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.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
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,
09:41be sure to subscribe to our channel
09:43and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
09:46You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
09:50If you're on your phone,
09:51make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
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.