Top 10 cricket commentators in the world

This article only considers commentators currently active on a permanent basis.

#11 Special Mentions

Here are some commentating greats who are no longer regulars on the scene:

Richie Benaud is most definitely the greatest commentator in the history of cricket. Sadly, age has caught up with him and isn’t a regular in the box these days.

Tony Greig was a man for the big occasion. Be it the Desert Storm in Sharjah or the historic Eden Gardens Test in 2001, he was the man behind the microphone who made those matches even more memorable with his commentary. His death 15 months was a colossal loss for cricket.

Geoffrey Boycott’s commentary is nothing like his batting. He loves a rant as much as he loved a forward defence in his playing days. Sadly, since his problems with cancer he has worked with radio rather television.

Bill Lawry was THE entertainer in the Channel 9 team since the 1980s. His partnership with Tony Greig is a thing of legend. Unfortunately just like his old pal Benaud, age has taken its toil on the man known as “The Phantom” and he apperaed for just one Test at the recently concluded Ashes.

#10 Harsha Bhogle

Harsha Bhogle is one of the finest callers of the game of cricket in the modern era. He is one of the few commentators who have had a long career calling the game for television viewers despite a lack of playing experience at both the domestic and international level. What makes Bhogle stand out is his fluency in speech and a voice that catches the attention of cricket fans across all ages. His diplomacy in recent times have been a bit of a turn-off but he still remains one of the best in the game.

#9 David Lloyd

David Lloyd took up commentary after a reasonably average spell as the coach of the English cricket team. The former Lancashire cricketer can set alight any match with his witty and colourful commentary. His uses of words and phrases like “wallop”, “start the car”, “start the tuk-tuk” have enthralled cricket viewers everywhere. He is a regular on nearly every international game played by England.

#8 Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor is part of the new generation of Channel 9’s commentary team and arguably, the best one among the lot. Whilst most of his current colleagues come across as cheerleaders, Taylor is the sane voice among the team. He is precise with his views, which makes the viewer understand his perceptive of the game without much difficulty.

#7 Tony Cozier

Tony Cozier was one of the greats when it comes to cricket commentary. A club cricketer, Cozier started his career back in 1958 at the age of 18. He got his first commentary stint on radio just 7 years later. Since then, he didn't turn back and went on to become one of the most famous names in West Indian cricket.

He passed away in 2016.

#6 Rahul Dravid

Over the years, commentators from India haven’t impressed many cricket fans. Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar have had a long career behind the microphone, but have brought nothing special to the table. While Gavaskar’s commentary is border-line desperate at times, Shastri is an expert at stating the same thing a million times over. With such a situation at hand, Rahul Dravid is a welcome change. Dravid isn’t loud or brash as the others and his vast knowledge of domestic cricket makes him one of the most knowledgeable commentators around.

#5 Ian Bishop

Ian Bishop is not one of those commentators who’ll get you off your seat. In a world full of Danny Morrisons and Najvot Singh Sidhus, the former West Indian fast bowler is a welcome change. Even in a high volatile competition like the IPL, Bishops doesn’t go overboard and brings a sense of reason to the commentary amidst chaos all around him.

#4 Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain defines the modern-day cricket commentator. He is always well-informed and always backs what he believes in, especially the Decision Review System (DRS). His comparison of Indian fielders to “donkey” in 2011 was unnecessary, but he still remains one of the most respected voices in world cricket for invaluable insight into the game.

#3 Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell is the only member of the Fab Four – Richie Benaud, Bill Lawry, Tony Greig and himself – of Channel Nine who still commentates on a permanent basis. Chappell is a no-holds barred commentator, he is never reluctant to call a spade, a spade. The 70-year-old even refused to commentate on the India vs Australia ODI series held last year, as he couldn’t get himself to toe the BCCI line of conduct behind the microphone.

#2 Michael Holding

Nicknamed “whispering death”, Michael Holding has a voice that could split a wave into two. One of the respected voices in world cricket, Holding is a permanent fixture in the Sky Sports commentary team and commentates on nearly all games played by England and West Indies. The Caribbean great is never short of words and is always forthright in his opinions, which is why a lot of people rate him as the greatest commentator cricket has seen after Richie Benaud.

#1 Michael Atherton

Not many people in the world would have paid to watch Michael Atherton bat, but when it comes to his analysis of the game, it’s a completely different story. The former opening batsman writes for The Times, who publish all their online content behind a paywall. Yet many cricket fans from across the globe have been willing to pay up the amount just to read his articles. He has been one of the finest commentators to grace the game as well. He is neither underwhelming nor overwhelming with his commentary. He finds the perfect balance behind the mic, which make him the numero uno amongst commentators in world cricket at this time.