Famous 20th Century Cricketers

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Find out more about the greatest 20th Century Cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, AB de Villiers and Imran Khan.
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 1 
Sachin Tendulkar
(One of the Greatest Batsmen in the History of Cricket)
Sachin Tendulkar
50
Birthdate: April 24, 1973
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Often referred to as the God of Cricket in India, Sachin Tendulkar is a retired cricketer. Also known for his humility on and off the field, Sachin is one of the most revered, celebrated, and decorated cricketers. Considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time, Sachin Tendulkar played a key role in turning India into a cricket-frenzy nation.

 2 
Kapil Dev
(Indian Former Cricketer and One of the Sport’s Greatest All-Rounders)
Kapil Dev
30
Birthdate: January 6, 1959
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Chandigarh, India
Kapil Dev is a former Indian all-rounder who captained India to its first Cricket World Cup win, in 1983. He started his career at 16, playing for Haryana. Wisden’s Indian Cricketer of the Century became the first cricketer to take 400 Test wickets and also scored 5,000 Test runs
 3 
Shane Warne
(Former Australian Cricketer, Widely Regarded as the Greatest Leg Spinner in the History of Cricket)
Shane Warne
10
Birthdate: September 13, 1969
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Victoria, Australia
Died: March 4, 2022

Shane Warne was a former Australian cricket player, best known for his leg-break bowling. Widely regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers of all time, Warne was the second-highest wicket-taker in test cricket. He was also one of the most controversial cricketers. In 2013, Shane Warne was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

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 4 
Wasim Akram
(Cricketer)
Wasim Akram
19
Birthdate: June 3, 1966
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lahore

Wasim Akram is a Pakistani former cricketer, cricket commentator, and coach. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He is counted amongst the finest exponents of reverse swing bowling. He became a commentator and coach following his retirement as a player. He is a recipient of the Pakistan Government’s Hilal-e-Imtiaz award. 

 5 
Sunil Gavaskar
(Indian Cricket Commentator and One of the Greatest Opening Batsmen of All Time)
Sunil Gavaskar
15
Birthdate: July 10, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mumbai, India

Sunil Gavaskar is an Indian former professional cricket player who represented the national team during the 1970s and 1980s. Considered one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket history, Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman to score over 10,000 runs in Test cricket. He also set many world records and held the record for most Test centuries for nearly 20 years.

 6 
Ricky Ponting
(Australian Former Cricketer Regarded as One of the Best Batsmen of the Modern Era)
Ricky Ponting
8
Birthdate: December 19, 1974
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Ricky Ponting is an Australian retired cricket player best known for his abilities as a batsman, fielder, and captain. Widely regarded as one of the modern-time greats, Ponting is the leading run-scorer for Australia in Test and ODI cricket. Ponting captained the Australian Test team between 2004 and 2011 and is considered one of the most successful cricket captains of all time.

 7 
Jacques Kallis
(Cricketer)
Jacques Kallis
13
Birthdate: October 16, 1975
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

One of the best all-rounders the world has ever seen, South African cricketer Jacques Kallis was known for his signature cover drive throughout his career. He remains the only cricketer to score over 10,000 runs and take more than 250 wickets in both ODI and Test cricket.

 8 
Dale Steyn
(Cricketer)
Dale Steyn
15
Birthdate: June 27, 1983
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Phalaborwa

The son of a mine worker, South African fast bowler Dale Steyn is known for his mercurial on-field persona and for his swing and speed. He has many accolades to his credit, such as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year. He also topped the ICC Test rankings for 263 weeks.

 9 
Viv Richards
(Antiguan Retired Cricketer Regarded as One of the Greatest Batsmen of All Time)
Viv Richards
22
Birthdate: March 7, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda St. John's, British Leeward Islands
 10 
Imran Khan
(22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan and Former Cricket Captain)
Imran Khan
16
Birthdate: October 5, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Imran Khan is the former Prime Minister of Pakistan who was in office from 2018 to 2022. He is also the founder and chairman of the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Before making an entry into politics, Imran Khan was an extremely popular international cricketer who led Pakistan to its first ever Cricket World Cup title in 1992. As a philanthropist, he established Pakistan’s first cancer hospital in Lahore.

 11 
Anil Kumble
(Cricketer)
Anil Kumble
13
Birthdate: October 17, 1970
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
 12 
Adam Gilchrist
(Cricketer)
Adam Gilchrist
10
Birthdate: November 14, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bellingen
 13 
Waqar Younis
(Former Cricket bowler)
Waqar Younis
9
Birthdate: November 16, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Vehari, Pakistan

Waqar Younis is a Pakistani former cricketer, commentator, and coach. During his playing career, he captained the Pakistan national cricket team. He played as a right-arm fast bowler and is still counted amongst the greatest bowlers to have played the game. He became a coach after his retirement and was once the head coach of the Pakistani cricket team. 

 14 
Andrew Flintoff
(English Television and Radio Presenter and Former International Cricketer)
Andrew Flintoff
13
Birthdate: December 6, 1977
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Preston, Lancashire, England
 15 
Curtly Ambrose
(One of the Greatest Fast Bowlers of All Time)
Curtly Ambrose
9
Birthdate: September 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Swetes, Antigua and Barbuda

Curtly Ambrose is a former cricketer who represented the West Indies cricket team in Test and ODI matches. Renowned for his pace and accuracy, Ambrose is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers ever. In 2011, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

 16 
Hashim Amla
(Cricketer)
Hashim Amla
14
Birthdate: March 31, 1983
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Durban, South Africa

One of the best ODI bastmen in the world, South African cricketer Hashim Amla has made many records, from being the fastest to reach 20 ODI centuries to being the fourth player to score centuries against all Test-playing nations. He was also the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2013.

 17 
Sunil Narine
(cricketer)
Sunil Narine
7
Birthdate: May 26, 1988
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Arima
 18 
Sir Donald Bradman
(Australian Cricketer Who is Considered the Greatest Batsman of All Time)
Sir Donald Bradman
11
Birthdate: August 27, 1908
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cootamundra, Australia
Died: February 25, 2001

Australian cricketer, Sir Donald Bradman, is widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. He started playing cricket as a young man and scored numerous records within a few years. In a career spanning around two decades, he retired with a career test batting average of 99.94. He retained a pre-eminent position in the game for decades following his retirement. 

 19 
Courtney Walsh
(Cricketer)
Courtney Walsh
4
Birthdate: October 30, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kingston

Courtney Walsh is a Jamaican former cricketer who played for the West Indies cricket team from 1984 to 2001. Considered one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, Walsh became the first bowler to take 500 Test wickets before finishing his career with 519 wickets. Walsh was made an inductee of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2010.

 20 
Mitchell Starc
(Cricketer)
Mitchell Starc
7
Birthdate: January 30, 1990
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Baulkham Hills, Sydney, Australia

Mitchell Starc is an Australian international cricketer. He plays for the Australian national team in international cricket and New South Wales in domestic cricket. Primarily a left-arm fast bowler, he is also a capable lower-order left-handed batsman. He was part of the Australian squad that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup. He is married to fellow cricketer Alyssa Healy. 

 21 
Andrew Symonds
(Batting allrounder Cricketer)
Andrew Symonds
5
Birthdate: June 9, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Birmingham, England
Died: May 14, 2022
 22 
Mohammad Azharuddin
(Former Indian International Cricketer Who Played as a Batsman)
Mohammad Azharuddin
12
Birthdate: February 8, 1963
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Mohammad Azharuddin, also known as Azhar, was the captain of the Indian cricket team for much of the 1990s. He made headlines for his affair with actor-model Sangeeta Bijlani, which later culminated in marriage. He was later banned from cricket for match-fixing. He also became an Indian National Congress MP.
 23 
Glenn McGrath
(Australian Former International Cricketer and One of the Greatest Fast Bowlers of All Time)
Glenn McGrath
8
Birthdate: February 9, 1970
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia

Glenn McGrath is an Australian former international cricketer. A fast-medium pace bowler, he is considered one of the greatest Australian international bowlers of all time. He played international cricket for 14 years and was a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket in the 1990s and 2000s. He is currently the director of MRF Pace Foundation. 

 24 
Brendon McCullum
(Cricketer)
Brendon McCullum
4
Birthdate: September 27, 1981
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Dunedin

Brendon McCullum is a New Zealand former cricket player who captained the national team in all formats of the game. Renowned for his ability to score runs quickly, McCullum is regarded as one of the most successful captains of the national cricket team. Brendon McCullum is currently associated with the England cricket test team where he is the head coach. 

 25 
Dennis Lillee
(Cricketer)
Dennis Lillee
4
Birthdate: July 18, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Perth
 26 
Ian Botham
(English Cricket Commentator, Member of the House of Lords and Former Cricketer)
Ian Botham
14
Birthdate: November 24, 1955
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Heswall, Cheshire, England
 27 
Rahul Dravid
(Indian Cricket Coach and Former Captain of the Indian National Team)
Rahul Dravid
6
Birthdate: January 11, 1973
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

Nicknamed The Wall for his resilient batting in Test cricket, Rahul Dravid was known for his unmatched concentration. He was selected for the Indian cricket squad while pursuing his MBA. Apart from winning the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, he has also been named to the ICC Hall of Fame.

 28 
Sourav Ganguly
(Former Indian National Cricket Team Captain and 39th President of the 'BCCI')
Sourav Ganguly
14
Birthdate: July 8, 1972
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Considered India's most successful Test captain, legendary cricketer Sourav Ganguly, nicknamed Maharaj, was also arguably one of the best one-day batsmen of his time. Also known as the God of the Off Side, he now heads the BCCI as its president. He was initially also a talented footballer.

 29 
Mithali Raj
(Cricketer)
Mithali Raj
10
Birthdate: December 3, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jodhpur
 30 
Faf du Plessis
(Cricketer)
Faf du Plessis
11
Birthdate: July 13, 1984
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Pretoria

Faf du Plessis is a South African cricketer who captained the national team in the ODI format from 2013 to 2019. He has also captained the national team in the other two formats of the game. He became the first South African player to score centuries in ODI, T20, and Test cricket after he scored his first T20I century in 2015.

 31 
Hansie Cronje
(South African Cricketer Who was Banned from Cricket for His Role in Match-Fixing Scandal)
Hansie Cronje
8
Birthdate: September 25, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bloemfontein, South Africa
Died: June 1, 2002

Hansie Cronje was a South African international cricketer. He captained the South African national cricket team in the 1990s. In 2000, he was implicated in a cricket match-fixing scandal and banned from the sport for life. He died in a plane crash in 2002. It was rumored that he was murdered on the orders of a cricket betting syndicate.

 32 
Dwayne Bravo
(Cricketer)
Dwayne Bravo
5
Birthdate: October 7, 1983
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago
 33 
Allan Border
(Former Australian Cricket Team Captain and Outstanding Left-Hand Batsman)
Allan Border
4
Birthdate: July 27, 1955
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cremorne, Australia

Legendary Australian cricketer Allan Border, also popularly known as AB, remains to be regarded as one of the best batsmen the game has ever had. Under his captaincy, Australia didn’t just win a World Cup but also brought back the Ashes in 1989. He is also one of Australia’s 100 National Living Treasures.

 34 
Michael Clarke
(cricketer)
Michael Clarke
6
Birthdate: April 2, 1981
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Liverpool
 35 
Greg Chappell
(Cricketer)
Greg Chappell
3
Birthdate: August 7, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Unley
 36 
Eoin Morgan
(Cricketer)
Eoin Morgan
9
Birthdate: September 10, 1986
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
 37 
Nasser Hussain
(British Cricket Commentator and Former Cricketer Who Captained the England Cricket Team Between 1999 and 2003)
Nasser Hussain
3
Birthdate: March 28, 1968
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Madras, Chennai, India

Born to an Indian Muslim father and a British mother in Madras, Nasser Hussain moved to England with his family, as a child. At 12, he was the youngest to join the Essex Under-15 cricket team. He grew up to become one of the best English Test cricket captains.

 38 
Allan Donald
(Cricketer)
Allan Donald
5
Birthdate: October 20, 1966
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bloemfontein

Allan Donald is a South African former cricket player best known for his fast-paced deliveries that earned him the nickname White Lightning. Regarded as one of South Africa's most successful fast bowlers, Donald was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019. After retiring from international cricket, Donald has focused on establishing himself as a coach.

 39 
Steve Waugh
(Cricketer)
Steve Waugh
4
Birthdate: June 2, 1965
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Canterbury
 40 
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
(Former Captain of the Indian Cricket Team)
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
8
Birthdate: January 5, 1941
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bhopal, India
Died: September 22, 2011

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was an Indian cricket player. Entrusted with the responsibility of captaining the Indian cricket team, at the age of 21, Pataudi went on to become one of the greatest Indian cricket captains of all time. Also known for his fielding abilities, he was described by many as the best fielder in the world during his playing career.

 41 
Kieron Pollard
(Cricketer)
Kieron Pollard
5
Birthdate: May 12, 1987
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tacarigua, Trinidad
 42 
Shahid Afridi
(Former Pakistani Cricketer)
Shahid Afridi
10
Birthdate: March 1, 1977
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Khyber Agency, Pakistan

Shahid Afridi is a former Pakistani cricketer. An all-rounder with an aggressive batting style, he is widely considered one of the most destructive cricketers. He held the fastest ODI century record for 17 years before it was broken. He still holds the record for having hit the most sixes in the history of ODI cricket.  

 43 
Richard Hadlee
(Cricketer)
Richard Hadlee
3
Birthdate: July 3, 1951
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Christchurch

Richard Hadlee is a New Zealand retired cricket player who is considered as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time; he is especially renowned for his ability as a fine fast bowler. In 2002, he was named the second-greatest Test bowler in cricket history by Wisden. In 2009, Hadlee was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

 44 
Sir Garfield Sobers
(One of the finest all-rounders in cricket)
Sir Garfield Sobers
4
Birthdate: July 28, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bridgetown, Barbados

Sir Garfield Sobers is a former cricket player who represented the West Indies cricket team during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Renowned for his all-round abilities, Sobers is regarded as the greatest all-rounder of all time. He is also considered one of the greatest cricketers ever. In 2009, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

 45 
Virender Sehwag
(Cricketer)
Virender Sehwag
7
Birthdate: October 20, 1978
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Delhi

Born to a flour mill owner, Virender Sehwag convinced his family to let him learn cricket since he wasn’t good in academics. He later grew up to be an aggressive batsman, breaking many records. He’s one of two people with a double hundred in ODI and a triple hundred in Test cricket.

 46 
Malcolm Marshall
(Cricketer Bowler)
Malcolm Marshall
4
Birthdate: April 18, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bridgetown, Barbados
Died: November 4, 1999
 47 
Jonty Rhodes
(Former South African Cricketer)
Jonty Rhodes
7
Birthdate: July 27, 1969
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pietermaritzberg, Natal, South Africa

A person who redefined fielding in cricket, by bringing it to the forefront, South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes first gained attention when he flung himself to run-out Pakistani cricketer Inzamam-Ul-Haq in a 1992 World Cup game. He worked with Standard Bank and then coached the national team post-retirement.

 48 
Martin Guptill
(Cricketer)
Martin Guptill
4
Birthdate: September 30, 1986
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Auckland

Martin Guptill is a New Zealand cricket player who plays for the national team. In 2015, Guptill became the first New Zealand batsman to score a double century in an ODI match. His 237 not out is the second highest ODI score after Rohit Sharma's 264. Martin Guptill's 237 remains the highest individual score in a World Cup match.

 49 
Martin Crowe
(One of the New Zealand’s Greatest Batsmen)
Martin Crowe
6
Birthdate: September 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Henderson, New Zealand
Died: March 3, 2016

Martin Crowe was a New Zealand cricket player who captained the national Test and ODI teams. Counted among the greatest batsmen New Zealand has ever produced, Crowe was the highest run-scorer for New Zealand in Test and One Day International cricket at the time of his retirement in 1995. Martin Crowe served as a commentator after retiring as a player.

 50 
Matthew Hayden
(Cricketer)
Matthew Hayden
4
Birthdate: October 29, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia