Brian Lara ranks Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma & others in Cricket’s Legend and GOAT tiers

In a rare coming together of cricketing minds, Stick to Cricket recently hosted a panel that will be remembered as much for its pedigree as its provocations. On one side sat England legends — Sir Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan, Phil Tufnell, and David Lloyd. On the other, a Caribbean colossus: Brian Charles Lara, the man whose bat once danced its way to 400 not out and 501*.

But this time, Lara didn’t need a bat — just his cricketing brain.

The task? Classify modern and past players into three categories:
GOAT (Greatest of All Time), Legend, or Great.

The format was quickfire. The implications? Immense.

With decades of cricket legacy distilled into pithy yet potent answers, Brian Lara’s selections reflected not just statistics but substance — the kind of impact only players who bend eras to their will can leave behind.

Let’s dive into his list — who made it, why, and what it reveals about Lara’s unique cricketing lens.

 GOAT: The Cricketing Gods

This is the elite class — rare air where only the game’s titans breathe freely. Lara reserved the GOAT tag for five players — each, in their own way, a transformative figure.

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

Format: All formats
Why GOAT?
This choice raised the most eyebrows. Bumrah, still active and not yet 35, is already rubbing shoulders with all-time greats in Lara’s mind.

“He’s changed the game. When you watch Bumrah bowl — pace, accuracy, game-changing spells anywhere in the world — it’s dominance,” Lara said.

With over 220 Test wickets at an average under 20, Bumrah is a bowling anomaly. His record includes game-defining performances in Australia, England, and South Africa — a trifecta few Asian fast bowlers have conquered.

In an era where flat pitches and white-ball dominance threaten to neutralize bowlers, Bumrah’s surgical precision and reverse swing have turned the tide back in favor of pace. Lara’s GOAT classification isn’t about longevity — it’s about disruptive impact. And Bumrah delivers that in bursts of brilliance.

Glenn McGrath (Australia)

Format: Tests and ODIs
Career Stats: 563 Test wickets @ 21.64 | 381 ODI wickets
McGrath was cricket’s metronome — relentless, robotic, and ruthlessly effective. He wasn’t about swing or raw pace, but about unchanging accuracy.

“McGrath made batsmen question their technique, every delivery. On any surface,” Lara remarked.

He tormented every generation from Tendulkar to Lara himself, often striking early and turning games with just five to six overs. His World Cup legacy is unmatched — three trophies, and a pivotal role in each.

McGrath didn’t just play cricket. He standardized it for fast bowlers.

Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

Format: All formats
Career Stats: 13,289 Test runs @ 55.37 | 292 wickets | 17,000+ ODI runs+wickets
Lara didn’t blink before calling him a GOAT.

“You look at Kallis’ numbers and think they’re fake — but they’re real, and better than anyone else’s in that role.”

Kallis is the most complete cricketer the game has arguably ever seen. He played like Dravid, bowled like Pollock, and fielded like a hawk.

With 45 Test centuries, 292 wickets, and longevity that spanned generations, Kallis wasn’t a luxury. He was three players in one shirt.

Adam Gilchrist (Australia)

Format: Tests and ODIs
Career Stats: 5,570 Test runs @ 81.95 SR | 33 Test 50+ scores | 900+ international dismissals
If you were watching cricket in the 2000s, chances are you feared Gilchrist more than Ponting.

“He changed how wicketkeepers were perceived. He was a match-winner with gloves and bat,” Lara stated.

A trailblazer, Gilchrist’s blend of aggression and consistency redefined the keeper-batsman role. He’d walk in at 120/5 and hit 70 off 60 balls — turning collapses into comebacks.

His strike rate north of 80 in Tests set a new template: aggression can live in the whites too.

Legends: Game-Changers with Lasting Legacies

If GOATs are eternal, Legends are the pillars of modern cricket — cricketers who elevated the game with their style, presence, and performance.

Kevin Pietersen (England)

Test Stats: 8,181 runs @ 47.28 | 23 centuries
When KP arrived, England got swagger. His switch-hits, flamboyant footwork, and daring innings — especially in Ashes deciders — gave England the self-belief they long lacked.

“Pietersen was a modern-day destroyer. He could take the game away before lunch,” Lara said.

From his 158 at The Oval in 2005 to his innings in India and South Africa, Pietersen was England’s firestarter.

Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

Test Stats (by age 24): 113 wickets
Afridi is a surprise entrant, given his career is still in its early phase. But for Lara, it’s about trajectory and temperament.

“The impact Shaheen has made by 24 — that left-arm angle, early wickets, clutch moments — he’s already a legend in the making.”

From his ICC T20 World Cup 2021 spell vs India to consistent new-ball brilliance, Shaheen brings venom and vision. Lara sees him as the future of Pakistan’s pace legacy.

Chris Gayle (West Indies)

Format: All formats
Career Stats: 2 triple hundreds (Tests) | 10,000+ ODI runs | 13,000+ T20 runs
Gayle is a global icon. His six-hitting prowess made him the poster boy of T20 cricket.

“Chris made power-hitting an art. Triple centuries in Tests, double in a World Cup — he’s done it all.”

Gayle’s T20 numbers are stratospheric, but his Test feats — including scores of 317 and 333 — remind everyone: this man had technique under the muscle.

Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

Format: All formats
Career Stats: 9,200+ Test runs @ 54.89 | 33 centuries
Williamson is modern-day elegance personified. Calm, composed, and consistent, he has led New Zealand to their first ICC Test Championship and been their batting spine for over a decade.

“Kane is class. In an age of aggression, he brings thoughtfulness,” Lara noted.

His centuries in trying conditions — in UAE, England, and at home — showcase a methodical, unflappable genius.

Rohit Sharma (India)

Format: All formats
Career Stats: 10,000+ ODI runs | 3 ODI double hundreds | World Cup-winning captain
No white-ball discussion is complete without Hitman. Rohit’s timing, poise, and domination at the top have made him one of India’s greatest openers.

“Three double centuries in ODIs? That’s insanity,” Lara said. “Rohit has made scoring look easy.”

Lara also appreciated Rohit’s growing stature as captain — especially post-2022 — where he’s led with clarity and calm.

 “Great” — The Respected Tier

While not elaborated on in this segment, it’s safe to assume that those who didn’t earn GOAT or Legend status may fall under the “Great” umbrella. These include brilliant contributors, perhaps lacking longevity, consistency, or a standout X-factor in Lara’s eyes.

But being labeled “Great” by Brian Lara is still no insult — it’s acknowledgment from one of the finest ever to hold a bat.

 What Lara’s Selections Reveal

1. Context Over Stats

Bumrah’s inclusion as GOAT despite limited matches shows Lara values impact per game more than cumulative numbers. It’s about decisiveness, not just duration.

2. All-Format Balance

Every GOAT in Lara’s list had multi-format mastery. Gilchrist and Kallis in Tests & ODIs, Bumrah in all three, McGrath in global tournaments — versatility was key.

3. Generational Influence

Legends like KP and Gayle didn’t just win games — they shifted paradigms. That appears to be Lara’s benchmark: did the player change how we play or perceive cricket?

 The Majesty of a Master’s Mind

When Brian Lara speaks, the cricketing world listens — and rightly so. This was no social media poll. These were verdicts delivered by a man whose bat told stories and whose eyes see cricket in dimensions few can.

Whether or not fans agree with every call — especially Bumrah’s GOAT status — the larger takeaway is Lara’s fearless clarity. In a sport often obsessed with sentiment, Lara remains committed to quality, influence, and vision.

And in doing so, he has sparked what cricket fans love most — debate, discussion, and deeper appreciation for the game’s greats.

Please check for information on the best betting sites in India – https://selectory.org/best-betting-sites/