Steve Smith names the greatest cricketer and batter of all time

Australia batter Steve Smith has hailed former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis as the greatest cricketer the game has ever seen while calling India's Sachin Tendulkar the greatest batter. Speaking to BBC, the Australian star shared his admiration for two of the most celebrated figures in world cricket.

Kallis, often described as the most complete cricketer, was a giant of the game. Representing South Africa from 1995 to 2014, he scored 13,289 Test runs at an average of 55.37, alongside 11,579 runs in ODIs. Equally destructive with the ball, he picked up 292 wickets in Tests and 273 in ODIs, making him arguably the finest all-rounder in cricket history.

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Tendulkar, meanwhile, remains the benchmark for batting greatness. The Indian legend retired in 2013 as the highest run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs, with 15,921 runs in 200 Tests and 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs. His tally of 100 international centuries is a record that still stands untouched, underlining why Smith calls him the greatest batter of all time.


Smith himself is widely regarded as one of the finest Test batters of the modern era. Since his debut in 2010, the right-hander has amassed 10,477 runs in 119 Tests at an average of 56.03, including 36 centuries. His unorthodox style, relentless consistency and match-winning knocks have placed him in the same conversations as the legends he admires.

By placing Kallis and Tendulkar at the top, Smith not only paid tribute to two icons but also reminded fans of the high standards that define cricket across generations.

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