An elite 25-member jury of former international legends—including Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, and Eoin Morgan—has voted Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Muthiah Muralidaran, and Ellyse Perry as the greatest international cricketers of the 21st century (2000-2025) at the Cricinfo Honours Awards.
Men’s Test and ODI Honours
- Sachin Tendulkar (Greatest Batter): The all-time leading run-scorer in Test and ODI history, Tendulkar still holds the records for most hundreds and fifties in the longest format.
- Jacques Kallis (Greatest All-Rounder): Sitting alongside Garry Sobers in cricket lore, Kallis amassed 13,289 runs and 292 wickets in Test cricket, anchoring historic South African series wins in Australia and England.
- Muthiah Muralidaran (Greatest Bowler): The Sri Lankan spin wizard concluded his historic career with exactly 800 Test wickets at an exceptional average under 23.
Virat Kohli (No. 3) and Ricky Ponting (No. 5) rounded out the top five men’s players. Other active modern greats featuring in the top 25 list include Joe Root (No. 9), Jasprit Bumrah (No. 15), Kane Williamson (No. 16), and Mitchell Starc (No. 17).
Women’s and T20 Honours
- Ellyse Perry (Greatest Women’s Cricketer): A generational talent, Perry boasts a Test batting average over 60 and a bowling average under 20, with her career defined by legendary Ashes performances and Australia’s 2020 T20 World Cup triumph.
- AB de Villiers (Best T20 Batter): The Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon revolutionized modern scoring, finishing his T20 career with nearly 9,500 runs at a massive 150 strike rate.
- Jasprit Bumrah (Best T20 Bowler): A vital cog for both Mumbai Indians and India’s two T20 World Cup-winning campaigns, Bumrah has collected 349 wickets in 283 matches while maintaining a stingy economy rate under 7.
The Cricinfo Honours serve as a definitive retrospective on a golden era of cricket, cementing the legacies of icons who redefined the modern game. From Tendulkar’s unmatched batting longevity to Perry’s dual-threat dominance, these selections capture twenty-five years of breathtaking international rivalries. As active superstars like Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah continue to build on their top-25 rankings, this historic list bridges the gap between legendary icons and the modern champions shaping the future of global cricket.
