Top 10 Greatest Left-Handed Batsmen In Cricket History

Legendary former West Indian cricketer Brian Lara has scored 11,953 runs in Test matches and 10,405 runs in ODI matches in his active career. And now, Lara is dubbed the greatest left-handed batsman the world has ever seen. Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly and legendary West Indian Sir Garry Sobers also deserve their mentions among the greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket history.

In cricket, a left-handed player is considered an asset. This is because lefties have a clear advantage. Even though Australian scientists have dismissed the suggestions that left-handed players, especially batsmen, have an innate superiority, batting records show a clear advantage of the left-handers when it comes to cricket. We have witnessed plenty of the greatest left-handed batsmen in cricket, but here in the list, we have compiled the best of them.

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

Left-handed batsmen tend to score more runs and also 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

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 batsman 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

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 batsman 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

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 batsman 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

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 batsman Sanath Jayasuriya scored 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 the 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

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 batsman 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

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 in 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

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

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

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

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 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 the 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.

However, the placement of fielders should change accordingly to create pressure on the opponents. They also manage to create psychological pressure. Who are your favorite left-handed batsmen in cricket? Let us know in the comments below!

Greatest Left-Handed Batsmen | 2024 Infographics

FAQs Regarding Greatest Left-Handed Batsmen

Q. Do left-handed batsmen have an advantage?

Hypothesized that left-handed people might have an advantage in performance because of their highly skilled visual perception, which may be a result of more frequent contact with right-handed people. In cricket, left-handed batters may benefit from the leg-before-wicket rule.

Q. Is Yuvraj Singh left-handed?

Yuvraj Singh, who is also a left-handed batsman, marked the day by paying tribute to some of the best left-handed players of all time and asking the fans to add their names to this list.

Q. Who is India’s No 1 all-rounder?

According to the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings, Ravindra Jadeja is the world’s top all-rounder in Test cricket. Jason Holder, of the West Indies, has been displaced from the top position and is two points ahead of the Barbadian with 386.

Q. Which batsman has never been out in zero?

Rahul Dravid began his cricket career for the Karnataka team at the under-15, under-17, and under-19 levels. Eventually became the captain of the Indian cricket team and a very successful batsman. In his Test career, Dravid played 286 innings in 164 matches.

Last Updated On: April 2024