Who are the top 5 Indian cricketers ever?

[venkyrenga]

So taking into account everything from batting ability, bowling, keeping, captaincy, etc. Who are the top 5 Indian cricketers ever?

My pick would be,

Sachin
Kapil
Gavaskar
Dravid
Kumble

 

[vcs]

Those would be my 5 too ATM.

Kohli will get there by the end of his career, he's probably already done enough TBH.

 

[venkyrenga]

Those would be my 5 too ATM.

Kohli will get there by the end of his career, he's probably already done enough TBH.

If we are only talking limited overs cricket then, yes. Overall no.

He hasn't done much in test cricket to be in the same league as Sachin, Sunny or Dravid.

 

[h_hurricane]

Kapil
Sachin
Gavaskar
Dravid
Kohli

The top 4 are ATGs. Kohli is arguably one. I feel Kohli has reached a point where he would be above Kumble. Anil for all that he has achieved is not an ATG. If there was a past ATG other than the top 4 here, I would have put him above Kohli for sure.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Tests:

Sachin
Gavaskar
Dravid
Kapil
Kohli

Even though I dont particularly rate him tactically as a captain, Kohli's already India's most successful test captain statistically.

 

[Daemon]

Kapil
Tendulkar
Gavaskar
Dravid
Kumble

If you include off-field stuff and mix formats then there's a few more contenders I suppose.

 

[AndrewB]

Is Ranji eligible, since it's "Indian cricketers", not "India cricketers"?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Bit harsh nobody has picked Dhoni, a true great who has a legacy soured a bit by being picked for too long.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Bit harsh nobody has picked Dhoni, a true great who has a legacy soured a bit by being picked for too long.

Everyone will have him top 3 in ODIs

 

[Logan]

Sunil Gavaskar : GOAT Opener

Kapil Dev : India’s greatest fast bowler. One of the all time great all rounders.

Sachin Tendulkar : Arguably the greatest batsman after Don Bradman

Anil Kumble : India’s best spin bowler and highest wicket taker. Top 10 and arguably Top 5 spin bowler of all time.

Virat Kohli : India’s most successful Test captain. The GOAT ODI batsman.

These five are a lock IMO

 

[stephen]

I'll answer it differently. Who are the first five Indian players picked for an ATG Indian side.

Tendulkar
Bumrah
Dhoni
Gavaskar
Kapil

IMO, despite the prominence of spinners in India, I feel Kapil and Bumrah are extremely important.

 

[Logan]

He hasn't done much in test cricket to be in the same league as Sachin, Sunny or Dravid.

Kohli has already surpassed Dravid. Kohli is India’s most successful Test captain. Kohli is arguably the greatest ODI captain.

Kohli will rated ahead of Dravid in Tests when he finishes his career. Kohli is undoubtedly the second best Test batsman of his generation. Throughout Dravid’s career, he was never considered as the best or even second best.

 

[vcs]

Kohli has already surpassed Dravid. Kohli is India’s most successful Test captain. Kohli is arguably the greatest ODI captain.

Kohli will rated ahead of Dravid in Tests when he finishes his career. Kohli is undoubtedly the second best Test batsman of his generation. Throughout Dravid’s career, he was never considered as the best or even second best.

He was the 2nd best behind Ponting between 2002-2006

 

[Logan]

He was the 2nd best behind Ponting between 2002-2006

Dravid’s ranking

2001 Dec : 8

2002 Dec : 9

2003 Dec : 4

2004 Dec : 1

2005 Dec : 5

2006 Dec : 3



I am not denying Dravid was one of the best batsmen in the first half of last decade. I am just saying there were others that were just as good. Hayden, Kallis, Ponting, Lara and Sangakkara were just as good back then.

But now, Kohli is clearly the second best Test batsman of this generation. It is not even a debate. It is Smith, Kohli and the rest.

 

[mr_mister]

Don’t see the need to have Kumble there for the sake of it so you have a spinner in there

It’s the 4 legendary bats plus Dev

 

[OverratedSanity]

Kohli's got barely half the runs Dravid got at about the same average. Let's wait a bit eh? Perosnally I have some doubts on how long Kohli's peak will be.

 

[vcs]

Ah yeah, I forgot Lara had a glorious resurgence in that period. Remember some of his knocks against Pakistan and SA very well.

Kallis and Sanga were steady, but I think they started getting better and better after 2007 or so? Hayden had some ridiculous runs of form but a few troughs as well. Point is, Dravid was definitely in the argument.

Kohli and Williamson are pretty close in Tests IMO. Smith is way ahead ATM (I was trying to deny it during his ban but it's just futile now, guy's batting better than any Test batsman I've ever watched).

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ah yeah, I forgot Lara had a glorious resurgence in that period. Remember some of his knocks against Pakistan and SA very well.

Kallis and Sanga were steady, but I think they started getting better and better after 2007 or so? Hayden had some ridiculous runs of form but a few troughs as well. Point is, Dravid was definitely in the argument.

Kohli and Williamson are pretty close in Tests IMO. Smith is way ahead ATM (I was trying to deny it during his ban but it's just futile now, guy's batting better than any Test batsman I've ever watched).

Kallis, Lara and Sanga were definitely up there. Sanga in 2006 was ridiculous, he was getting a double seemingly every week.

 

[vcs]

Kallis, Lara and Sanga were definitely up there. Sanga in 2006 was ridiculous, he was getting a double seemingly every week.

Kallis and Sanga were a bit underwhelming against the Aussies who were the team setting the benchmark. Kallis bullied the WI a lot in that period IIRC. Think they played most of their famous, big impact knocks later in their career. Or maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention earlier in their careers.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Kallis and Sanga were a bit underwhelming against the Aussies who were the team setting the benchmark. Kallis bullied the WI a lot in that period IIRC. Think they played most of their famous, big impact knocks later in their career. Or maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention earlier in their careers.

Dravid wasnt particularly great against Australia apart from 3-4 amazing knocks either. In fact, I'd say everyone apartf rom Sachin/Lara underwhelmed for the most part