Brian Lara’s Cricket GOAT List Features Bumrah
Legendary West Indies cricketer Brian Lara recently revealed his picks for the “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT) players in cricket. Among them was India’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who joined three other legendary names in Lara’s list.
This announcement was made during an episode of the ‘Stick to Cricket’ podcast, where Lara appeared alongside former England players Phil Tufnell, Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan, and David Lloyd.
In Lara’s GOAT list, Bumrah was placed alongside Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath, South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, and Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist.
Why Bumrah Made the List
Jasprit Bumrah, a key part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad, has become one of the finest fast bowlers from India. In 206 international games, he has picked up 455 wickets with an impressive average of 20.47. Five or more wickets have been taken by him on 17 occasions, with 6/19 being his best performance. Test cricket remains his strongest format, with 217 wickets in 47 matches at an average of 19.48.
Kallis – A Complete Package
Jacques Kallis is known for being one of the most balanced players in cricket. More than 25,500 runs were scored and 577 wickets were taken by him in international cricket.” With 62 centuries and 149 fifties, he could easily fit in any team either as a batter or bowler. His best bowling figures are 6/54. He also won the ICC Champions Trophy once with South Africa.
Gilchrist – A Game-Changer for Wicketkeepers
Adam Gilchrist redefined the role of wicketkeeper-batters. He played 396 international games and made 15,461 runs, with an average of 38.94. He also hit 33 hundreds during his career. In ODIs alone, he scored over 9,600 runs, while in Tests he averaged 47.60 across 96 matches. He also recorded 905 dismissals as a keeper and was a key member of three World Cup-winning teams.
Lara’s ‘Legend’ Category
Apart from GOATs, Lara also listed some modern-day cricketing greats in his ‘legends’ group. This list includes Indian captain Rohit Sharma, West Indies power-hitter Chris Gayle, Pakistan’s pace star Shaheen Shah Afridi, England’s Kevin Pietersen, and New Zealand’s dependable Kane Williamson.
Rohit Sharma – White-Ball Maestro
Rohit Sharma has scored close to 20,000 runs in international cricket, making him one of India’s best players. He has hit 49 centuries and has lifted two T20 World Cups and two Champions Trophies — once as captain in each format. In ODIs, he has made 11,168 runs with 32 hundreds and holds the record for the most centuries in World Cup matches (7). In T20Is, he’s the leading run-scorer with 4,231 runs and five centuries.
Shaheen Afridi – Rising Fast Bowling Star
Though he hasn’t yet won a major international trophy, Shaheen Afridi is already making waves. At just 25, he has taken 345 wickets in 174 matches, with an average of 24.88, making him Pakistan’s 12th-highest wicket-taker so far.
Kane Williamson – New Zealand’s Backbone
Kane Williamson guided New Zealand to their first big ICC trophy by winning the World Test Championship. He has scored 19,086 runs and 48 centuries across formats, making him New Zealand’s best-ever batter. Test cricket is his most successful format, where he has made 9,276 runs with an average of 54.88. He’s often mentioned alongside top modern batters like Virat Kohli, Joe Root, and Steve Smith.
