODIs, most Man of the Match awards in ODIs, and most runs in a single World Cup.
He also holds the record for most runs by an Indian batsman in Tests and ODIs.
3. Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar is considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time and holds several records.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Sunil Gavaskar is the first batsman to score 10,000 Test runs and the first player to score centuries in both innings of a Test match three times.
He was the first Test batsman to score 30 centuries in Test cricket and held the record of 34 centuries until Sachin Tendulkar surpassed it. He was the only player to score centuries in his first and last Test match.
He also held the record for most Test runs, and most Test centuries, and was the first Indian to score a double century in Test cricket.
Gavaskar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1980 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2014 for his contributions to Indian cricket.
4. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev is an Indian cricket legend who is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Kapil Dev is the only player to have scored over 5,000 runs and taken more than 400 wickets in Test cricket. He also captained India to victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, India’s first World Cup win.
Kapil Dev was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2010.
He is also the recipient of several awards, including the Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
5. Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid is one of the greatest cricket players in India. He is known for his brilliant batting skills, especially in test cricket. He is also known for his excellent fielding and leadership qualities. He was the captain of the Indian national team for a period of time.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Rahul Dravid is the second-highest run scorer in Test Cricket with 13,288 runs. He is the fourth-highest run scorer in ODI cricket with 10,889 runs.
He is the only batsman to have scored centuries in all the 10 Test-playing nations. He is the only Indian batsman to have scored a century in each inning of a Test Match.
He won the ICC Player of the Year award in 2004 and the ICC Test Player of the Year award in 2004. He also won the ICC Player of the Tournament award in the 2003 Cricket World Cup.
He has also been awarded the Padma Shri award (India’s fourth-highest civilian award) in 2004.
6. Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly is one of India’s greatest cricketers. He was the captain of the Indian team from 2000 to 2005 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest captains in Indian cricket history.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
During his tenure, the Indian team achieved many successes, including a Test series win against Australia in 2001, the 2003 Cricket World Cup final, and a Test series win in Pakistan in 2004.
He was also the leading run scorer in the 2003 World Cup, scoring 619 runs in 11 matches. He is also the 6th highest scorer in ODI cricket with 11,363 runs, and the only Indian batsman to score more than 10,000 runs in ODI cricket.
Off the field, Ganguly has been involved in a number of charity and social work initiatives. He established the Sourav Ganguly Foundation which is dedicated to helping underprivileged children in India.
He also regularly visits schools and hospitals to encourage children to pursue their dreams.
7. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and former captain of the Indian national cricket team. This a personal opinion no one asked for, well, he is my favorite cricketer.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
MS Dhoni’s specialty is wicket-keeping and batting.
He is the only captain in history to win all three ICC international trophies, namely the ICC Cricket World Cup, the ICC World Twenty20, and the ICC Champions Trophy.
He is an honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket.
He has also been the recipient of many awards, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan.
He is the second-most successful Indian Test captain, behind Virat Kohli.
He was also the first Indian wicket-keeper to effect 100 dismissals in ODI cricket.
8. Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag is a former Indian cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He was an attacking right-hand opening batsman and right-arm off-spin bowler. Sehwag played his first One Day International in April 1999 and his first Test match in November 2001.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Sehwag’s specialty was his attacking style of batting, often scoring runs at a rapid rate. He also became the first Indian to score a triple century in a Test match and was the only player in the world to do so twice until the achievement was later matched by Karun Nair.
Sehwag also holds the record for the highest individual score in a One Day International, which he achieved in 2011 against the West Indies. He was also the fastest Indian to reach 8,000, 9,000, and 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
Sehwag’s achievements include the Padma Shri award in 2008, the Arjuna Award in 2002, and the ICC Test Player of the Year in 2008. He is only the second player in the history of the game to be conferred with the title of Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2008.
He was also the captain of the Indian team for the 2011 World Cup.
9. Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble is an Indian former cricketer and former captain of the Indian national cricket team. He is a right-arm leg-spinner and is one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the game.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
Anil Kumble holds the world record for the most wickets taken in Test cricket, having taken 619 wickets from 132 Tests. He was also the third bowler to take 600 Test wickets.
Kumble was selected as the Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year in 1993, one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1996 and one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the 20th Century in 2000.
He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor in 2005. He was also awarded the Indian civilian honor of the Padma Bhushan in 2015.
Kumble’s other achievements include winning the ICC Test Championship in 2004 and being part of the Indian team which won the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
He was also the Chairman of the International Cricket Council’s cricket committee.
10. VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman is a former Indian cricketer who played international cricket for 16 years. He is widely regarded as one of India’s greatest batsmen and is renowned for his stylish strokeplay.
Achievements & Specialties In The Game Of Cricket:
He is best remembered for his match-winning 281 against Australia in the 2001 Kolkata Test, which has been regarded as one of the greatest Test innings of all time.
He was also a part of the Indian team that reached the 2003 World Cup final.
He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2011.
Conclusion
India has some of the best cricketers in the world.
Some of the most notable cricketers that have been game-changers of Cricket are the above-mentioned cricketers.
David Thompson, an ardent sports aficionado and adept writer, unravels cricket’s rich tapestry with passion. His narratives celebrate legendary moments and iconic players, offering readers insightful glimpses into the captivating heritage within the world of cricket.