“He would have maybe scored 200 centuries” - Yograj Singh’s shocking claim on India’s best cricketer ever

Former cricketer Yograj Singh picked his son, Yuvraj Singh, as the best cricketer India has ever produced. Yograj mentioned other names like Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly as those in contention, but believes Yuvraj tops them all.

Yograj also felt that his son would have scored 200 centuries had he played 200 Tests. Despite being one of India's all-time greats in the white-ball formats, Yuvraj played only 40 Tests and scored three centuries with a batting average of under 34.

When asked in an interview about who India's greatest ever cricketer is, Yograj responded (Via NDTV):

"If you talk about all-rounders, then Kapil Dev. If you talk about batsmen, then you have Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly – all these guys – but I think Yuvi (Yuvraj) is topping everybody in my book. He would have played about 200 Test matches and maybe scored 200 centuries, which I thought… and he was capable of."

Yuvraj boasts an excellent ODI record with 8,701 runs at an average of 36.55 and a strike rate of 87.67, including 14 centuries, in 304 outings. The left-hander was the Player of the Tournament in India's 2011 ODI World Cup triumph for his incredible all-round showing.

Yuvraj also played a vital role in India's 2007 T20 World Cup glory in South Africa and finished his T20I career with 1,177 runs at an average of 28.02 and a strike rate of 136.38 in 58 matches.

A look at India's all-time leaders in runs and wickets across formats

Sachin Tendulkar holds most of the key batting records in world cricket [Credit: Getty]

It is a well-known fact that former right-hander Sachin Tendulkar leads all Indian batters in run-scoring in Tests and ODIs. Tendulkar scored a remarkable 18,426 runs in his 463-game ODI career and 15,921 runs in 200 Tests. He is also the only batter in cricket history to boast 100 international centuries.

When it comes to T20Is, former skipper Rohit Sharma leads the way with 4,231 runs, including five centuries, in 159 matches. He also captained India to glory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.

Among bowlers, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh is India's all-time leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 101 scalps in 65 outings. Former leg-spinner Anil Kumble leads the way in the other two formats among Indian bowlers with 619 and 334 scalps in Tests and ODIs, respectively.