Today’s weekend blog is on cricket.
Cricket commentary evolved from radio coverage until the early 1980s to television, with numerous commentators continuing to find ways to entertain, engage, and educate the audience. So often taken for granted, a commentator’s value and the dimensions they add to the game are recognised only in their absence rather than their omnipresence.
A top 10 ranking of subjective topic like commentary can never be universal. With the advent of T20 format and various leagues worldwide, a vast list of commentators can claim to be in the top bracket from the infant stages of the sport to now.
Here is the list of TOP CRICKET COMMENTATORS on television post-white-ball-era.
#10 Danny Morrison
Former New Zealand pacer Danny Morrison is inarguably the ‘Voice of T20 cricket’. He is an accomplished cricketer, yet his commentary in the shortest format has made him a fan-favourite in this T20-adoring era. With his lively and exuberant voice he continues to lend his voice to various T20 leagues like IPL, PSL, CPL and BPL. Never a dull moment when he is on a commentary stint.
#9 Ian Chappel
Former Australian captain Ian Chappel has been one of the most respected voices worldwide, helping Channel Nine. Never one to hold back, he straight-forward takes without any masking has viewers glued to the TV screen. Being a successful captain he brings a degree of astuteness and audacity to his commentary that engages. He is especially hard on touring English players and teams, adding another dimension to the fierce Ashes rivalry.
#8 Ian Bishop
It is not often that a commentator achieves the fine line between being highly opinionated and also universally respected and loved. Yet, former West Indian pacer has managed to do both at an extremely high level. Even in country like India where cricket stars are considered demi-gods and any criticism by commentators is met with hate, he has earned massive respect and adulation during the IPL.
#7 Mark Nicholas
He is at the forefront of almost all the Ashes series for Channel Nine with his poetic narration style adding a flavor like very few. His voice is very popular in the EA Sports Cricket 07 game, introducing the matches at the start and commentating during them. Furthermore, he travels across countries, lending his voice to several international series and the occasional T20 league.
#6 Geoffery Boycott
He is former England captain, and is one-of-one in the commentary box with his Yorkshire dialect and accent. While criticising the players he is brutally honest, and this has earned him much respect I the cricketing sphere. A purist by heart, he is among rare commentators who rates technique,, temperament, and tradition over style, strokeplay and flamboyance. His ability to break down the nuances of the sport and offer unique insights had made him a significant figure in the commentary field.
#5 Ravi Shastri
He is synonymous with punch lines that turn into social media jewels. Yet, there is more to Shastri than just that. The former Indian all-rounder is arguable thee voice of modern cricket with his ability to create excitement through his commentary even during the boring matches. His introduction of teams, captains, and match officials the toss, while greeting the crowd, has a separate fan following around the country. During his illustrious three and half decade long commentary career, he has been on the air during some of India’s most iconic triumphs like 2007 T20 World Cup, and 2011 World Cup finals.
#4 Tony Cozier
Known as voice of West Indies cricket, he has been involved in the extreme highs and lows of Side during his commentating career. He worked as commentator for five decades, starting with radio commentary in 1965 Test match between West Indies and Australia. During his celebrated career, he commentated in all but one Wisden Trophy- Test series between England and West Indies. Renowned for his knowledge on numbers and statistics. He died in 2016 @ 75. He remains one of the rare commentators who has covered the sport from his infant stages to late as 2014/15.
3# Harsha Bhogle
India’s greatest commentator and the new-age voice of cricket. Famous for his witty yet provoking one-liners, he defines the the tagline-“Loved by all, hated by none”. Despite not playing at the highest level, his ability to read the game and his unique storytelling skills while remaining diplomatic and respectful made his popular even outside India. He defined teamwork in the commentary box, often crediting fellow commentators for their incredible performances during their playing days in subtle ways.
#2 Richie Benaud
One of the cricket’s oldest and longest-tenured commentators, he was the voice of cricket during his heyday. With an elegant and graceful voice, he was more of a poet on the air, conveying whole story with minimal words.He made famous the use of silence and expressions during his commentary career that lasted over 50 years from the 1960s to 2010s. He died in 2015@ 84.
#1 Tony Greig
Has anyone ever varied their tone of commentary with such distinction based on the match situation like the late Tony Greig? After an outstanding playing career for England as an all-rounder, he took to commentary like a fish to water. His ability to build excitement amongst the viewers, while creating an aura during key moment made his voice most memorable for global audience. He died in 2012 @ 66 but his voice still echoes in the memories of almost every cricket fan around the globe.
Here are a few that deserve honourable mentions for barely missing the cut, and they are- Sunil Gavaskar, Michael Holding, Mike Haysman, Ian Smith and Bill Lawry.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
11th April 2025