When we talk about cricket, there is always a word, ‘the godfather of cricket,’ that comes to our mind. So when we talk globally, there are multiple other cricketers that are considered as the godfather of cricket as a respect token title for their cricket journey. Over time, multiple cricketers have emerged as the godfathers of cricket. So here are some of the cricketers that are considered as godfathers.
Who is the Godfather of cricket?
During the early time, there were multiple other cricketers that were considered as the godfathers of Cricket. Here is a complete list of the most famous Godfathers of Cricket.
| Player Name | Years Active | Total Runs | Player Type | Best Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W.G. Grace | 1865 – 1908 | 55,539 (Overall) | All rounder | Scored 344 in a county match for Marylebone Cricket Club |
| Don Bradman | 1928 – 1948 | 6,996 (Test) | Batsman | Scored 452 in First-Class cricket against England |
| Sir Garfield Sobers | 1954 – 1974 | 8,032 (Test) | All rounder | Scored 365* in a Test match against Pakistan |
| Clive Lloyd | 1966 – 1985 | 7,515 (Test), 1,977 (ODI) | Batsman | Scored 242* in a Test match against India |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 1971 – 1987 | 10,122 (Test), 3,092 (ODI) | Batsman | Scored 236* in a Test match against West Indies (1983) |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1989 – 2013 | 34,347 (Overall) | Batsman | First player to score a 200* in an ODI (against South Africa) |
| MS Dhoni | 2004 – 2020 | 17,266 (Overall) | Wicketkeeper Batsman | Scored 224 in a Test match against Australia in Chennai |
1. W.G. Grace
So when we started cricket in the 1800s, there was one all rounder player named W.G. Grace, who was born in the year 1848. He transformed cricket into a professional game, and he once scored 344 in a country match for the Marylebone Cricket Club.
The stats of W.G. Grace:
- Total matches played: 894
- Total runs scored: 55,539
- Total wickets taken: 2,818
So, W.G. Grace has a legacy in cricket. Apart from that, he is also known for his powerful batting, and he was the first revolution of cricket.
2. Don Bradman
Don Bradman played from the year 1928 to 1948, and he was also a batsman. He was an Australian cricketer who was mainly famous for his batting. He began his career when he was 19 years old, and apart from that, he has scored 552 in first class against the England team. His contributions towards cricket are still very famous today, and his test batting average was 99.94.
Stats of Don Bradman:
- Total test matches played: 52
- Total runs scored: 6,996
- Total batting average: 99.94
He was also known as “The Don” because of his great gaming style and his contributions towards cricket. Apart from that, he also gained global fame, which shows that he is a cricket legend.
3. Sir Garfield Sobers
Sir Garfield Sobers was born in the year 1936 and initially started his career at the age of 17. Apart from that, he was an all rounder cricketer, also he is great in batting, bowling, and fielding. He started playing cricket from the years 1954 to 1974. His best performance was a test match against the Pakistan team, where he scored 365 runs. He held the highest individual score in a test match for 36 years. His contributions towards cricket are great. He was the first player to hit six sixes in a first class match, and he is one of the modern great cricket players.
Stats of Sir Garfield Sobers:
- Total matches played: 93 test, 1 ODI
- Total runs scored: 8,032
- Total wickets taken: 235
- Total test centuries: 26
Sir Garfield Sobers has another name too. He is also known as the greatest all rounder, and he also earned the title “Sir,” which is a western title for a player in cricket and other fields. He had a great ability to play multiple roles in cricket, such as batting, bowling, fielding, and many more. He was a player who could do everything effortlessly.
4. Clive Lloyd
Clive Lloyd was born in the year 1944. He was a player from the West Indies cricket team, but he also played internationally. He started playing internationally in the year 1966. Lloyd quickly became the most famous figure in the West Indies cricket team, and he was mainly known for his powerful batting style. Apart from that, Lloyd was also seen in different cricket matches. He was the captain of the West Indies team in the first two Cricket World Cups in 1975 and 1979. He was one of the greatest godfathers of cricket.
Stats of Clive Lloyd:
- Total test matches played: 110
- Total ODI matches played: 87
- Total test runs scored: 7,515
- Total ODI runs scored: 1,977
- Total test centuries: 19
- Total ODI centuries: 1
Not only this, he also had another name—he was known as “Supercat” for his great leadership and vigilant qualities. He influenced the West Indies cricket team and took them to new heights.
5. Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar was born on July 10 in the year 1949 in Bombay. He was an Indian cricketer who created history as one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket. He made his first test debut in the year 1971 against the West Indies, and he instantly created new records. He scored 774 runs in that match.
Sunil Gavaskar was also known for his fierce battles against fast bowlers. Gavaskar took the Indian cricket team to the global stage. He was one of the greatest godfathers of cricket, and he is still famous worldwide.
Sunil Gavaskar was also the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in test cricket. He was the first cricketer to achieve this record. Apart from that, his achievements against world-class bowling attacks are also very famous. In 125 test matches, he scored more than 10,000 runs at an average of 51.2, including 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries. Sunil Gavaskar also played one day internationals (ODIs) and scored 3,092 runs in 108 matches at an average of 35.13, with a memorable century of 103.
Stats of Sunil Gavaskar:
- Total matches played: 233 (125 tests, 108 ODIs)
- Total runs scored: 13,214 (10,122 test runs, 3,092 ODI runs)
- Total centuries: 35 (34 test, 1 ODI)
- Total catches taken: 130 (Test and ODI combined)
Sunil Gavaskar was a great opening batsman for the Indian team. He was very professional and remains famous in cricket history. He was also known as “The Little Master” because of his great discipline and clean game. His legacy continues through players like Sachin Tendulkar.
6. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar was born in 1973. He is one of the most famous and greatest batsmen in cricket history. He started playing at the age of 16, and his career spanned 24 years. He was the first player who even scored a double century in ODIs, for that he holds a world record too.
Stats of Sachin Tendulkar:
- Total matches played: 664
- Total runs scored: 34,347
- Total international centuries: 100
Apart from all these things, Tendulkar is known as the “God of Cricket” because of his high standards and record-breaking performances. His contributions to the Indian cricket team are always cherished.
7. MS Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was born in the year 1981. He played cricket from 2004 to 2020. He was a wicketkeeper-batsman, and his best performance was against Australia in the Chennai match. He started his career in 2004. Dhoni became so famous that a movie was made about his life, ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’. Because of him India won major victories, such as the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
Stats of MS Dhoni:
- Total matches played: 538
- Total runs scored: 17,266
- Total catches taken: 634
- Total stumpings: 195
His calm personality helped him create innovative strategies for the team, which helped him to gain a title of “Captain Cool” for his great and calm leadership skills and also for keeping the Indian team on track.
Conclusion
Cricket has seen many legendary players, from W.G. Grace to Sachin Tendulkar. These seven cricketers are among the most famous and influential figures in the game. The title of “Godfather of Cricket” is earned through great gameplay and inspiring fellow players.
FAQs
Can there be more Godfathers of cricket?
Yes, it depends on their contribution and dedication.
Who can be the Indians next Godfather of Cricket?
There are multiple other cricketers such as ‘Virat Kolhi’, who is an Indian batsman and ‘Ben Stroke’, who is an famous all rounder from England.
Who was India’s first Godfather of Cricket?
Sunil Gavaskar.
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