Honestly got curious about this GOAT cricket talk after seeing fans go crazy on forums. Decided to dive in and compare top players myself right after lunch today.
The Awful Search Begins
Cracked open the laptop, typed “best cricket players ever” straight into Google. Boom! Thousands of articles popped up. Got overwhelmed immediately. Felt like opening Pandora’s box – names I kinda knew and tons I didn’t. Stared blankly at the screen for a solid five minutes.
Making My Own Messy Spreadsheet
Gave up on ready-made lists. Made a new Google Sheet. Stuck four names everybody argues about at the top:
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Don Bradman
- Virat Kohli
- Viv Richards
Tried adding columns for basics: Runs scored? Centuries? Big wins? Captain stuff? World Cups? Felt like wrestling a bear just filling the cells. Bradman’s average looks unreal – like 99 something! Is that even possible? Kohli plays like a machine these days. Sachin feels like cricket’s grandpa everybody loves.
Getting Stuck in the Weeds
Things got messy fast. How do you even compare eras? Bradman played before WWII! Pitches then were like dirt roads. Viv Richards faced bowling that felt like facing bullets without helmets. Sachin carried India’s hopes for years. Kohli chases records like a maniac.
Wanted stats to decide. But stats felt wrong alone. Kept hearing fans yelling about things like:
- “Clutch Factor” – Who stood tall when it really mattered?
- “Impact” – Just blowing other teams away?
- “Changing the Game” – Did they make cricket different?
My spreadsheet looked helpless. Numbers just sat there silent.
Throwing My Hands Up
Slumped back in the chair. Maybe cricket’s too big, too messy for one GOAT. Decided to pick based on feelings:
- Sachin for pure longevity & love?
- Bradman for that bonkers average?
- Kohli for chasing stats?
- Viv for sheer cool?
It felt totally arbitrary. Gave up. Slammed the laptop shut.
The Office Argument
Later mentioned this stupid quest to Mark in marketing. Mistake. He’s Indian – swore Sachin was god. Sarah from finance heard it. Aussie. Started yelling about Bradman. Got loud fast. Tom the Brit mumbled something about Cook. Whole office picked sides. Ended with nobody agreeing. Boss told us to shut up and work.
Guess cricket’s GOAT is like pizza toppings – depends who you ask. Learned more about coworkers than cricketers today. Still no clear answer. Might just avoid cricket forums forever now.
