As the cricket season unfolds, fans and pundits alike are keenly watching the performances that set the stage for the future of the sport. The 2023-2024 season has been spectacular, showcasing a blend of seasoned veterans defying time with their enduring skills and young guns making their mark with exuberance and flair.
In this dynamic panorama of cricket, certain stars have shone brighter than others, captivating audiences worldwide and altering the course of games with their sheer talent and determination. Here, we delve into the lives and careers of the top 10 cricket players who have not only dominated the season but have also raised the bar for excellence in the international cricket arena.
top 10 cricket players of 2023-2024
Here is the list of the top 10 cricket players
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Steve Smith
- Kagiso Rabada
- Babar Azam
- Joe Root
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Dwayne Bravo
- Ben Stokes
Who are the top cricket players in the world right now, considering their performance across multiple formats and schedules? It can be challenging to rank them, even with the ICC rankings. The list considers T20 specialists and Test greats while examining current form and track record.
Is it an advantage for cricketers who excel in all formats of the game for this ranking? How do we compare players who specialize in different formats like red-ball or short-form cricket? Ranking the top 10 cricket players is subjective despite having access to statistics. Everyone will have their own opinion on who should be included and where they should rank. Check out the list of top 10 cricketers in the world right now, you can bet on these players at 1xBet real cash casino games online and they are very likely to play and help you earn.
1. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi, who made his debut for Pakistan as a teenager has quickly established himself as one of the best bowlers in cricket. With his 6ft 6 frame, he can bowl at a great pace and generate tricky bounce, even on the flattest pitches in Pakistan and the UAE. He is an all-round player, excelling in all three formats of the game.
In Tests, he uses his control and swing to keep batters under pressure. In white-ball cricket, he can mix yorkers and short deliveries to be a challenge with the new ball and at the end of an innings.
2. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav is a skilled T20 player who played for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He is a challenging player to evaluate because although he is regarded as the best T20 batsman worldwide, he has only played in 20 ODIs and has never participated in a Test. SKY’s rise to the global stage took place when he was in his 30s, mainly because he was a late bloomer and because India postponed his call-up.
However, his performances in the IPL and his brief stint in international cricket demonstrate that he is an exceptional 360-degree hitter who is difficult to bowl to once he gets started.
3. Steve Smith
Steve Smith has a remarkable record in cricket. His Test cricket average is above 60 and he also has a great track record in ODIs, despite being a somewhat limited player in white-ball cricket.
Although his productivity in Test cricket has slightly declined since his outstanding average of over 110 in the 2019 Ashes, he still ranks among the best batters in the game. Smith has proven successful on all types of playing surfaces and will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest batters of the 21st century once he retires.
4. Kagiso Rabada
Similar to Afridi, Kagiso Rabada made an impressive entry into international cricket as a young player and has continued to excel since then. Rabada has proven his skills in all three formats of the game, utilizing his pace and bounce to effectively perform even on pitches that are not particularly favorable for fast bowling.
With the decline of South Africa’s renowned fast bowlers such as Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, Rabada has successfully taken charge of the team’s bowling attack. His performance statistics are exceptional in all areas, including an outstanding strike rate in Test matches which has never been achieved before.
5. Babar Azam
Babar Azam, who initially played for Pakistan in white-ball formats, has now become one of their top batsmen in all formats. Despite playing in a subpar Pakistan batting line-up, Azam has impressive records in Tests, ODIs and T20s. Over the past couple of years, he has even surpassed some of the players from the Fab Four and is on track to have a great career like previous Pakistani icons such as Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Yousuf.
Azam is not even 30 years old yet and won’t turn 30 until October 2024.
6. Joe Root
Although Joe Root’s averages may not be as impressive as some other top batters worldwide, it’s important to note that he has played a significant amount of his cricket on difficult English pitches.
Despite this challenge, Root is still considered one of the best players of his time and possibly England’s greatest batter ever. It’s worth mentioning that his exclusion from England’s white-ball teams has to do more with the team’s strong batting lineup than his abilities in shorter formats.
7. Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah, when in good shape, is considered the most versatile fast bowler in cricket worldwide. He has a distinctive, unconventional bowling style that makes it hard for batters to anticipate his deliveries. Bumrah is capable of causing trouble for opposing batters in various ways.
He can make the red ball swing and seam and create difficult angles. He also possesses a well-placed yorker and a bouncer that can be unsettling for batters while playing with the white ball.
Bumrah’s playing style might not be conventional, but his multiple abilities make him the perfect modern pace bowler.
8. Shakib Al Hasan
Throughout his cricket career, Shakib Al Hasan has been a highly underrated player. Judging by the traditional measure of an all-rounder, his batting average surpasses his bowling average in Tests, ODIs and T20s. As per ICC rankings, he is currently the top-ranked all-rounder in T20Is and ODIs, and third in Tests.
Shakib has faced controversy during his time as a player, but he is expected to be valued genuinely only after retirement. He continues to be a standout performer for Bangladesh.
9. Dwayne Bravo
In the IPL 2022 final held in Dubai, Chennai Super Kings won by 27 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders, with their all-rounder Dwayne Bravo performing exceptionally well. This victory marked Bravo’s 16th T20 title, surpassing his West Indies teammate Kieron Pollard.
In the lead-up to the IPL 2022 final between CSK and KKR, both Bravo and Pollard had 15 T20 cricket titles each. Bravo made significant contributions to MS Dhoni’s team, who overcame a poor performance in IPL 2022 to win the championship in the UAE the next year.
10. Ben Stokes
Who else can compare to Ben Stokes? He may not hold the title of the best batsman or bowler in the world, nor is he statistically the best all-rounder. However, when it comes to performing under pressure, Stokes is the go-to person with either the bat or ball. He’s made headlines for his incredible heroics during two World Cup victories and the unforgettable Headingley match in 2019. Yet, even beyond those historical moments, he has consistently turned matches in his team’s favor.
The Test captaincy was taken over by the all-rounder from Christchurch in 2022. They transformed England from being one of the worst teams in the world to being an unstoppable force, and in the process revolutionized the way the world perceives the five-day game.
Stokes may not have impressive statistics, and he retired from ODI cricket, but he has been a match-winner in all formats of the game and an effective captain. If you had to pick an XI to win a match in any format, few players could claim to be as valuable as Stokes.
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