Sir Don Bradman is considered the Godfather of Cricket. He was the first player to create unmatched records and leave a huge impact on cricket fans. However, cricket has had different godfathers in different eras. After Bradman, legends like Sir Garfield Sobers and Sunil Gavaskar ruled their generations. They paved the way for modern cricket players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. Today, they are seen as the new godfathers of the game.
Table of Contents
Godfather of Cricket in World: The Veterans
The godfather of cricket is not just a good batsman or a good bowler. Nor is he just a successful captain. Rather, the term Godfather is used for someone who has excelled in his department (batting or bowling), had a successful career, and, while doing that, has inspired millions of people across generations to love, follow, and play this sport.
Cricket is a very old sport. Its history goes back to the 16th century. Over hundreds of years! The sport has changed from a simple bat-and-ball game into a global phenomenon loved by millions. During this long journey, a few legendary players stood above everyone else. They are the ones who played years ago but still have a lasting impact. They are remembered as the godfathers of world cricket.
Sir Donland Bradman (Australia)
Sir Donald Bradman was one of the greatest cricketers in history. He played for Australia from 1928 to 1948 and was known as “The Don.” He is called the godfather of cricket because of his unmatched impact on the game. Sir Don played 52 Test matches for Australia and scored 6,996 runs. At retirement, he had a batting average of 99.94. This is still the highest in cricket history. Don Bradman still lives on as an idol for many modern day cricketing greats.
Sir Garfield Sobers (West Indies)
Sir Garfield Sobers is remembered as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history. He scored 8,032 Test runs and took 235 wickets. He had a highest score of 365 not out, which was a world record, and a best bowling figure of 6/73. He took 109 catches. He could do it all. He is a veteran player whose all-round skills changed the way cricket is played. Following him as the godfather, many all-rounders emerged, and today all-rounders are one of the most important parts of a successful cricket team.
Sunil Gavaskar (India)
Sunil Gavaskar is the godfather of cricket in India. While many argue if it is Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli who is the GOAT, true fans of the game know that Virat started playing cricket watching Sachin, while Sachin idolized the Little Master, Sunil Gavaskar. So, we can say Sachin Tendulkar/Virat is the new godfather of cricket, but the all-time veteran, the first person to ever score 10,000 runs in the Test format, Mr. Sunil Gavaskar, is the real godfather of cricket.
Global Godfather of Modern Cricket
The title of Global Godfather of Modern Cricket does not belong to one individual alone. Like the golden era that produced cricket’s greatest “Don Bradman,” the modern age has given us many greats. They have inspired young cricketers across generations. Time to take a look at the top 8:
Sachin Tendulkar (India)
| Test |
ODI |
|
|
Matches |
200 | 463 |
| Runs Scored | 15,921 |
18,426 |
| Batting Average | 53.78 |
44.83 |
|
100s / 50s |
51 / 68 |
49 / 96 |
|
Top Score |
248* |
200* |
|
Balls Bowled |
4,240 | 8,054 |
| Wickets | 46 |
154 |
|
Bowling Average |
54.17 | 44.48 |
| 5 Wickets in an Innings | 0 |
2 |
|
Best Bowling |
3/10 | 5/32 |
| Catches | 115 |
140 |
Brian Lara (West Indies)
| Test |
ODI |
|
|
Matches |
131 |
299 |
|
Runs scored |
11,953 | 10,405 |
| Batting average | 52.88 |
40.48 |
|
100s / 50s |
34 / 48 | 19 / 63 |
| Top score | 400* |
169 |
|
Catches |
164 |
120 |
Virat Kohli (India)
| Test | ODI |
T20I |
|
|
Matches |
123 | 311* | 125 |
| Runs scored | 9,230 | 14,797* |
4,188 |
|
Batting average |
46.85 | 58.72 | 48.69 |
| 100s / 50s | 30 / 31 | 54 / 77 |
1 / 38 |
|
Top score |
254* | 183 | 122* |
| Catches | 121 | 167 |
54 |
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
| Test |
ODI |
|
|
Matches |
166 | 329 |
| Runs scored | 13,289 |
11,579 |
|
Batting average |
55.37 | 44.36 |
| 100s / 50s | 45 / 58 |
17 / 86 |
|
Top score |
224 | 139 |
| Balls bowled | 20,232 |
10,750 |
|
Wickets |
292 |
273 |
|
Bowling average |
32.65 | 31.79 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 5 |
2 |
|
10 wickets in match |
0 | 0 |
| Best bowling | 6/54 |
5/30 |
|
Catched |
200 |
131 |
Ricky Ponting (Australia)
| Test |
ODI |
|
|
Matches |
168 | 375 |
|
Runs scored |
13,378 | 13,704 |
| Batting average | 51.85 |
42.03 |
| 100s / 50s | 41 / 62 |
30 / 82 |
|
Top score |
257 | 164 |
| Catches | 196 |
160 |
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
| Test | ODI |
T20I |
|
|
Matches |
134 | 404 | 56 |
| Runs scored | 12,400 | 14,234 |
1,382 |
|
Batting average |
57.4 | 41.98 | 31.4 |
| 100s / 50s | 38 / 52 | 25 / 93 |
0 / 8 |
|
Top score |
319 | 169 | 78 |
| Catches / stumpings | 182 / 20 | 403 / 98 |
25 / 20 |
Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
| Test |
ODI |
|
|
Matches |
104 | 356 |
|
Balls bowled |
22,627 |
18,186 |
| Wickets |
414 |
502 |
|
Bowling average |
23.62 | 23.52 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 25 |
6 |
|
10 wickets in match |
5 | 0 |
|
Best bowling |
7/119 |
5/15 |
| Runs scored | 2,898 |
3,717 |
|
Batting average |
22.64 | 16.52 |
| 100s / 50s | 3 / 7 |
0 / 6 |
|
Top score |
257* | 86 |
| Catches | 44 |
88 |
James Anderson (England)
| Test |
ODI |
|
|
Matches |
188 | 194 |
| Balls bowled | 40,037 |
9,584 |
|
Wickets |
704 | 269 |
| Bowling average | 26.45 |
29.22 |
|
5 wickets in innings |
32 | 2 |
|
10 wickets in match |
3 |
0 |
| Best bowling | 7/42 |
5/23 |
|
Runs scored |
1,353 | 273 |
| Batting average | 8.96 |
7.58 |
|
100s / 50s |
0 / 1 | 0 / 0 |
|
Top score |
81 |
28 |
| Catches / stumpings | 107 |
53 |
Godfather of Cricket in India: Across Formats
Indian cricket has produced some of the greatest players the game has ever seen. They are legends who didn’t just score runs or take wickets, but shaped the very identity of Indian cricket. When we talk about the godfather of India cricket, there is no single name. In fact, there are multiple legends across Test and ODI formats who deserve this title. Let us take a closer look at the true godfathers of Indian cricket.
Godfather of Test Cricket—Team India
Test cricket is the toughest format of the game. There are some legends of Indian Test cricket who stood tall against the best bowlers in the world. With their batting or bowling, they saved matches and won games, both in India and in SENA nations. So, who is the godfather of Indian cricket in the test format? Here are the top names:
Sunil Gavaskar
|
Span |
1971–1987 |
|
Matches |
125 |
| Batting Inns |
214 |
|
Not Outs |
16 |
| Runs |
10,122 |
|
Highest Score |
236* |
| Batting Average |
51.12 |
|
100s |
34 |
| 50s |
45 |
|
Fielding Inns |
216 |
|
Dismissals |
108 |
| Catches |
108 |
Sachin Tendulkar
|
Span |
1989–2013 |
|
Matches |
200 |
| Batting Inns |
329 |
|
Not Outs |
33 |
| Runs |
15,921 |
|
Highest Score |
248* |
| Batting Average |
53.78 |
|
100s |
51 |
| 50s |
68 |
|
Fielding Inns |
366 |
| Dismissals |
115 |
|
Catches |
115 |
Rahul Dravid
|
Span |
1996–2012 |
|
Matches |
164 |
| Batting Inns |
286 |
|
Not Outs |
32 |
| Runs |
13,288 |
|
Highest Score |
270 |
| Batting Average |
52.31 |
|
Balls Faced |
31,258 |
|
Strike Rate |
42.51 |
| 100s |
36 |
| 50s |
63 |
|
Fours (4s) |
1,654 |
|
Sixes (6s) |
21 |
| Fielding Inns |
301 |
|
Dismissals |
210 |
| Catches |
210 |
Anil Kumbe
|
Span |
1990–2008 |
| Matches |
132 |
|
Innings |
236 |
|
Overs |
6,808.20 |
| Maidens |
1,576 |
|
Runs Conceded |
18,355 |
|
Wickets |
619 |
| Best Bowling in Innings (BBI) |
10/74 |
|
Best Bowling in Match (BBM) |
14/149 |
|
Bowling Average |
29.65 |
| Economy Rate |
2.69 |
|
Strike Rate |
65.9 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls |
35 |
|
10-Wicket Hauls |
8 |
Godfather of ODI Cricket—Team India
One Day Internationals are very different from Test cricket. While Tests demand patience, ODIs require a proper balance between caution and aggression. India has been blessed with legendary cricketers who understood this balance better than anyone else and dominated the ODI format for years. Fans idolized them as the godfather of the cricket game and began playing and following ODIs.
Sachin Tendulkar
|
Span |
1989–2012 |
|
Matches |
463 |
| Batting Inns |
452 |
|
Not Outs |
41 |
| Runs |
18,426 |
|
Highest Score |
200* |
| Batting Average |
44.8 |
|
Balls Faced |
21,367 |
| Strike Rate |
86.2 |
|
Hundreds (100s) |
49 |
|
Fifties (50s) |
96 |
| Fours (4s) |
2,016 |
|
Sixes (6s) |
195 |
| Bowling Inns |
270 |
|
Balls Bowled |
8,054 |
|
Maidens |
24 |
| Runs Conceded |
6,850 |
|
Wickets |
154 |
|
Best Bowling |
5/32 |
| Bowling Average |
44.5 |
|
Economy Rate |
5.1 |
| Bowling Strike Rate |
52.3 |
|
4-Wicket Hauls |
4 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls |
2 |
Virat Kohli
|
Span |
2008–Present |
|
Matches |
311 |
| Innings |
299 |
|
Not Outs |
47 |
| Runs |
14,797 |
|
Highest Score |
183 |
| Batting Average |
58.7 |
|
Balls Faced |
15,771 |
| Strike Rate |
93.8 |
| Hundreds (100s) |
54 |
| Fifties (50s) |
77 |
|
Fours (4s) |
1,376 |
| Sixes (6s) |
168 |
Rohit Sharma
|
Span |
2007–Present |
| Matches | 282 |
| Innings | 274 |
| Not Outs | 37 |
|
Runs |
11,577 |
| Highest Score |
264 |
|
Batting Average |
48.9 |
| Balls Faced |
12,482 |
|
Strike Rate |
92.8 |
| Hundreds (100s) |
33 |
| Fifties (50s) | 61 |
| Fours (4s) | 1,090 |
| Sixes (6s) |
357 |
Sourav Ganguly
|
Span |
1992–2007 |
| Matches |
311 |
|
Batting Inns |
300 |
| Not Outs |
23 |
| Runs | 11,363 |
| Highest Score | 183 |
| Batting Average |
41 |
|
Balls Faced |
15,416 |
| Strike Rate (Batting) | 73.7 |
|
Hundreds (100s) |
22 |
| Fifties (50s) |
72 |
|
Fours (4s) |
1,122 |
| Sixes (6s) |
190 |
| Bowling Inns | 171 |
| Balls Bowled | 4,561 |
| Maidens | 30 |
| Runs Conceded | 3,849 |
| Wickets | 100 |
| Best Bowling | 5/16 |
| Bowling Average | 38.5 |
|
Economy Rate |
5.06 |
| Strike Rate (Bowling) |
45.6 |
|
4-Wicket Hauls |
1 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls |
2 |
MS Dhoni
| Span | 2004–2019 |
| Matches | 350 |
| Innings | 297 |
| Not Outs | 84 |
| Runs | 10,773 |
| Highest Score | 183* |
| Batting Average | 50.6 |
| Balls Faced | 12,303 |
| Strike Rate | 87.6 |
| Hundreds (100s) | 10 |
| Fifties (50s) | 73 |
| Fours (4s) | 826 |
| Sixes (6s) | 229 |
Godfather of Cricket in IPL
The Indian Premier League is one of the most competitive and toughest cricket leagues in the world. When we say “godfather of cricket IPL,” we refer to the legendary players who have dominated the tournament with bat or ball. Plus, they have influenced teams with their experience and set high standards for IPL cricket over the years.
Virat Kohli
|
Span |
2008–2025 |
| Matches |
267 |
|
Innings |
259 |
| Not Outs |
40 |
|
Runs |
8,661 |
|
Highest Score |
113* |
| Batting Average |
39.54 |
|
Balls Faced |
6,519 |
| Strike Rate |
132.85 |
|
Hundreds (100s) |
8 |
| Fifties (50s) |
63 |
|
Ducks (0s) |
10 |
| Fours (4s) |
771 |
|
Sixes (6s) |
291 |
Rohit Sharma
|
Span |
2008–2025 |
|
Matches |
272 |
| Innings |
267 |
|
Not Outs |
30 |
| Runs |
7,046 |
|
Highest Score |
109* |
| Batting Average |
29.73 |
|
Balls Faced |
5,334 |
| Strike Rate |
132.09 |
|
Hundreds (100s) |
2 |
| Fifties (50s) |
47 |
|
Ducks (0s) |
18 |
|
Fours (4s) |
640 |
| Sixes (6s) |
302 |
Suresh Raina
|
Span |
2008–2021 |
|
Matches |
205 |
| Innings |
200 |
| Not Outs |
30 |
|
Runs |
5,528 |
|
Highest Score |
100* |
| Batting Average |
32.51 |
| Balls Faced |
4,043 |
|
Strike Rate |
136.73 |
| Hundreds (100s) |
1 |
|
Fifties (50s) |
39 |
| Ducks (0s) |
8 |
|
Fours (4s) |
506 |
| Sixes (6s) |
203 |
Fun Fact: The godfather of cricket MS Dhoni is also a legendary IPL player. Despite batting down the order, he has scored more than 5,000 runs in the tournament. In addition, he has led CSK to five IPL titles. Currently, MS Dhoni is the most successful IPL captain, alongside Rohit Sharma.
Top Overseas Players Considered Godfathers in India
If you ask an Indian, “Godfather of cricket kaun hai?” don’t be surprised if you hear the name of an overseas player in reply. Cricket fans in India are the real fans. They deeply respect global legends who changed the game, regardless of nationality. Some of the most popular cricketers in this regard are:
- Chris Gayle
- AB De Villiers
- David Warner
- Kane Williamson
Final Words
So now you know about the Godfather of Cricket. Sir Don Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, and Sir Sunil Gavaskar are the true veteran godfathers of the game. In the modern era, the godfathers of cricket are Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, and many more.
The godfather of the Indian cricket team includes many legendary players. They are Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, and Rohit Sharma. We must not forget Mahendra Singh Dhoni. MS Dhoni godfather of cricket, is not only the greatest finisher of all time, but also India’s most successful captain. He has won the IPL, the ICC ODI World Cup, the T20 World Cup, and the Champions Trophy.
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FAQs
Who is godfather of cricket?
The godfather of cricket is Sir Don Bradman. He scored the most runs in his era, when cricket was still new to the world. At his retirement, Sir Bradman had a batting average of 99.94. This is something no other player has achieved yet in cricket history.
Who is the godfather of cricket India?
Sachin Tendulkar is the all-time godfather of Indian cricket. Sunil Gavaskar is also considered the godfather of cricket in India in the Test format. However, in modern cricket, millions of Indian fans consider Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni as their cricketing godfathers.
Who is the godfather of cricket in world?
Globally, Sir Don Bradman is considered the godfather of cricket. He has inspired millions around the world to play this sport.
Who is the godfather of Indian cricket?
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the godfather of cricket India. He is also known as the God of cricket. Currently, he holds the record for the most runs in Test and ODI cricket. He is also the highest run-scorer for India and globally across all formats.
Who is godfather of cricket in India?
Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar are the all-time godfathers of Indian cricket. Virat Kohli is the new godfather of cricket in India.
Who is the godfather of cricket in IPL?
According to the fans, MS Dhoni is the godfather of cricket IPL. Batting down the order, he has scored 5000+ runs. He has also led CKS to 5 IPL trophies.
Who is the godfather of Indian cricket team?
The godfather of the Indian cricket team is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. He scored many runs, broke many records, and inspired millions of people to love cricket.