Top 5 cricket commentators

The pleasing insights of Richie Benaud and Tony Cozier are now anachronistic. Today's cricket commentary is a combination of repeated clichés, mere surface analysis, undue criticism and unvarnished anecdotes. Commentators with their dull narrations create a yawning atmosphere for the audience watching from their television sets. Heck, they even turn cricket into piffle with their awkward blunders and extraneous comments. There's a dire need for good commentary panels. We desperately need them if the sport is to retain its charm.

But what constitutes a good one?

For starters, a good commentator is one that is able to combine his cricketing expertise and flair for the language to guide his spectators and provide a deep analysis by covering all aspects of the game, and the game alone. With their witty nonchalance sans exaggerated comments, a good commentary panel keeps the audience engaged and the game alive.

Here we take a look at 5 of the best commentators in world cricket.

1. Mark Taylor

With Bill Lawry getting older, tomorrow's Channel Nine commentary team will not boast of many good commentators. The likes of Michael Slater and Ian Healy seem more like ardent fans of the Australian cricket team than commentators. There is far too much banter from the Nine commentators about their careers from the "good ol' days" at the expense of insightful analysis. Their inside jokes are hardly any useful for the international audience.

However, there is one commentator that stands out and that is Mark Taylor. Tubbs as he's affectionately called found a seamless transition into the Nine Network commentary panel with his dry sense of humour and strategic insights into the sport.

Giving his balanced and impartial perspectives; he does his home-work well before speaking and is never afraid to speak his mind out on even the most controversial of matters. Generally considered as one of the most erudite commentators of the era, there is little doubt that Taylor will be the chieftain for Channel Nine in the coming years.

Mike Haysman

Mike Haysman

Like Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Mike Haysman underachieved as a cricketer. But, unlike the former, Haysman is a delight to hear. His knowledge of the game and insights make South African cricket far more enjoyable for its viewers. Additionally, like most gifted commentators, he does not try to force his opinion on the viewer.

He has a clear and sharp voice and is animated and excited at proper stages of the game. As a result of this simplicity - neither overanalysing nor going overboard with excitement, the Australian born South African remains as one of the most underrated commentators. Simply put, his commentary is simply outstanding and outstandingly simple.

Haysman is a part of the commentary panel in all games involving South Africa and over the years, he has become a constant fixture in global T-20 tournaments, and featured a few times in the Indian Premier League.

Michael Holding

Michael Holding

Holding's thick Jamaican baritone, his perfect diction and balanced opinions make him one of the most likeable voices in the world of cricket. His unique style of commentating and immense cricketing knowledge make him a commentator worth listening to.

"Whispering Death" as he was called in his playing days as a bowler, Holding is one of the most reputed voices in the cricketing circuit. With his velvet voice, he provides an informative, calm and refreshing insights on the game.

Holding has been a fixture on the Sky Sports commentary team for more than 15 years now. And in all of these 15 years, it's never been about his about style or flowery language but rather about sound analysis content and a willingness to take on issues that everyone else wants to shy away from.

David Lloyd

David Lloyd

“Start the car”, “flippin’ murdered them”, “start the tuk-tuk”, and “time for a Root”. Any prizes for guessing who?

Hard to deem yourself to be a cricket lover if you didn't get that one.

It's David Lloyd or "Bumble" as he's lovingly called. These trademark exclamations delivered in a typical English accent have only alleviated an average fan’s love affair with cricket. Enthralling us all with his humorous anecdotes, the quirky Lancastrian is a priceless voice in the commentary panel.

Having had the experience of being a player, umpire and a coach, his cricketing knowledge is unparalleled. In addition to being able to provide a first-hand analysis from the perspectives of all three important men, he is always animated and well-prepared. Lloyd doesn't just restrict his logical opinions to the game and so there is never a dull moment when Lloyd is in the commentary panel. Here is a clip that amply proves the same.

Harsha Bhogle

Harsha Bhogle

You probably guessed it. This was a no brainer. Harsha Bhogle is well and truly the voice of Indian cricket. He is arguably the all-time best storyteller of the game. Commenting with a neutral's point of view, his impressive soft voice, wit and intelligence make him an all time great commentator.

Many fans follow cricket for their favourite players or their favourite teams, but quite a few of us follow it largely due to the IIM Ahmedabad graduate. His in-depth knowledge, analysis, logical and reasonable views on cricket sets him apart from other Indian commentators. His wide intellect and far-sighted vision are enough to glue a cricket fan to the television set for hours. In addition to all of this, he is capable of combining his keen eye for details and precise analytical skills with a dash of humour. For instance, while explaining Pujara’s excellence in the longest format of the game and how he looks completely out of place in the T20 format, Harsha came up with an apt comparison, “Pujara is a classical musician in the era of Yo Yo Honey Singh.” This is just one of the many quotes which prove why he is the undisputed king of the broadcasting fraternity.