The Guardian Ranks the 100 Greatest Men's Ashes Cricketers
The Guardian has published an interactive feature ranking the 100 greatest men's Ashes cricketers of all time as part of its Ashes 2025-26 coverage. The Ashes rivalry between Australia and England began in 1877 and has seen 853 players appear in Test matches between the two nations.
The ranking was developed from votes cast by 51 judges who each named their top 50 Ashes cricketers. Points were awarded from 50 for the top spot down to 1 for the 50th, creating an overall list of the top 100 players. Judges focused solely on Ashes performances, with requirements to include at least 15 players from each country and at least five from five defined eras.
Shane Warne finished as the No. 1 pick with 2,503 voting points, narrowly ahead of Don Bradman who tallied 121 points fewer. Ian Botham and Glenn McGrath also surpassed 2,000 points. While Warne was ranked No. 1 by only 14 judges, Bradman was the top choice for 33 judges, reflecting his enduring legacy. The top 10 is dominated by Australian players, with seven Australians and fourteen of the top 25 hailing from Australia; the overall country split is equal at 50:50.
The eras represented show most of the top 25 players debuted between 1946 and 1975, with only four of the top 25 making their debuts in the 21st century. Of the 100 players, 58 are deceased. Fifteen all-rounders are featured in the top 100, with nine Englishmen among them. Notably, no wicketkeeper-batsman made the top 20 list, with Adam Gilchrist at No. 21 and England’s highest-ranked wicketkeeper Alan Knott at No. 53.
The top five players did not appear together in any judge’s exact top-five list, though one judge’s list included four of them in order, missing only Douglas Jardine who was placed in the top three by some.
The judges also named six likely players to feature in the forthcoming winter Ashes series: Steve Smith, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Joe Root, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc.
Beyond statistics, the feature highlights Shane Warne’s charisma, style, and humor that made him beloved against any team, in addition to his record 195 Ashes wickets compared to Bradman’s 5,028 runs. Ian Botham is also celebrated for his impactful sixes and wickets. Other frequently mentioned favourites include Ricky Ponting for his centuries and Andrew Flintoff for his sledging and sportsmanship.
Readers are invited to vote for their own favourite Ashes players and share memories via the Guardian’s secure and encrypted platform. Submissions can be anonymous; data is used only for the feature and deleted when no longer required.
The ranking includes commentary from Guardian writer Barney Ronay, a video review of the top 10, and a section explaining the methodology and how each judge voted. The feature was first published on 11 November 2025 and updated on 14 November 2025, providing a comprehensive and interactive tribute to the history and legends of the Ashes cricket rivalry.
