The Guardian Publishes Rankings and Analysis of the Greatest Men’s Ashes Cricketers
The Guardian has published a comprehensive exploration of the greatest men's Ashes cricketers ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes series. An interactive feature listing the 100 greatest players from the storied England-Australia rivalry, which began in 1877, showcases top performers across eras. In total, 853 players have represented either side in Test matches.
The highlight includes a ranking decided by 51 judges who evaluated the top 50 Ashes cricketers exclusively on their Ashes performances. Points were awarded from 50 down to 1 for ranks one through fifty, with voting criteria open to judges' interpretations but requiring minimum representation from both countries and historical eras. Australia and England players are evenly split overall, with Australia placing seven of the top ten and 14 of the top 25. Most top 100 players come from the 1946–1975 period, and the modern 21st century contributed four to the top 25. Among the top 100, 58 are deceased, and there are 15 all-rounders, nine of whom are English. Notably, no keeper-batters appear in the top 20; Adam Gilchrist ranks 21st, and England's highest keeper, Alan Knott, sits at 53.
Shane Warne leads the rankings with 2,503 points, narrowly ahead of Don Bradman at 2,382 points, followed by Ian Botham and Glenn McGrath, who also surpassed 2,000 points. Warne stands out not only for his 195 Ashes wickets but also for his style, humour, and charisma, while Bradman tops in runs with 5,028 in Ashes contests. The top five players are closely ranked, whereas larger gaps appear lower down the list. Other eminent figures include Dennis Lillee, Steve Waugh, and Jack Hobbs. The Guardian also presented separate Ashes XIs for Combined, England, and Australia, and highlighted six players expected to participate in the forthcoming Ashes: Steve Smith, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Joe Root, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc.
Readers were invited via a Guardian form to submit their favourite Ashes cricketer to contribute publicly to the feature, with some 51 expert judges also publishing their votes. A video reviewing the top ten and an explanation of the ranking methodology accompany the content. The analysis provides in-depth numbers about how the votes were cast and the splits among eras and player roles, offering a detailed look at the revered cricketers of the Ashes history.
