Brian Lara names Bumrah among cricket's 'GOATs,' rates Rohit just below

Business Standard

18-07-2025

Former West Indies batting great Brian Lara named his 'GOATS' (Greatest of all Time) in cricket, placing Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah among three more legends of the sport.
The video for the same was posted on the X handle of the 'Stick to Cricket', a podcast Lara was recently a part of along with former England cricketers Phil Tuffnell, Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan and David Llyod.
Speaking of GOATS, he placed Bumrah along with Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath, South African all-round great Jacques Kallis, and Australia's wicketkeeper-batter icon Adam Gilchrist.
A T20 World Cup winner for India, Bumrah is one of the most skilful pacers produced by India, having taken 455 wickets in 206 matches at an average of 20.47, with best figures of 6/19. He has 17 five-wicket hauls to his name. Tests are his best format, with 217 wickets in 47 matches at an average of 19.48, with best figures of 6/27 and 15 five-wicket hauls.
McGrath is the fifth-highest wicket-taker of all time in international cricket, with 949 scalps at an average of 21.76, best figures of 8/24, 36 five-wicket hauls and three ten-fers to his name. He is Australia's most successful Test pacer and second-highest wicket-taker in the format, with 563 wickets at an average of 21.64, with 29 five-wicket hauls and three ten-fers to his name. He is also the three-time 50-over World Cup winner in 1999, 2003 and 2007, holding the record for most wickets in tournament history with 71.
With over 10,000 runs in both formats and over 500 international wickets, Kallis could make it to any side as a specialist batter or a pacer. In international cricket, he is the sixth-highest run-getter with 25,534 runs in 519 matches and 617 innings at an average of 49.10, with 62 centuries and 149 fifties to his name. He also has 577 international wickets at an average of 32.14, with best figures of 6/54 and seven fifers. He is a one-time ICC Champions Trophy winner for Australia.
Gilchrist is one of those superstars who revolutionised the concept of wicketkeeper-batters, bringing in plenty of extra in terms of batting skill instead of being a specialist keeper who could just bat a bit. In 396 international matches and 429 innings, Gilchrist scored 15,461 runs at an average of 38.94, with 33 centuries and 81 fifties. His best score is 204*. While he has 9,619 runs and 16 centuries in 287 ODIs, his 5,570 runs in 96 Tests at an average of 47.60, strike rate of 81.95 with 17 centuries and 26 fifties in just 137 innings make for an incredible reading. Also, the three-time WC winner has 905 dismissals across all formats, the second-highest among all the wicketkeepers.
Lara went on to place India's skipper Rohit Sharma, his ex-teammate Chris Gayle, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, England's Kevin Pietersen and New Zealand's Kane Williamson in the 'legend' category.
In 499 international matches, Rohit has scored 19,700 runs at an average of 42.18, with 49 centuries and 108 fifties. He has won two ICC T20 World Cups and ICC Champions Trophies each, with one each of these as a captain. Rohit is an ODI titan, with 11,168 runs in 273 matches and 265 innings at an average of 48.76, with 32 centuries and 58 fifties and has the most World Cup centuries (seven) in the tournament's history. He is also the highest run-getter in T20Is, with 4,231 runs in 159 matches and 151 innings at an average of 32.05, with five centuries and 32 fifties, the most centuries in the format.
Gayle, having over 10,000 ODI runs, is WI's third-highest run-getter with 19,538 runs in 480 international matches including 42 centuries and 104 fifties. With his brute hitting and scoring rates, he revolutionised T20 cricket, becoming its first-ever superstar with over 14,562 runs (highest by any batter), 22 centuries and 1,056 sixes (highest by any batter) and has won two T20 WCs, one Champions Trophy among other T20 league titles as well.
While Afridi does not have any international title to his name, he is one of the world's most feared pacers and already 12th-highest wicket-taker for Pakistan with 345 scalps in 174 matches at an average of 24.88 at the age of 25.
Williamson, who led NZ to their first-ever world title, the ICC World Test Championship, is their most decorated batter, with 19,086 runs at an average of 48.56, with 48 centuries and 102 fifties. His most successful format is Tests, where he has made 9,276 runs in 105 matches at an average of 54.88, with 33 centuries and 37 fifties. He is this generation's 'Fab Four' batters alongside India's Virat Kohli, England's Joe Root and Australia's Steve Smith.
A one-time T20 World Cup winner, Pietersen is England's third-most successful batter of all time, with 13,779 runs in 275 international matches at an average of 44.30, with 32 centuries and 67 fifties. Test cricket became his best format, with 8,181 runs at an average of 47.28, with 23 centuries and 35 fifties and best score of 227.