Ravi Shastri's Big Revelation
Former Team India head coach and legendary cricketer Ravi Shastri has released his list of India's five greatest ODI cricketers. The list includes Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev, and Rohit Sharma.
Add India.com as a Preferred Source
Advertisement
Ravi Shastri picks India’s Top 5 greatest ODI cricketers, Kohli and Tendulkar included, Bumrah misses out, MS Dhoni also...
Ravi Shastri names India’s top 5 greatest ODI cricketers, including Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar, while Jasprit Bumrah misses out; MS Dhoni makes the list.
By Ankit Kumar | Updated: October 25, 2025 5:27 AM IST
Kohli Ranked at the Top
Speaking on a Fox Cricket program, Shastri placed Virat Kohli at the top of the list, praising his consistent performance and match-winning abilities over more than a decade. Kohli's career and consistency make him the undisputed number one on this list.
Advertisement
Importance of World Cup Winners
Shastri also included three World Cup-winning players—MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev—in his list. These players were the backbone of India's golden era of ODI cricket, and their contributions are undeniable.
Sehwag and Yuvraj Overlooked
The exclusion of Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh from the list surprised many. Shastri explained that he only included players who are nearing the end of their careers and have demonstrated consistent match-winning capabilities over a long period.
Advertisement
Bumrah Excluded
Jasprit Bumrah was not included in the list because he still has many years of cricket ahead of him. Shastri clarified that this list is for players who have made a long and lasting contribution to ODI cricket.
True Match Winners
Ravi Shastri emphasized the leadership qualities and exceptional contributions of these five players. He stated that all of them are true match-winners on their day, and their impact on Indian cricket has been indelible.
Rohit Sharma's Place
Rohit Sharma is included in the list, even though he is not an ODI World Cup winner. With three double centuries and over 11,000 runs, Rohit cannot be overlooked, as he is currently third on the list of highest run-scorers in ODIs.