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[suraj]

To branch off from the other thread name the 5 you consider the best in this version. Most greats in other thread were picked from pre-ODI era but these names should not be a reflection that those greats could not have achieved as much in this version- it is just different skill sets and level of contribution that is needed for ODIs.

This will also help the newer folks who are less familiar with the "older" greats in tests and so unable to compare.

[RicePlateReddy]

Its difficult to really include bowlers in ODIs.

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Kapil Dev
3. Sanath Jayasuriya
4. Michael Bevan
5. Joel Garner

Close: Adam Gilchrist

[poondu]

Tendulkar
Gilchrist
Wasim Akram
A. De Silva
Ambrose

and MS Dhoni   

[ramshorns]

Its difficult to really include bowlers in ODIs.

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Kapil Dev
3. Sanath Jayasuriya
4. Michael Bevan
5. Joel Garner

Close: Adam Gilchrist

Come on no Richards.  A 47 average with over 90 SR in the day's where 60 and 70 SR ruled the roost.  To put in perspective Srikanth had a 72 or 73 SR and is considered brisk.

[suraj]

Its difficult to really include bowlers in ODIs.

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Kapil Dev
3. Sanath Jayasuriya
4. Michael Bevan
5. Joel Garner

Close: Adam Gilchrist

Come on no Richards.  A 47 average with over 90 SR in the day's where 60 and 70 SR ruled the roost.  To put in perspective Srikanth had a 72 or 73 SR and is considered brisk.

I was thinking the same thing- in addition a useful bowler and an athletic fielder too; I don't care what era but Richards is the first player in my top 5 anytime.

Not to fault KOP though- it is really a tougher choice in ODIs because the class of masters in tests is just way above the others vs ODIs where it gets more competitive because of restrictions etc. So best way to choose I guess will be- if you had to pick a team from every player avaliable who will be the first 5 you will choose??

[RicePlateReddy]

Oops. Richards was oversight on my part. And Ambrose is certainly up there. Here goes:

1. Tendulkar
2. Richards
3. Kapil Dev
4. Bevan
5. Garner/Ambrose (tie)

[pieterSAN]

Richards
Garner
Mcgrath
Sachin
Bevan

[justforkix]

Viv Richards
Michael Bevan
Wasim Akram
Kapil Dev
Sachin Tendulkar

[TheWall]

Viv Richards
SR Tendulkar
Micheal Bevan
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

[CLR James]

Here are mine:

1. Viv Richards

2. Sachin Tendulkar

3. Wasim Akram

4. Joel Garner

5. Sanath Jayasurya

[Cernunnos]

Mine are :

1. IVA Richards
2. SR Tendulkar
3. Bevan
4. S Pollock
5. Wasim

[feverpitch]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

[sudzz]

My picks

1. Greenidge and Haynes (tough to pry them apart)
2. Richards
3. Dean Jones (no one focussed on one day basics like running betwn wickets etc)
4. Aravinda D'Silva (Classy bat if there ever was one from SL)
5. Wasim Akram

Of course modern day maestro's like Gilly/Ponting/McGrath/SRT/Dhoni etc are there but these above were their predecessors and if they existed today would've prolly been right there on top IMHO.

[Blwe_torch]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

[pieterSAN]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

[sudzz]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

Yeah but for him to figure a desert storm alone wont count, the others have consistently helped their teams win whereas SRT has consistently scored...big difference IMHO

[pieterSAN]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

Yeah but for him to figure a desert storm alone wont count, the others have consistently helped their teams win whereas SRT has consistently scored...big difference IMHO

Actually SRT has the best MoM awards per innings ratio after Richards in that list. Yet SJ and SG are chosen ahead of him.

[sudzz]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

Yeah but for him to figure a desert storm alone wont count, the others have consistently helped their teams win whereas SRT has consistently scored...big difference IMHO

Actually SRT has the best MoM awards per innings ratio after Richards in that list. Yet SJ and SG are chosen ahead of him.

Oh ok I was actually talking about my list in comparision and my justification for not having SRT in mine

[pieterSAN]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

Yeah but for him to figure a desert storm alone wont count, the others have consistently helped their teams win whereas SRT has consistently scored...big difference IMHO

Actually SRT has the best MoM awards per innings ratio after Richards in that list. Yet SJ and SG are chosen ahead of him.

Oh ok I was actually talking about my list in comparision and my justification for not having SRT in mine

Sudzz...that's cool. I don't think that SRT is shoo-in for greatest 5 in ODI although I did end up picking him

[MockTurtle]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

Yeah but for him to figure a desert storm alone wont count, the others have consistently helped their teams win whereas SRT has consistently scored...big difference IMHO

Actually SRT has the best MoM awards per innings ratio after Richards in that list. Yet SJ and SG are chosen ahead of him.

Jiet: what are you debating...

The best 5 GREATEST ODI PLAYERS IN THE WORLD IN THE PAST CENTURY were:
1. Sourav Ganguly
2. Deep Dasgupta
3. Dilip Doshi (he would have been awesome if he had played)
4. LR Shukla
5. Rohan Gavaskar(that Deodhar innings was a masterpiece..who cares, if it was in 2007!!)

...that acknowledged ...

..can we get to the next 5 greatest list!

Argh! 

I completely forgot that the brainwashing has begun. Thanks LN.

err..i thought this was a poll where each one picks his/her choices and you tally the votes. why this drama?

[pieterSAN]

Match winners who change the outcome of a game: -

Viv Richards
Sourav Ganguly
Sanath Jayasurya
Wasim Akram
Glenn McGrath

I agree. Ganguly has to be there.
He is present in the Top-5 Man of the Match list, centuries list and the total aggregate runs list. You have to take that into consideration.
We have discussecd this in the following thread:
http://www.cricketvoice.com/cricketforum2/index.php?topic=7972.msg108978#msg108978

Yeah but Tendulkar still does not figure in the list....that is strange.

Yeah but for him to figure a desert storm alone wont count, the others have consistently helped their teams win whereas SRT has consistently scored...big difference IMHO

Actually SRT has the best MoM awards per innings ratio after Richards in that list. Yet SJ and SG are chosen ahead of him.

Jiet: what are you debating...

The best 5 GREATEST ODI PLAYERS IN THE WORLD IN THE PAST CENTURY were:
1. Sourav Ganguly
2. Deep Dasgupta
3. Dilip Doshi (he would have been awesome if he had played)
4. LR Shukla
5. Rohan Gavaskar(that Deodhar innings was a masterpiece..who cares, if it was in 2007!!)

...that acknowledged ...

..can we get to the next 5 greatest list!

Argh! 

I completely forgot that the brainwashing has begun. Thanks LN.

err..i thought this was a poll where each one picks their choices and you tally the votes. why this drama?

True...I am just kidding around.

[justforkix]

My picks

1. Greenidge and Haynes (tough to pry them apart)
2. Richards
3. Dean Jones (no one focussed on one day basics like running betwn wickets etc)
4. Aravinda D'Silva (Classy bat if there ever was one from SL)
5. Wasim Akram

Of course modern day maestro's like Gilly/Ponting/McGrath/SRT/Dhoni etc are there but these above were their predecessors and if they existed today would've prolly been right there on top IMHO.

but the greatest ever exponent of running between wickets was Jonty and Bevan....

[sudzz]

My picks

1. Greenidge and Haynes (tough to pry them apart)
2. Richards
3. Dean Jones (no one focussed on one day basics like running betwn wickets etc)
4. Aravinda D'Silva (Classy bat if there ever was one from SL)
5. Wasim Akram

Of course modern day maestro's like Gilly/Ponting/McGrath/SRT/Dhoni etc are there but these above were their predecessors and if they existed today would've prolly been right there on top IMHO.

but the greatest ever exponent of running between wickets was Jonty and Bevan....

They were but even they came after Deanno

[LosingNow]

I will stick to my 2 bat, 2 bowlers and 1 all rounder theme for ODIs too..
1. Viv Richards
2. Sachin
3. Kapil
4. Garner
5. McGrath
..again Akram misses out marginally...and Ambrose is a tough one to not include.
Agree, picking bowlers was very difficult. It could be any 2 of Garner, McGrath, Akram and Ambrose. The batsmen and allrounder pick themselves.

[pieterSAN]

I know there are a few more votes out there...let's wrap this up.

[Blwe_torch]

LN...actually Dilip Doshi would have been quite good, had he played........in the Bhajji mould.

[LosingNow]

LN...actually Dilip Doshi would have been quite good, had he played........in the Bhajji mould.

OKKKKK...
--
Bump

[pieterSAN]

<Bump>

[fineleg]

<Bump>

Jiet - who is that in ur thumb?

[pieterSAN]

<Bump>

Jiet - who is that in ur thumb?

 ...Queen Rania of Jordan.

[inoc]

richards
bevan
kapil
jayasuriya
akram

[kban1]

Richards

I do not think there is any doubt about him being at the top of theist. Playing mostly in an era of no power plays and less than usual (read current) fielding restrictions, he still averaged 40+ and a high SR. In fact at one time, when he was in his prime, he averaged 50+ in ODI's too before his late career slump took over. A destroyer of attacks

SRT

I do not need to say more about SRT and his ODI exploits

SG / Jayasuriya - a toss up

Both are destroyers of attacks -- Jayasuriya a better bowler and fielder, SG more consistent with the bat. Pick and choose here

Garner

There was none meaner with the ball at the death than the "Big Bird". Awkward bounce, amazing length and line, and the meanest yorker (the man who inspired the term "blockhole ball") I have seen with due respect to Akram and Kapil.

Wasim / Kapil - a toss up

Great bowling, especially at the death -- Kapil for a period of 3-5 years was the best ODI bowler bar none, especially at the death where he mastered the blockhole ball, the Garner trademark. Add to that his ability with the bat -- he changed many a game with his fast running, intelligent field placement, and lusty hitting. More consistency with the bat would have been better but batting at #7 after a much vaunted batting line up, which sometimes seemed to slow the ask rate down enough for him to be the last resort, I'll take him anyday.

Akram -- well, the reverse swing, the banana swing, and the awesome bowling at the death -- we have seen that way too many times.

Notable and honorable mentions

Bevan
Murali
Gilchrist
McGrath
Pollock
Warne
Ambrose
Haynes

[vijay]

All West Indians.

Richards
Lloyd
Greenidge
Garner
Marshall

You could change this around with a number of other West Indian guys from their teams of the 70s and 80s, and still be fine. The West Indians were the greatest at this type of game. Heck, they were exciting even when they played test cricket.

[keep-it-cool]

*Richards (consensus choice, really)
*Tendulkar (another more or less consensus choice)
*Wasim Akram (have yet to see a bowler who could do more with the ball - first up, in the middle overs or at the death)
*Murali (in this age of 300+ scores, his strike rate and economy rate are amazing .. have yet to see any batsman really get on top of him over a consistent period of time)
*Gilchrist (while we've had pinch hitters earlier, he was the first batsman who created almost a feeling of helplessness among bowlers for a very long time)

[ramshorns]

I had the privilege of watching or following the game of One day Cricket since it inception or thereabouts.  Primarily I would say in 1975 is where it took off.   I was a mere 6 1/2 years when in the first WC a young man by name Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards 23 at the time created havoc and reaped headlines for his stellar performance.  He just scored 5 runs in the final to his captain Clive Lloyd's 102 a match winning hundred.  So what is the Buzz all about.  OH well rumor has it and was later confirmed that his brilliant fielding turned the game on its head when Aussies were on target got both Chappell brothers and Turner with his youthful exuberance in the covers.  I was too young in 1975 to comprehend all that but was told by elders to me and bullied into accepting this Richards guy is the best.  But seriously we knew at the time a phenomenon called King Richards has arrived to grace this game in the lines of Ranjit Singhji, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Garfield Sobers.  A cricketer par excellence whose very presence in a game sends an air of anticipation and excitement like no other.   There is more to Richards than just stats which will measure up to any modern great in any form of the game.  But it all about the timing, spontaneity and deliver on the big stage with all the nonchalance and ease.  The 1979 WC final century again in a winning cause shows the man's ability to pick just the right moment to shine and showoff and tell the world who the best is.
Since those days this game of ODI cricket has seen some remarkable cricketers to date both with the bat and the ball and also the likes of Richards, Dean Jones, Derek Randall, our own Mohammed Azharuddin and the best of them all Jhonty Rhodes on the field a forgotten area so vital to success in big games.  It will be very tough to pick 5 among plethora of greats athletes.
 
Hence I have decided to make a list of batsman and bowlers in the pecking order I would pick.  Here they are.
 
Batting in order of preference
 
1) Viv Richards
2) Mike Bevan
3) Adam  Gilchrist
4) Aravinda De Silva
5) Sachin Tendulkar
6) Sanath Jayasuriya
7) Ricky Ponting
Brain Lara
9) Sourav Ganguly
10) Mark Waugh
11) Desmond Haynes
12) Javed Miandad
13) Inzaman UL Haq
14) Gordon Greenidge
15) Md. Azharuddin
16) Dean Jones
 
Bowlers in order of preference
 
1) Goel Garner
2) Muttiah Muralitharan
3) Wasim Akram
4) Curtly Ambrsose
5) Richard Hadlee
6) Dennis Lillee
7) Malcolm Marshall
Glenn McGrath
9) Shaun Pollock
10) Shane Warne
11) Allan Donald
12) Michael Holding
13) Waqar Younis
14) Chaminda Vaas
15) Daniel Vettori
 
Allrounders in order of preference
1) Kapil Dev
2) Imran Khan
3) Steve Waugh
3) Ian Botham
5) Jhonty Rhodes
 
So if you pick the top 2 for bowlers and bastman and 1 allrounder if that is the norm for top 5 ODI's here, then that is my top 5.

[suraj]

Good list Rams- well compiled!!!

As usual I have some disagreements on the pecking order (only on players I have seen in action for significant amount of time) but all players included deserve to be on the list

Quick question after first glance- how did you differentiate Haynes and Greenidge in pecking order???

[ramshorns]

Good list Rams- well compiled!!!

As usual I have some disagreements on the pecking order (only on players I have seen in action for significant amount of time) but all players included deserve to be on the list

Quick question after first glance- how did you differentiate Haynes and Greenidge in pecking order???

Though Greenidge was more belligerent of the  two and better overall batsman, in ODI's Haynes at the time had held record with 17 100's and 8000 odd runs until all the recent players led by Sachin overtook him.  To add to that just like Greenidge or Richards he always played well agianst Aus. in the WSC games in Australia.  The margin between the 2 on the ODI scale is so narrow I had to pick Haynes a little ahead of Greenidge.

[LosingNow]

I am surprised why Glenn McGrath is not rated higher here...both in the ODI and Tests list.

His accuracy in this era of batsman-friendly game and the fact that he has SRT, Lara and I think Inzy & MoYo's numbers..says something about his skill and stature. I think Aussies test dominance has a lot to do with McGrath and off course, Warne.

[justforkix]

I am surprised why Glenn McGrath is not rated higher here...both in the ODI and Tests list.

His accuracy in this era of batsman-friendly game and the fact that he has SRT, Lara and I think Inzy & MoYo's numbers..says something about his skill and stature. I think Aussies test dominance has a lot to do with McGrath and off course, Warne.

McGrath's accuracy even puts the most efficient machine to shame

[Blwe_torch]

I had the privilege of watching or following the game of One day Cricket since it inception or thereabouts.  Primarily I would say in 1975 is where it took off.   I was a mere 6 1/2 years when in the first WC a young man by name Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards 23 at the time created havoc and reaped headlines for his stellar performance.  He just scored 5 runs in the final to his captain Clive Lloyd's 102 a match winning hundred.  So what is the Buzz all about.  OH well rumor has it and was later confirmed that his brilliant fielding turned the game on its head when Aussies were on target got both Chappell brothers and Turner with his youthful exuberance in the covers.  I was too young in 1975 to comprehend all that but was told by elders to me and bullied into accepting this Richards guy is the best.  But seriously we knew at the time a phenomenon called King Richards has arrived to grace this game in the lines of Ranjit Singhji, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Garfield Sobers.  A cricketer par excellence whose very presence in a game sends an air of anticipation and excitement like no other.   There is more to Richards than just stats which will measure up to any modern great in any form of the game.  But it all about the timing, spontaneity and deliver on the big stage with all the nonchalance and ease.  The 1979 WC final century again in a winning cause shows the man's ability to pick just the right moment to shine and showoff and tell the world who the best is.
Since those days this game of ODI cricket has seen some remarkable cricketers to date both with the bat and the ball and also the likes of Richards, Dean Jones, Derek Randall, our own Mohammed Azharuddin and the best of them all Jhonty Rhodes on the field a forgotten area so vital to success in big games.  It will be very tough to pick 5 among plethora of greats athletes.
 
Hence I have decided to make a list of batsman and bowlers in the pecking order I would pick.  Here they are.
 
Batting in order of preference
 
1) Viv Richards
2) Mike Bevan
3) Adam  Gilchrist
4) Aravinda De Silva
5) Sachin Tendulkar
6) Sanath Jayasuriya
7) Ricky Ponting
Brain Lara
9) Sourav Ganguly
10) Mark Waugh
11) Desmond Haynes
12) Javed Miandad
13) Inzaman UL Haq
14) Gordon Greenidge
15) Md. Azharuddin
16) Dean Jones
 
Bowlers in order of preference
 
1) Goel Garner
2) Muttiah Muralitharan
3) Wasim Akram
4) Curtly Ambrsose
5) Richard Hadlee
6) Dennis Lillee
7) Malcolm Marshall
Glenn McGrath
9) Shaun Pollock
10) Shane Warne
11) Allan Donald
12) Michael Holding
13) Waqar Younis
14) Chaminda Vaas
15) Daniel Vettori
 
Allrounders in order of preference
1) Kapil Dev
2) Imran Khan
3) Steve Waugh
3) Ian Botham
5) Jhonty Rhodes
 
So if you pick the top 2 for bowlers and bastman and 1 allrounder if that is the norm for top 5 ODI's here, then that is my top 5.

Applause Rams!
In the first WC.....it was Greenidge and the late Roy Fredericks, who opened for WI. And they both were equally explosive. I am sure the Australians won't forget Fredericks in a hurry. I have seen them both in action during their 1973 visit with Lloyd's team in India.
One more batsman I would like to add is Lawrence Rowe, my personal favorite and a huge success in the Packer series. He was very stylish and aggressive, just like Richards. According to fellow Jamaican Michael Holding, Rowe would have been one of the greatest batsmen in the world had he lived up to his talent and early reputation.