11 Cricket Legends From India You Should Know About

Almost every Indian you meet will admit to having an intense love affair with cricket. Emotions run high during every match. A win will see people spilling out on the streets and celebrating with the entire neighbourhood. A loss, however, breaks millions of Indian hearts. Cricket has often been likened to a religion in the country and these are the 11 legends who have made the game what it is today.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is the most distinguished icon in the cricketing world. It’s hard to find any flaws in his game which has earned him the reputation of being a complete batsman from fans and colleagues alike. Think of any imaginable record in the game and you can be sure Tendulkar holds it or has held it at some point in his career. He made his debut when he was just 16-years-old and throughout his career has shouldered the dreams of the entire nation, match after match. To fans of the game around the world, he is known as the God of Cricket.

Sunil Gavaskar

Vijay Hazare

Vijay Hazare captained India for 14 years between 1951 and 1953. He is acknowledged as one of the early high-flyers of Indian cricket, setting a benchmark for future generations. Hazare is best known for his staggering performance against an indomitable Australian team in the 1947-48 Test series, where he scored a double century. He held several domestic and international records during his fruitful career.

Kapil Dev

When India won its first Cricket World Cup in 1983 at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, it was Kapil Dev who captained the team to victory. A fine batsman and a ferocious fast bowler, Dev is considered to be one of the best all-rounders in the game. He is, after all, the only player to have scored over 5,000 Test runs and taken over 400 Test wickets.

Rahul Dravid

Former national team captain Rahul Dravid, is considered as one of the most industrious cricketers ever. He is known as a classic Test batsman who was technically very gifted. Dravid has fondly been called “The Wall” by fans for his ability to stand firm in crunch situations. His calm persona and winning approach have helped India achieve seemingly impossible victories.

Saurav Ganguly

Saurav Ganguly possessed a natural knack for leadership which is why he is considered one of the most successful captains in cricket. He was responsible for instilling ambition into a somewhat unfocused team when he took over the captaincy in 2000. Ganguly’s batting style was equally superb and he is the only cricketer to secure four consecutive Man of the Match awards in One Day International matches.

Vinoo Mankad

Vinoo Mankad was an all-round cricketer having achieved glory as both a batsman and a bowler. His star performances in Test cricket meant that Mankad scored the fastest ever 1,000 runs and got the fastest ever 100 wickets. In 1956 against England, he also became the first player to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test match.

Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble was a spin bowler who took 619 wickets in Test cricket. This staggering number has earned him the honour of being the highest Test wicket taker in India and the third highest in the world. Kumble has always displayed unflinching commitment to the game. A fine example of this was on display in 2002 in Antigua. He had broken his jaw during the match but instead of leaving the pitch, he decided to bandage the injury and went on to perform outstandingly for the team.

Virender Sehwag

A batsman blessed with incredible style and swagger, Virender Sehwag was always a delight to watch on the cricket field. Test cricket, which is played over five days, is when players prefer using calm and control, but not Sehwag. He would try and smash every ball regardless of what cricket format he was playing in. No wonder he holds the record for scoring the fastest triple century in the history of international cricket.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Known as Captain Cool, the Indian cricket team’s list of achievements under Mahendra Singh Dhoni is unprecedented. He guided India to triumph in two separate formats of cricket World Cup, winning the 2007 World Twenty20 and the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Leading by example, he was the Man of the Match in the 2011 World Cup final. Along with being a great batsman, Dhoni is also acknowledged as a leading wicket-keeper. After Tendulkar, Dhoni is the most-loved cricketer in India.

Virat Kohli

Although Dhoni and Virat Kohli still have not retired from cricket, their names deserve to be mentioned on this list of legends. Kohli took over the Test captaincy from Dhoni in 2014 and that of One Day Internationals in 2017 and he has certainly done his predecessor proud. The swashbuckling Kohli is recognised as one of the top batsman of this era having pocketed several world records already.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.