Top 10 Greatest Left-Handed Batsmen In Cricket History

Greatest Left-Handed Batsmen | All-Time Ranking | ICC Legends

Left-handed batsmen tend to score more runs and also to bat longer. Besides, the bowlers may not always have the experience to readily deal with a player who takes an alternative stance. Naturally, the boundaries are scored more often as the bowlers are caught off-guard. They also tend to lose their wickets only if they are slogged out. Let us take a look at the top 10 greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket history.

10. Matthew Hayden

matthew hayden

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 103 184 8625 380 50.73 60.10 30 29 1049 82

ODIs 161 155 6133 181* 43.80 78.96 10 36 636 87

T20Is 9 9 308 73* 51.33 143.92 0 4 37 13

Retired Australian left-handed batsmen Matthew Hayden played for several teams such as Brisbane Heat, Chennai Super Kings, Hampshire, and Northamptonshire besides his appearance for the Australian national cricket team.

He scored a total of 8625 runs in 184 innings out of 103 international test matches that he ever played in his career and made his career’s best test match score of 380. He made 30 centuries and 29 half-centuries. Hayden also played 14 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Matthew Hayden also scored a total of 6133 runs in 161 ODI matches in his active cricketing career and made his career’s best ODI score of 181*. And, he holds the tenth place in our list of top 10 left-handed batsmen in cricket history.

He made 10 centuries and 36 half-centuries and played 15 not-out innings for the Australian team in limited-overs international cricket.

9. Saeed Anwar

saeed anwar

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 55 91 4052 188* 45.52 55.77 11 25 535 14

ODIs 247 244 8824 194 39.21 80.67 20 43 938 97

Retired Pakistani left-handed batsmen Saeed Anwar played for several teams such as Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore, and United Bank Limited besides his appearance for the Pakistani national cricket team.

He scored a total of 4052 runs in 91 innings out of 55 international test matches that he ever played in his career and made his career’s best test match score of 188. He made 11 centuries and 25 half-centuries and played 2 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Saeed Anwar also scored a total of 8824 runs in 247 ODI matches in his active cricketing career and made his career’s best ODI score of 194.

Without any doubt, he holds the ninth place in our list of the greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket history. He made 20 centuries and 43 half-centuries. He also played 19 not-out innings for the Pakistani team in ODI cricket.

8. Allan Border

allan-border

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 156 265 11174 205 50.56 NA 27 63 1161 28

ODIs 273 252 6524 127* 30.62 71.42 3 39 500 43

Legendary retired Australian left-handed batsmen Allan Border played for several teams such as Essex, Gloucestershire, New South Wales, and Queensland besides his appearance for the Australian national cricket team.

He scored a total of 11174 runs in 265 innings out of 156 international test matches that he ever played in his career and made his career’s best test match score of 205. He made 27 centuries and 63 half-centuries and played 44 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Besides, he is also one of the most successful cricket captains of all time. Allan Border also scored a total of 6524 runs in 273 ODI matches in his active cricketing career and made his career’s best ODI score of 127*.

He definitely deserves the eighth place in our list of greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket. He made 3 centuries and 39 half-centuries and played 39 not-out innings for the Australian team in limited-overs international cricket.

7. Sanath Jayasuriya

sanath jayasuriya

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 110 188 6973 340 40.07 NA 14 31 910 59

ODIs 445 433 13430 189 32.36 91.20 28 68 1500 270

T20Is 31 30 629 88 23.29 129.15 0 4 76 23

Retired Sri Lankan left-handed batsmen Sanath Jayasuriya score one of the most career sixes in ODI cricket history. He played for several teams such as Colombo Cricket Club, Dolphins, Marylebone Cricket Club, Mumbai Indians, Ruhuna, and Somerset besides his appearance for the Sri Lankan national cricket team.

Jayasuriya scored a total of 6973 runs in 188 innings out of 110 international test matches that he ever played in his career and made his career’s best test match score of 340. He made 14 centuries and 31 half-centuries.

Jayasuriya also played 14 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket. Sanath Jayasuriya also scored a total of 13430 runs in 445 ODI matches in his active cricketing career.

He made his career’s best ODI score of 189 and was also inducted in the seventh place in our list of top 10 greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket. He made 28 centuries and 68 half-centuries. Jayasuriya also played 18 not-out innings for the Sri Lankan team in ODI cricket.

6. Clive Lloyd

clive lloyd

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 6s

Tests 110 175 7515 242* 46.67 NA 19 39 70

ODIs 87 69 1977 102 39.54 81.22 1 11 NA

Legendary former West Indian left-handed batsmen Clive Lloyd played for several teams such as British Guiana, Guyana, and Lancashire besides his appearance for the West Indian national cricket team. Lloyd received the Wisden Cricketer of the Year award in 1971.

He scored a total of 7515 runs in 175 innings out of 110 international test matches and made his career’s best test match score of 242*. He made 19 centuries and 39 half-centuries in Test Cricket. Lloyd also played 14 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Clive Lloyd also scored a total of 1977 runs in 87 ODI matches in his active cricketing career. He made his career’s best ODI score of 102. And, he holds the sixth place in our list of the top 10 greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket.

He made a century and 11 half-centuries in ODI Cricket. Besides, he played 19 not-out innings for West Indian teams in limited-overs international cricket.

5. Kumar Sangakkara

kumar sangakkara

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 134 233 12400 319 57.40 54.19 38 52 1491 51

ODIs 404 380 14234 169 41.98 78.86 25 93 1385 88

T20Is 56 53 1382 78 31.40 119.55 0 8 139 20

The whole world widely regards the retired Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara as one of the greatest cricketers of his nation. During his active career, he played for several teams besides playing international matches for Sri Lanka.

He participated in domestic T20 matches for Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Jamaica Tallawahs, Dhaka Dynamites, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings, and Multan Sultans.

Besides, he also played county cricket for Surrey. During his active test career, he scored 12400 runs in 134 test matches. He made 38 centuries and 58 half-centuries in the test circuit.

Sangakkara also scored a total of 14235 runs in 404 ODI matches in his active ODI career. He made his career’s best ODI score of 169. With astonishing records, he has earned the fifth place in our list of best left-handed batsmen in cricket. He made 25 centuries and 93 half-centuries in ODI.

4. Adam Gilchrist

adam gilchrist

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 96 137 5570 204* 47.60 81.95 17 26 677 100

ODIs 287 279 9619 172 35.89 96.94 16 55 1162 149

T20Is 13 13 272 48 22.66 141.66 0 0 27 13

Retired Australian left-handed cricketer Adam Gilchrist is widely regarded as the greatest wicketkeeper-batsman of all time. He played for several teams such as Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, Middlesex, New South Wales, and Western Australia besides his appearance for the Australian national cricket team.

He scored a total of 5570 runs in 137 innings out of 96 international test matches. Gilchrist also made his career’s best test match score of 204. He made 17 centuries and 26 half-centuries and played 20 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Adam Gilchrist also scored a total of 9619 runs in 287 ODI matches in his active cricketing career. He made his career’s best ODI score of 172. With amazing records, Gilchrist has earned fourth place in our list of best left-handed batsmen in cricket.

He made 16 centuries and 55 half-centuries in ODI. He also played 11 not-out innings for the Australian team in limited-overs international cricket.

3. Sir Garry Sobers

garry sobers

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 93 160 8032 365* 57.78 NA 26 30 NA NA

ODIs 1 1 0 0 0.00 0.00 0 0 0 0

One of the greatest batsmen of all time, West Indian legend Sir Garry Sobers played for several teams such as Barbados, Nottinghamshire, and South Australia besides his appearance for the West Indian national cricket team.

He scored a total of 8032 runs in 160 innings out of 93 international test matches. Besides, he made his career’s best test match score of 365*. He made 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries and played 21 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Sir Garry Sobers also scored a total of 28314 runs in 383 First-class matches in his active cricketing career. He made his career’s best First-class score of 365*.

The cricket legend earned his place in the third place in our list of the top 10 greatest left-handed batsmen. He made 86 centuries and 121 half-centuries and played 93 not-out innings for his teams in First-class cricket.

2. Sourav Ganguly

sourav ganguly

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 113 188 7212 239 42.17 51.25 16 35 900 57

ODIs 311 300 11363 183 41.02 73.70 22 72 1122 190

T20s 77 73 1726 91 25.01 107.00 0 8 184 51

Retired Indian Batsman Sourav Ganguly earned his place among the most successful cricket captains of all time. He played for several teams such as Bengal, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lancashire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Northamptonshire, and Pune Warriors, besides his appearance for the Indian national cricket team.

He scored a total of 7212 runs in 188 innings out of 113 international test matches. Ganguly made his career’s best test match score of 239. He made 16 centuries and 35 half-centuries and played 17 not-out innings for his team in international test cricket.

Sourav Ganguly also scored a total of 11363 runs in 311 ODI matches in his active cricketing career. He made his career’s best ODI score of 183.

With amazing batting records under his belt, he deserves the second place in our list of greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket. He made 22 ODI centuries and 72 half-centuries. Besides, he played 23 not-out innings for team India in limited-overs international cricket.

1. Brian Lara

brian lara

Format Matches Innings Runs Highest Score Average Strike Rate 100 50 4s 6s

Tests 131 232 11953 400* 52.88 60.51 34 48 1559 88

ODIs 299 289 10405 169 40.48 79.51 19 63 1035 133

Retired West Indian left-handed batsman Brian Lara deserves to be named as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He played for several teams such as Marylebone Cricket Club, Mumbai Champs, Northern Transvaal, Southern Rocks, and Warwickshire, besides his appearance for the West Indian national cricket team.

He scored a total of 11953 runs in 232 innings out of 132 international test matches. Lara made his career’s best test match score of 400 not-out. He made 34 centuries and 48 half-centuries and also played 6 not-out innings in international test cricket.

Brian Lara also scored a total of 10405 runs in 299 ODI matches in his active cricketing career. He made his career’s best ODI score of 169 and earned the top place in our list of greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket history.

He made 19 centuries and 63 half-centuries. Lara also played 32 not-out innings for the West Indies team in limited-overs international cricket.

Final Words

The whole cricket world celebrates the amazing stance of left-handed batsmen. Their batting styles do have an edge over others. The advantage they enjoy is mainly strategic, and they are rare. They definitely bring an advantage to the team. Left-handed batsmen always proved themselves effective against the bowlers, as the line of length changes.