Sportskeeda's Top 50 Indian Test cricketers of all-time (20-11)

After unveiling ranks 30-21 last week, we move on to the next set of players who have captivated Indian cricket aficionados with their remarkable exploits over the years. This segment of our comprehensive weekend feature comprises of numerous stylish batsmen as well as match-winning bowlers.

Following are the key factors which have been taken into account while evaluating the performances of these legendary cricketers.

a) Overall career consistency.

b) Performances in matches won.

c) Performances in Tests outside India.

d) Game-changing efforts in big matches against quality opponents on Indian soil.

e) Stature in world cricket; opinions of peers and various experts.

f) Establishing new trends by breaking previously existing stereotypes.

g) Minimum cut-off of 1000 runs for batsmen/100 wickets for bowlers/50 dismissals for wicket-keepers in order to formulate a meaningful sample size.

h) Statistics have not been assumed to be the be-all and end-all of a player’s value. A general consensus has been arrived after factoring in every aspect of each cricketer’s career.

#20 Mohinder Amarnath

When one wallows into nostalgia and remembers the mayhem caused by the fearsome West Indies fast bowlers of yore, Sunil Gavaskar's name may instantly pop into the head. However, there was one man whose exploits against the Caribbean speedsters were much bigger than the venerated Mumbaikar. If courage was considered the foremost virtue of a batsman, then Mohinder Amarnath probably surpasses almost every iconic name in India's illustrious batting legacy.

Extra Cover: Mohinder Amarnath - The man who tamed the four-headed beast

During the unforgettable 1983 tour of the West Indies, Amarnath was the lone Indian batsman to stand tall against the likes of Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts and Joel Garner.

Even as the four horsemen of the apocalypse wreaked havoc on seam-friendly surfaces, the right-hander's astonishing tally of 598 runs helped India emerge with a creditable 2-0 defeat. He also resisted a menacing Imran Khan who was clocking serious pace in the 1982/83 series in Pakistan.

Although he was prone to inconsistency (as evidenced from his infamous sequence of ducks), Amarnath did not relent and had the fortitude to make quite a few comebacks into the Indian team.

Career Span: 1969-1988

Statistics: 4378 runs from 69 matches at an average of 42.50 with 11 centuries and 24 fifties

#19 Zaheer Khan

When India reached the pinnacle of Test cricket for the first time since the inception of ICC rankings in 2009, the focus centered around the enviable batting lineup containing some of the most famous names in Indian cricket.

Amidst all the media frenzy, the contribution of the bowlers was largely forgotten. Led by Zaheer Khan, the bowling attack played an equally important role in the team's surge. Playing the role of the side's pace spearhead, the left-armer swung many a game in their favour with his sharp swing and admirable tactical nous.

Extra Cover: Zaheer Khan - No country for fast bowlers

Upon bursting on to the scene as a tearaway quick, Zaheer immediately evoked comparisons with the flamboyant men from across the border.

Even as recurrent injuries kept plaguing him, he increased emphasis on fitness and reinvented himself through a stint with Worcestershire in the 2006 County season. From then on, the canny bowler never looked back.

Utilising his nippy pace as well as extensive knowledge of reverse-swing, he delivered vital breakthroughs for India with new ball and old ball alike. Eventually, he ended an extremely productive career as his country's second most prolific fast bowler.

Career Span: 2000-2014

Statistics: 311 wickets from 92 matches at an average of 32.94 and strike-rate of 60.4 with 11 five-wicket hauls and 1 ten-wicket haul

#18 Erapalli Prasanna

When exalted Australian captain Ian Chappell juxtaposed Erapalli Prasanna with Andy Roberts as the best bowlers he faced during his time, it did not come across as any surprise. The wily off-spinner was the ultimate master of flight, loop and deception. India's close-in fielders swore that they could hear the ball fizz through the air after it had been released from his hands. Within the Indian team's fabled spin quartet, he found the middle-ground between Bishan Singh Bedi's alluring charm and Bhagwath Chandrasekhar's ferociously unplayable deliveries.

Unlike the vast majority of spinners in the current era, Prasanna did not require spin-friendly surfaces to wreak havoc. The Bangalore-born cricketer's versatility can be discerned from his displays in places ranging from Birmingham to Auckland.

Despite losing five years of his peak due to academic reasons, he walked back into the national side in 1967 and proceeded to seal a spot in the playing eleven. By the time he pulled the curtains down on his career, Prasanna had carved a niche for himself in the annals of Indian cricket.

Career Span: 1962-1978

Statistics: 189 wickets from 49 matches at an average of 30.38 and strike-rate of 75.9 with 10 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls

#17 MS Dhoni

With his flowing mane and bludgeoning batting, MS Dhoni quickly endeared himself to the supporters of the Indian team when he climbed through the ranks. Unlike his adept capacity in the 50-over format, red-ball cricket did not come naturally to the man from Ranchi. Yet, he channelled his inner mongrel and scrapped hard to finish as India's most successful wicket-keeper batsman.

No other Indian gloveman has come near his collection of 294 dismissals. The manner in which he repeatedly copped body blows during the 2014 tour of England also embodied his revamped batting style during the final lap of his career.

Dhoni's tally of 27 Test match victories as captain stands as the highest among all Asian skippers. For the right reasons, critics may hound his record outside the subcontinent. But his strategic handling of India's spinners bolstered the side's prowess in home conditions.

Not the man to care about numbers, the seasoned campaigner could have easily prolonged his career to c the 100-Test mark. However, true to his nature, he decided to walk away with his reputation still very much intact.

Career Span: 2005-2014

Statistics: 4876 runs from 90 matches at an average of 38.09 with 6 centuries and 33 fifties; 256 catches and 38 stumpings

#16 Sourav Ganguly

Taking over the reins of a team whose image had been tarnished with the notorious match-fixing scandal and spate of under-whelming performances outside the comforts of home, Sourav Ganguly ushered in a new era in Indian cricket. With his in-your-face approach and aggressive leadership, he triggered a revolution by refurbishing the team's body language in away Tests. Not content with merely competing, the tough competitor demanded results and managed to get the best out of a talented bunch of players.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly over the years - The journey full of Dadagiri from 1992-2008 in pictures

Ganguly's highly influential captaincy meant that he never really got his due as a Test-class batsman. His potential was evident when he smashed a century on debut at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in the 1996 series against England.

Upon beginning his career at number three, he adapted his game to the challenges of batting in the lower-middle order. The splendid 196-ball 144 not only set up a draw at the Gabba against the all-conquering Australians but also showed the world that the Indian team was there to play. And play, they did.

Career Span: 1996-2008

Statistics: 7212 runs from 113 matches at an average of 42.17 with 16 centuries and 35 fifties

#15 Dilip Vengsarkar

With his athletic build and upright batting stance, Dilip Vengsarkar was a vital cog in India's batting lineup during his heydays. While his three centuries at the de facto home of cricket during successive tours earned him the sobriquet "Lord of Lord's", there was plenty more to the right-hander's career. ICC's retrospective players' rankings reveal that he was the number one batsman in Test cricket during the 1987/88 season.

Upon starting his career under the resplendent shadows of accomplished stalwarts such as Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath, Vengsarkar struggled to fulfill his enormous promise in his initial years. He came into his own during the 1978/79 home series against a Packer-weakened West Indies team.

His scintillating centuries in Kolkata and Delhi played a crucial role in helping India seal a memorable series triumph. After the retirements of Viswanath and Gavaskar, he became the most experienced batsman in the lineup. The Mumbaikar responded by reeling off a whopping 8 centuries in a fruitful two-year period that also saw him ascend to the role of captaincy.

Career Span: 1976-1992

Statistics: 6868 runs from 116 matches at an average of 42.13 with 17 centuries and 35 fifties

#14 Vinoo Mankad

At a time when the Indian players settled for sporadic personal landmarks, Vinoo Mankad became a trend-setter by catapulting his country to rare Test victories through sheer will. Possessing seemingly endless reservoirs of patience and application, he blunted several bowling attacks. Defence was not his only forte. The right-hander could also take the attack to the opposition and calibrate his game to the situation at hand.

In addition to his versatile batting, Mankad also had the tenacity to bowl marathon spells on lifeless tracks. The accurate spinner picked up 12 wickets in India's maiden Test win against England at Madras in 1952. He also topped the wicket charts during India's first Test series victory against Pakistan in the same year.

With the scars of partition still fresh on everyone's minds, the left-armer rose to the occasion and managed to outshine the likes of Fazal Mahmood. Countless all-rounders may have come and gone. But Mankad holds a special place in the history of Indian cricket. It is such a travesty that the rest of the world continues to associate him mainly with the controversial mode of dismissal.

Career Span: 1946-1959

Statistics: 2109 runs from 44 matches at an average of 31.47 with 5 centuries and 6 fifties; 162 wickets at an average of 32.32 and strike-rate of 90.6 with 8 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls

#13 Mohammad Azharuddin

November 27, 2000 - For those who were mesmerised by Mohammad Azharuddin's elegant batting and languid catching, the day served a cold reminder that the stench of corruption had the reach to consume even adored sportsmen. Before he traded his immortal legacy for the enticing lures of money, Azharuddin was the original crowd-puller. The serenity of his drive through the mid-wicket region had the power to make even a layman fall in love with cricket.

Also Read: 5 reasons Mohammad Azharuddin should be remembered for more than match-fixing

Aside from his debonair strokes which had the touch of an amorous artist, Azharuddin also had the propensity to pull off staggering catches with minimal fuss.

The right-hander's suave charisma originated from the turned up collar which was an extension of fellow Hyderabadi ML Jaisimha. While his relaxed captaincy often proved to be counter-productive away from the subcontinent, the same element of tranquility made him an unconquerable skipper on spin-friendly subcontinental pitches.

Under his sangfroid leadership, no team could defeat India in a Test series on Indian soil. However, with just one away victory from 27 attempts, Azharuddin's team were abysmal outside India.

Career Span: 1985-2000

Statistics: 6215 runs from 99 matches at an average of 45.03 with 22 centuries and 21 fifties

#12 Ravichandran Ashwin

Almost half-way through his career, Ravichandran Ashwin has already entered into the list of top five Indian Test wicket-takers of all-time.

Even as naysayers may point to the advantage of relying on favourable pitches at home, the off-spinner's record makes for remarkable reading. From just 52 matches, he has picked up as many as 26 five-wicket hauls. He has played 15 series (2 or more matches constitute a series) and pocketed the 'Player of the Series' award on 7 occasions. No Indian player has more such awards. Among all his countrymen with at least 200 scalps, his average of 25.26 is comfortably the best.

To go with his series-defining performances with the ball, Ashwin has also managed to add teeth to the lower-order with his resilient and silken batting.

While skipper Virat Kohli often ran short of platitudes for the Tamil Nadu cricketer, Steve Waugh ventured a lot farther and anointed him as 'the Bradman of bowling'. Nevertheless, the upcoming round of overseas tours outside the subcontinent against strong teams like South Africa, Australia and England will define his legacy.

Career Span: 2011-present

Statistics: *292 wickets from 52 matches at an average of 25.26 and strike-rate of 52.4 with 26 five-wicket hauls and 7 ten-wicket hauls; 2035 runs at an average of 32.82 with 4 centuries and 11 fifties

(*Note: All Statistics are accurate as of 21 October, 2017)

#11 Gundappa Viswanath

The oft discussed debate in Indian cricket circles during the 1970s enclosed around Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath. The two diminutive batting masters polarised opinions to a massive extent. If the opener's unparalleled technique earned him brownie points, then his brother-in-law's dexterity against raw pace placed him on the same pedestal. Years later, legendary fast bowler Dennis Lillee would settle the dilemma by elevating Viswanath above Gavaskar for the former's high impact knocks against Australia.

Extra Cover: 10 things you should know about Gundappa Viswanath

As blasphemous as it may seem to threaten Gavaskar's stature as India's greatest ever batsman, Lillee's assessment was not too far from the target. None of Viswanath's 14 Test centuries came in losing cause.

The eternal stylish cricketer, he regularly upped his game when those surrounding him crumbled. His majestic 228-ball 97 on a pacy Madras surface against a rampaging Andy Roberts was the type of knock which almost every other Indian batsmen could only dream of playing.

Career Span: 1969-1983

Statistics: 6080 runs from 91 matches at an average of 41.93 with 14 centuries and 35 fifties

Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️