10 Favorite Cricket Commentators. Review on Five Best Commentators

I was not able to keep myself limited to 5 so I am talking a little liberty and putting my 10 favorite commentator. (they are not in any rank here, just given list)

Ian Chapel - Played 75 test matches and scored more than 5000 Test runs. He was the world’s best Cricket captain. After retiring from cricket, he started a career as Commentator. He was associated with Channel Nine and then Star Sports. His cricket brain and captain skills have contributed to his commentary skills. Whenever I hear him, I learn more about the game of cricket and leadership on the ground.

Geoff Boycott –Love him or hate him but you can’t ignore him. In 108 test matches he had scored 8114 runs. As a cricketer he was controversial and he remains the same while he is a commentator. He is one of the best analytical minds for Cricket. That made him wonderful commentator. While listening to him, we learn about batting in depth. All who have listened him know abut her mother and grand mother’s cricketing skills. He started with sky sports, moved to ESPN Star but as per latest news, he was with Ten Sports.

Ian Botham – With nickname Beefy, he has scored 5200 test runs and 383 test wickets. One of the finest all round cricketer of world. England’s most loved cricketer ever is Ian Botham. He has started as commentator little late but picked up well. His knowledge about game and frank opinion makes him better commentator. He is one of the biggest critics of English Cricket but still holds his place firmly with his constructive opinions.

Tony Greig – Tony is with record of playing 58 test, scoring 3600 runs and 148 wickets. During Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, he has established good relations at Australia. After retirement he reaches Australia and started commentary. His experience of 3 nations (South Africa, England and Australia) makes him a knowledgeable person in cricket. He makes the atmosphere live during the match. Last 6-7 over of any ODI belongs to Tony only.None can forget his commentary at Sharjah in Ind-Aus match. With each six of Sachin he was making all to dance with his voice. He is a live wire.

Ravi Shashtri – In 80 test matches, 3830 runs and 151 wickets. He is having mediocre records but a very cunning cricketing mind. He was one of the few unlucky persons who always remained vice captain of India (with Kapil, Vengsarkar, Srikanth and Azhar) and captained only 1 match for India. He started as a very common commentator but he groomed with the time. Now he is more accomplished commentator whom we can rank as best in India. He is not afraid to take on any commentator of Eng or Aus in case of dispute. His cunning mind and boldness make him very nice commentator.

Bill Lawry – In 67 test matches he has scored 5234 runs. He was the first captain of Aus ODI side. After retiring, Lawry worked as a cricket commentator on Channel 9 television. He got this opportunity because of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. He is one of the veterans of Cricket commentary. His style and wittiness add colors to his commentary.

Richie Benaud – In 63 test matches, he has taken 248 wickets and score 2200+ runs. He is reckoned as “Bhishma Pita” of Cricket commentary. He was the commendatory who has worked for BBC and Channel 9. He has worked as commentator for 40 years and just retired in 2005 Ashes. Recently in a survey in UK, he was voted as the best commentator in the world. His voice and style is used in computer cricket game which has made him more popular.

David Gower – In 117 test matches he has scored 8231 runs. He was equally good ODI batsman. He is known as golden boy of English cricket with blue eyes. After Graham Gooch played trick with him and put him out of the England team, he started working as Commentator. He was mainly working with English channels only so not accessible to rest of the world but his recent tour to India has given me chance to hear him properly. I admire him for his style and his patience. He is not like other cricketers who starts criticizing instantly, he takes his own time and put his opinion in convincing manner.

Nasser Hussain– Indian born English cricketer who is reckoned as the best English captain since Mike Brearley. In 96 test matches he scored 5764 runs. His captainship given England a winning combination and power to fight. After his retirement in 2004, he joined sky sports as commentator. His great vocabulary and cricketing brain makes him a good commentator. His blunt comments and great judgments make him my favorite commentator. 95 times out of 100 we find him correct with is call on player or condition on cricket ground.

Harsha Bhogle – An IIM – A graduate has taken an unusual career path and became Sports commentator. Initially he was commentator for other sports also but later on he specialized in cricket. It is well known that he can speak faster than what he is speaking right now but he is keep himself under control.

I will not forget to reckon some other names whom I like but not able to include in my Top 10. They are Michele Holding; Ian Healy; March Nicholas, Sunil Gavaskar, Bob Willis; Barry Richards; Wasim Akram, Mark Taylor.

There are few whom are irritating me and forcing me to put my TV on mute Arjuna Rantuga, Arvinda; Ranjit Fernando, Ian Bishop, Arun lal, Paul Allot, Laxman Shivram Krishnan, Javagal Srinath, Tony Cozier, Charu Sharma, Mandira Bedi, Henry Blofeld (Sharjh Earring man), Rameez Raja, Imran  Khan, can't remember few other Pakistani who used to give us burden during Sharjah matches.