Sportskeeda's All-Time Test XI: From the realms of immortality

#3 – Sir Donald Bradman (Australia)

Bradman was an exalted hero of the masses

Without a doubt, cricket’s most popular number from time immemorial has been 99.94. Armed with a homegrown technique emanating from batting on matted-concrete pitches, Sir Donald Bradman stood head and shoulders above any other batsman in the game’s history. A run-machine who redefined the term ‘consistency’, the decisiveness in his footwork made him utilize the crease in a pronounced manner.

In his biography written by the versatile Johnny Moyes, Bradman’s unique bat-grip has also been documented quite intricately. Favouring the cross-batted strokes, he began still at the crease only to culminate in an extravagant flourish.

Even though his dominance on wet conditions were brought under the microscope, the ease with which the accumulator shifted from attack to defence enabled him to reach peerless status.

Did You Know – In the Italian segment of the 2nd World War, the allied forces used the code ‘Bradman will be batting tomorrow’ to signal their attack on Monte Cassino.

Statistics: 6996 runs from 52 matches at an average of 99.94 with 29 centuries and 13 fifties.