The Greatest Players of the 21st Century Awards List

ESPN-Cricinfo recently undertook the monumental task of naming the greatest cricketers of the 21st century. Spanning the years 2000 to 2025, this period has witnessed the most radical transformations in cricket history—from the traditional grit of Test match battles to the explosive, commercialized era of T20 leagues. To decide which players best defined this quarter-century, ESPNcricinfo assembled a jury of 25 prominent coaches, former players, and sports journalists.

The resulting list contains 25 legendary male cricketers, alongside special category awards for the greatest batter, bowler, T20 specialists, and the top women’s cricketer. In this comprehensive review, we dive deep into the awards, analyze the key career statistics of the winners, and look at the debates surrounding the final rankings.

Key Results and Awards

The awards were distributed among six legendary individuals who defined excellence in their respective roles. Here is the summary of the major honors:

Award Category	Winner	Country
Greatest Men’s International Cricketer	Jacques Kallis	South Africa
Greatest Men’s Batter	Sachin Tendulkar	India
Greatest Men’s Bowler	Muttiah Muralidaran	Sri Lanka
Greatest Women’s Cricketer	Ellyse Perry	Australia
Greatest Men’s T20 Batter	AB de Villiers	South Africa
Greatest Men’s T20 Bowler	Jasprit Bumrah	India

The Top 25 Men’s Cricketers of the 21st Century (Ranked)

The panel ranked the top 25 male players who had the most profound impact on international cricket between 2000 and 2025:

Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
Sachin Tendulkar (India)
Virat Kohli (India)
Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka)
Ricky Ponting (Australia)
AB de Villiers (South Africa)
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
Dale Steyn (South Africa)
Joe Root (England)
Steven Smith (Australia)
Adam Gilchrist (Australia)
Rahul Dravid (India)
James Anderson (England)
MS Dhoni (India)
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Chris Gayle (West Indies)
Ben Stokes (England)
Pat Cummins (Australia)
Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)
Virender Sehwag (India)
Kevin Pietersen (England)
Stuart Broad (England)
R Ashwin (India)

Deep-Dive: The Titans of the 21st Century

Jacques Kallis: The Ultimate All-Rounder

Voted the Greatest Men’s International Cricketer of the century, Jacques Kallis was the spine of South African cricket. What made Kallis legendary was his ability to play purely as a top-order batsman while simultaneously operating as a frontline fast-medium bowler. He effectively allowed South Africa to play with 12 players in their XI.

Format	Matches	Runs	Batting Average	Wickets	Bowling Average
Test	166	13,289	55.37	292	32.65
ODI	328	11,579	44.36	273	31.79

His combined tally of over 25,000 international runs and 565 wickets places him in a league of his own. In the history of cricket, no other player has achieved such a high level of statistical symmetry across both aspects of the game.

Sachin Tendulkar vs. Virat Kohli vs. Ricky Ponting

The battle for the greatest batsman of the century was a close contest between India’s Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Australia’s Ricky Ponting. Tendulkar emerged victorious as the Greatest Men’s Batter, primarily due to his longevity, technique, and ability to shoulder the expectations of a billion fans for over two decades. However, Virat Kohli’s inclusion at #3 shows his incredible dominance, especially in the white-ball formats during the 2010s.

Player	Test Average	ODI Average	Total Int’l Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar	53.78	44.83	100
Virat Kohli	49.15	58.67	80
Ricky Ponting	51.85	42.03	71

Muttiah Muralidaran: The Spin Wizard

Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralidaran was named the Greatest Bowler. Murali ended his career with an astonishing 800 Test wickets and 534 ODI wickets. His unique release, combined with an ability to generate sharp turn on any surface, made him a nightmare for batsmen in the 2000s, leading Sri Lanka to the pinnacle of world cricket.

Debates and Analysis: MS Dhoni and Kane Williamson

The ranking list has sparked significant debate online, particularly regarding captaincy and T20 impact. India’s legendary captain MS Dhoni is ranked at #14. While his raw batting averages might not rival Rahul Dravid (#12) or Sachin Tendulkar (#2), his unparalleled tactical mind, wicketkeeping excellence, and role as a legendary finisher make him one of the most impactful cricketers of the 21st century. Similarly, Kane Williamson at #16 represents New Zealand’s golden generation, leading them to the inaugural World Test Championship title in 2021.

How Was the Selection Done?

The process began with a shortlist of 70 players selected by ESPNcricinfo’s editors. This list was trimmed to 30 based on statistical impact, match-winning performances, and peak longevity. Finally, the remaining candidates were sent to a panel of 25 selectors—consisting of former cricketers, journalists, and analysts—who cast their votes to determine the final ranked list. For more details on the voting breakdown and jury comments, you can visit the official ESPNcricinfo Awards Hub.