Ravi Shastri recently named his five best Indian cricketers of all time. This was no ordinary list. He chose players who left a deep impact on the game in their era. Amidst old anecdotes and stories from the field, Shastri named them in a very measured tone- Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
He started with Sunil Gavaskar. For Shastri, Gavaskar was the player who strengthened the Indian batting in the initial phase. Facing the West Indies bowlers without a helmet was no less than a daring feat. However, Gavaskar stood firm, stood firm and kept supporting Indian cricket.
After this came the turn of Kapil Dev. According to Shastri, Kapil took Indian cricket to new heights with both the ball and the bat. Winning the World Cup in 1983 was not just a trophy; it was a mental change for the sport in India. The country came to know for the first time that India can become a world champion in cricket too.
There is no debate on the third name- Sachin Tendulkar. Shastri placed him on top. The reason was clear—consistent performance for years, immense pressure and great bowlers standing in front of him. Sachin not only scored runs, but also carried the burden of expectations. Every time he came on the field, the whole country looked at him.
The fourth name is MS Dhoni. For Shastri, Dhoni was not just a captain, he was the speed of decisions, a calm mind and simplicity of results. 2007, 2011, 2013—in every tournament, Dhoni did something that seemed beyond imagination.
Finally, he chose Virat Kohli. Shastri considered him the face of this era. His fitness, aggression and hunger for runs gave modern thinking to Indian cricket. He not only played cricket, but also took the team forward. Shastri also mentioned Jasprit Bumrah, but wants to give him time.
"Definitely Gavaskar will start. Kapil, Sachin, Virat definitely. I am looking at the most influential players of their era. MS again. Bumrah is still got cricket. So the five will be Sunny, Kapil, Sachin, Dhoni and Virat," Shastri said on an episode of 'Stick to Cricket'.
This list is not just based on statistics, but on impact. Shastri chose those players who changed the pulse of Indian cricket. In our opinion, too, these five names are correct. If any child loves cricket India, his story will generally start with these five faces.
