A panel of 25 current and former cricketers has voted Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Muttiah Muralitharan and Ellyse Perry as the greatest international cricketers of the 21st century.
Tendulkar was named the greatest batter of the period from 2000 to 2025. He remains one of the most prolific run-scorers in cricket history. He holds several major batting records across Tests and ODIs.
Kallis was voted the greatest all-rounder. The South African legend scored more than 21,000 international runs during the period while also contributing heavily with the ball. He was a key figure in South Africa’s rise to the top of the Test rankings and played a major role in famous series victories in Australia and England.
Muralitharan was selected as the greatest bowler. The Sri Lankan off-spinner finished his Test career with 800 wickets. He made Sri Lanka the strongest teams in world cricket during the 2000s.
In the women’s category, Perry was voted the greatest international cricketer of the century. The Australian star has excelled with both bat and ball across formats. She has been one of the most influential players in women’s cricket.
Other awards included AB de Villiers being named the greatest T20 batter and Jasprit Bumrah being voted the greatest T20 bowler. De Villiers was praised for revolutionising T20 batting with his innovative strokeplay.
The overall top five men’s international cricketers of the 21st century were Kallis, Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Muralitharan and Ricky Ponting. Among active players, Kohli, Bumrah, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Mitchell Starc were included in the top 25 rankings.
Ravichandran Ashwin Explains Why AB de Villiers Was Voted the Greatest T20 Batter of the 21st Century
AB de Villiers was voted the greatest T20 batter of the 21st century because he changed the way the format was played. According to Ravichandran Ashwin, de Villiers inspired an entire generation of batters to think differently and attempt shots that were once considered impossible.
De Villiers finished his T20 career with 9,424 runs at a strike rate of 150.13. Ashwin pointed out that he was equally capable of playing long and patient innings in Test cricket. That combination of traditional technique and fearless innovation made him unique.
One of the qualities that stood out most was his incredibly quick hands. Ashwin recalled a memorable IPL innings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium where de Villiers flicked a near-yorker from Mohammed Shami high into the stands. It was the kind of shot that very few batters could even attempt.
Ashwin believes de Villiers was much more than a power-hitter. He described him as a brilliant problem solver who always found answers to the challenges bowlers presented. de Villiers rarely showed any obvious weakness. He could adapt his game to any situation.
The two shared several memorable battles. Ashwin dismissed de Villiers in the 2014 T20 World Cup semi-final. However, just a month later, de Villiers countered the same plan in the IPL. He then hit him for a six. That ability to learn and adapt made him the toughest batters to bowl at repeatedly.
Aaron Finch Explains Why Jasprit Bumrah Was Voted the Greatest T20 Bowler of the 21st Century
Jasprit Bumrah was voted the greatest T20 bowler of the 21st century. He has the ability to deliver under pressure better than almost anyone else. Former Australia captain Aaron Finch believes that when a match is on the line, Bumrah is the bowler every captain wants with the ball in hand.
One of Finch’s earliest memories of Bumrah came during an IPL Super Over in 2017. Defending just 12 runs against Finch and Brendon McCullum, Bumrah produced a spell of near-perfect yorkers and slower balls. Finch recalled that he and McCullum struggled to score. It was because Bumrah’s execution was almost flawless.
When Bumrah first emerged for Mumbai Indians, many people were surprised by his unusual action and raw pace. Finch admitted he initially wondered whether such an action could last at the highest level. Yet Bumrah continued to improve, adding new skills to his game while maintaining exceptional control.
Finch remembered facing Bumrah during India’s tour of Australia and expecting the ball to swing only into right-handers. Instead, Bumrah produced a fast outswinger first up. That moment convinced Finch that he was facing a bowler with far more weapons than most opponents realised.
What makes Bumrah special is that he does not always need wickets to dominate. His accuracy and control create pressure that forces batters into mistakes. Finch described him as a bowler who makes opponents delay their attack until it is too late.
Finch also ranked Bumrah above other great T20 bowlers he faced, including Rashid Khan, Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga. While all were outstanding, Finch believes Bumrah stands alone because of his impact in crucial moments.
FAQs
Q. Who was voted the greatest international batter?
A. Sachin Tendulkar was voted the greatest international batter.
Q. Who was named the greatest all-rounder?
A. Jacques Kallis was voted the greatest all-rounder. He has scored more than 21,000 international runs.
Q. Who was selected as the greatest bowler?
A. Muttiah Muralitharan was chosen as the greatest bowler. He finished his Test career with a record 800 wickets.
Q. Who was voted the greatest T20 batter?
A. AB de Villiers won the award of the greatest T20 batter. He was credited with changing the way T20 batting is played.
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