Top 10 Australian Test cricketers of all time

Australia is one of the most powerful nations in cricket history. It has enjoyed a lot of success in both primary formats - Test and ODI cricket. In Tests, Australia have always been regarded as one of the giants of the format, having undergone a spell of 16 matches won in a row twice.

Over the years, Australia have had a number of great cricketers who have represented the nation and have gone on to become the greatest cricketers of all time. Let’s take a look at the Top 10 Australian Test cricketers.

#10. Matthew Hayden

One of Australia’s finest and most explosive openers, Matthew Hayden made his Test debut in 1994 but did not become a regular for Australia until their Tour of New Zealand in 2000 where he scored fifties in both innings of the final Test at Hamilton.

Hayden later went on to become one of Australia’s finest Test batsmen and formed a formidable opening pair with Justin Langer. In 2003, Hayden scored 380 against Zimbabwe, bettering Brian Lara’s 375 for the highest score in Test cricket. However, his record was broken by Lara the following but it still remains the highest score by an Australian in Test cricket.

Matthew Hayden is the only cricketer who has scored more than 1000 Test runs in a calendar year five times, having done so from 2001-2005. Hayden was also a brilliant slip fielder, having taken 128 catches in Tests.

The left-handed opener retired from Tests in 2009 with 8625 runs (5th highest for Australia in Tests) from 103 Tests at an impressive average of 50.73 with 29 fifties and 30 hundreds.

#9. Greg Chappell

Greg Chappell was Australia's highest run scorer in Tests by the time he retired

Under-arm bowling in the final ball of an ODI, spat with one of India’s finest skippers, not remembered well by the Indian players he coached, Greg Chappell has had controversies but we just can’t deny that at his prime, he was one of the best batsmen in the world.

Chappell scored a century on his Test debut against England and went on to become one of their most crucial players in the format. Chappell invented a unique stroke-playing technique where he played the ball in a narrow arc between mid-off and mid-on.

In 1974, Chappell scored 247 and 133 in a Test against New Zealand at Wellington which remained a record for the most number of runs scored in a Test match until Graham Gooch bettered it in 1990.

Over a 14-year long Test career, Chappell scored 7110 runs from 87 matches at an average of 53.86, hitting 31 fifties and 24 hundreds. Chappell was also a pretty handy part-time bowler, picking up 46 wickets with a spell of 5/61 against Pakistan at Sydney in 1972 being his best bowling figures in Test cricket. By the time of his retirement, Chappell also held the record for the most number of catches in Test cricket with 122.

Having scored 182 in his final Test innings, Chappell is one of four cricketers who have scored centuries in both their first and last Tests, with the other players being William Ponsford, Reginald Duff, and Mohammad Azharuddin.

#8. Dennis Lillee

Lillee was Australia's leading wicket taker during the time of his retirement

One of the greatest fast-bowlers of all-time, Dennis Lille did not have a very easy time with the Australian team at the start of his career as he had to deal with several back issues during the early 70s. However, Lillee’s fighting spirit brought him back to full fitness and he later became one of Australia’s most important entities during the 1970s and early 80s.

Lillee was an extremely fast bowler and was one of the most feared bowlers during his playing days. He overtook Richie Benaud in 1981 as the highest Australian wicket-taker in Tests before overtaking Lance Gibbs as the highest wicket-taker in Tests. Ironically, he bettered Gibbs’ record against West Indies.

Lillee formed a brilliant bowler/wicket-keeper and fielder partnership with Rodney Marsh with the instance of Marsh catching and Lillee dismissing occurring 95 times in 69 Tests, a record yet to be bettered.

Lillee had a very successful career with 355 wickets in 70 Tests that included 23 five-wicket hauls, the third highest by any Australian. Lillee also scored 905 runs with the bat with 73 against England at Lord’s being his highest score in Tests.

#7. Adam Gilchrist

Gilly had an unbelievable strike rate of 81.95 in Tests

Considered to be the greatest wicket-keeper batsman in the history of the sport, Gilchrist did not begin his Test career until he was 28 due to the presence of Ian Healy. Healy was dropped due to poor form and despite the selectors wanting to give him a farewell match against Pakistan at his home ground-Gabba, Gilly got the opportunity to make his Test debut.

The Gabba did not take this very well and Gilchrist had a cold reception at the ground but this did not prevent him from taking 6 dismissals (5 catches and a stumping) and scoring a brisk 81. Gilchrist produced another stellar performance in his second Test by scoring 149 as Australia recovered from 126/5 to chase down 369.

Gilchrist thus became a regular in Australia’s Test team and although he batted at No.7 opposed to opening the innings in ODIs, he still kept on scoring big for the Aussies.

Gilchrist’s aggressive batting helped Australia on numerous occasions and despite beginning in his late 20s, he still managed to pile up 5570 runs from 96 Tests (the highest by any keeper-batsman) at an average of 47.60 and at an astronomical strike rate of 81.95 which is the second highest strike rate for any Test batsman who has scored more than 5000 runs. Gilly is second behind Mark Boucher for the most number of Test dismissals with 416 (379 catches and 37 stumpings).

#6. Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh is one of Australia's finest batsmen

One of Australia’s greatest captains of all-time is also one of the greatest Test batsmen ever. Debuting in 1987, Waugh went on to become one of Australia’s talismanic cricketers for the most part of his career and led them to a record of 16 Test wins in a row.

Beginning as an all-rounder, Waugh had a back injury that prevented him from bowling but it turned out to be an asset as his batting significantly improved. Waugh had the ability to play long innings and his very presence on the field was a nightmare for bowlers.

In a career that lasted nearly two decades, Waugh scored 10,927 runs from 168 matches at an impressive average of 51.06, scoring 50 half-centuries and 32 centuries. He also took 92 wickets with three 5-wicket hauls under his belt. Waugh also took 112 catches.

#5. Glenn McGrath

McGrath is the highest wicket-taking pacer in Tests

The highest wicket-taking pacer of all-time, Glenn McGrath is undoubtedly the greatest fast bowler Australia ever had. McGrath’s accurate line and length made him a dangerous wicket-taking bowler and he became a crucial part of the Australian team that dominated cricket from the mid-90s to mid-2000s.

McGrath is one of the few bowlers to have taken two eight-wicket spells, having done so against Pakistan in 2004 and against England in 1997. In a career lasting nearly 14 years, McGrath took 563 wickets in 124 Tests at an average of 21.64.

Pidge took 29 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls with 8/24 against Pakistan being his best figures in Tests. McGrath also has a fifty to his name, scoring 61 against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2004.

#4. Shane Warne

Warnie has 708 wickets in Tests

Cricket had the likes of Richie Benaud, Lance Gibbs, and BS Chandrasekhar who were brilliant spinners in their own right but Shane Warne has a huge role in revolutionizing spin-bowling during an era where fast-bowling dominated bowling.

With the ability to turn the ball in any condition and with a variety of deliveries in his armory, Warne always fired for Australia and helped them to many big victories throughout his career.

Warne took 708 wickets in 145 Tests, the highest for any Aussie bowler, at an average of 25.41 with 37 five-wicket hauls to his name, 8/71 being his best in Tests. Warne was also a pretty handy lower-order batsman and he scored 3145 runs, scoring 12 fifties with 99 against New Zealand being his highest Test score.

Warnie was also a pretty good fielder with 125 catches under his belt, the seventh highest by an Australian fielder.

#3. Allan Border

Allan Border was once the leading run-scorer in Test cricket

Another great captain for Australia, Allan Border was the best batsman in the world during his playing days and was Australia’s talisman during the 1980s in addition to being their skipper. A batsman who always played sensibly rather than aggressively, Border was an extremely brilliant player of spin bowling with many considering him to be the best.

Taking over an Australian side that was in a poor state, Border’s leadership made Australia a formidable team and it was the foundation on which the likes of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting led the team to further glory.

By the time he retired, Border had the record for the most number of Test runs at 11,174 from 156 Tests at an average of 50.56 with 63 fifties and 27 hundreds. Border also took 39 wickets with the ball with 7/46 against West Indies on his 100th Test being his best bowling figures which is better than those of Dennis Lillee.

Border also holds the record for the most number of consecutive Tests played at 153.

#2. Ricky Ponting

Ponting has scored the highest Test runs by any Australian player

The greatest captain of all-time and one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the game, Ricky Ponting’s career is full of accolades. Having made his debut in 1995, Ponting soon became a regular in the national setup before establishing himself as a quality batsman.

Ponting had the ability to play every shot in the book and was an absolute master in executing the hook and pull shots. Throughout his career, Ponting played many valuable innings for Australia and as a captain, helped them become a near-invincible unit for quite some time.

In 168 Tests, Ponting scored 13,378 runs at an average of 51.85, scoring 62 fifties and 41 hundreds, with 257 against India being his highest score. Ponting was also an equally brilliant fielder with 196 catches to his name, the fourth most for any fielder.

#1. Don Bradman

Bradman is undoubtedly the greatest Australian Test cricketer of all-time

It had to be this man! It just had to be him at the top. Debuting at just 20, Sir Don became the most feared batsman during the 1930s and 40s. His consistent and prolific batting made Australia a formidable unit and also made him an iconic figure of the sport.

An extremely versatile batsman, Bradman was one of the finest players of the deliveries with extra bounce, preferring the hook and pull shots to play such deliveries. His stance was such that he was able to play the deliveries well without compromising his defense. In short, he was one of a kind.

In a career lasting two decades, Bradman scored 6996 runs at an astronomical average of 99.94 with 13 fifties and 29 centuries. Truly, the greatest cricketer Australia ever had.