Greatest Test Batsmen Of All Time

1. Don Bradman

Without getting into any technicalities, Don Bradman could be rated as the greatest test batsman of all time  just for his outstanding average of almost 100 runs. Some people are recently heard saying that Don played on only a couple of grounds, and may be even the bowling was also ordinary, and hence he has that kind of average. Then the others at that time too played on limited number of grounds and against the same bowlers. No one of them could even come near Don Bradman. We have not heard of any of the other great batsmen averaging near 100 even in first class. Hence Bradman can be easily dubbed as the greatest batsman in the history of test cricket.

2. Brian Lara

Brain Lara could play both pace and spin as well as or better than anybody else in the history of game, and at the same time do things that have been rarity throughout the history of cricket, and of course his records boasts of unique feats. He is the only batsman in the history of the game to have scored a 500 in first class cricket, only batsman to have scored a 400 in test cricket, one of only four batsmen to have scored two triple hundreds throughout the history of the game, and of course is among those batsmen to have scored most number of double century. Hanif Mohammad is another cricketer who came close to scoring 500 in first class matches. He was a flamboyant batsman and has two entries in a list for scoring most number of runs in an over.

He also dominated the best bowlers of his time. Murali described him the best batsman he has ever bowled to. Similarly he dominated both McGrath and Shane Warne and scored a match winning 153 in the fourth innings chasing a tricky target. He also has quite a number of double hundreds against Australia, which boasted of McGrath and Shane Warne in their bowling lineup. Another great bowler of his time, Waseem Akram too rated him as the best batsman in the world when Lara was playing.

3. Vivian Richards

His attacking style of play might deter some to consider among the very top test batsmen of all time, but very few cricketers in the history of the game have played test cricket like Viv did and had as much success. He was one of the very few batsmen who could actually dominate the ball irrespective of the format of the game. You look throughout the history of the game and you will find very few successful batsmen who played as aggressively as Vivian Richards did. Despite his attacking and aggressive style of batting, he maintained an average of more than 50 runs per innings. He boasts of the fastest hundred in terms of the number of balls, and scored a 100 of just 56 balls.

4. Adam Gilchrist

A test batsman batting at #7 to have an average of around 50 runs is as exceptional as Don's test average. He scored those runs at an exceptional strike rate of more than 80, and only a couple of other batsmen have a strike rate to match Adam Gilchrist. He has the second fastest test hundred against his name, scoring a hundred of just 57 deliveries. He played many crucial innings that won matches for Australia.

5. Virender Sehwag

He could come up with exceptional things like the top four in this list. He is one of only four batsmen to have gone past 300 mark twice in their career. He is also one of the few to have a strike rate of more than 80. Ther other batsman to have a strike rate of more than 80 in test cricket is Adam Gilchrist. Arguably, one of the main reasons for India being #1 in ICC test ranking.

6. Javed Miandad

Undoubtedly, the greatest fighter on a cricket field. Javed Miandad new knew what the pressure and excelled when the team was back to the wall. I do not believe in any test or one day World XI without Javed Miandad. I think he is the greatest match winning batsman that the cricketing world has ever seen. Very few batsmen in the history of the game of cricket have won more games than Javed Miandad did for his country. I also do not understand why he has not featured in Espnstar cricinfo's XI's series of programs on Legends of Cricket.

7. Greg Chappell

One of the most gifted batsmen of all time. Greg Chappell had all the shots in his armory. He excelled against pace and spin alike. He batted outstandingly well during the super series cricket and scored more than 600 runs in five test matches against a fearsome West Indian bowling attack. He could pick gaps better than anyone else in the game. He was also one of the most elegant batsmen the game has ever seen.

8. Sunil Gavaskar

Another outstanding test batsman in the mould of Hanif Mohammad. He could spend hours on the pitch without even scoring. His feats against the mighty West Indies team of 1980s are legendary. He scored most number of hundreds against the fearsome West Indies bowling attack.

9. Sachin Tendulkar

One of the greatest batting talent the game has ever seen, and equally good in all forms of the game. He is one of the youngest batsmen to have made test debut. His hunger for runs and records is exceptional. His desire for more and more records has kept him going after 21 years of International cricket. He carried the hopes of million of Indian fans, although he was well supported and often excelled by the other Indian batsmen of his time.

10.. Hanif Mohammad

An exceptional batsman in terms of concentration and defending abilities. Hanif Mohammad's endeavor to bat for almost three days to save a test match and score 337 runs during the course is one of the most exceptional feat in the history of the game. The feat came on fast and bouncy pitch of West Indies and against the fearsome bowlers of his time. He also scored 499 runs in one innings of a first class game. The only other player besides Brian Lara to have a test triple hundred and First quadraple hundred.