10 Best commentators of all time

While we mostly concentrate on what the 22 members from the two teams are doing, not many acknowledge and appreciate the effort that goes into making the cricketing action look so catchy and entertaining on the television screen. To the broadcasting body of cricket, the commentary is a jewel without which the sport would seem ordinary. Although the art of describing things as they go on was popular back in the 50s and 60s as well, it was mostly confined to the radios. But with the development of the audio-visual mediums to communicate the sport, a lot of people started taking broadcasting as a career and ever-since have worked tirelessly to enhance the viewing experience. Here are 10 men who made a significant impact on the sport with their iconic voices and viewpoints. 10. Mpumelelo Mbangwa Pommie Mbangwa. (Photo by Stu Forster-ICC/ICC via Getty Images) Mpumelelo Mbangwa, popularly known as Pommie Mbangwa, is one of the finest sporting personalities to have emerged from Zimbabwe. Born in Rhodesia, Mbangwa played for the Zimbabwean national side for six years before he studied briefly in England. He picked up a pseudo-accent very soon, which helped him make a huge mark in the world of cricket commentary. He became a full-time member in the broadcasting industry in 2005 and worked with some prominent media houses like Supersport and Star Sports. Ever since T20 cricket took off, Mbangwa has been one of its most iconic voices. The 43-year-old was a part of the ICC commentary panel in the 2015 and the 2019 World Cup and is a regular feature in the Indian Premier League. Outside of cricket, he has been associated with the North Star Alliance as an ambassador, using cricket as a tool to raise awareness on Aids and HIV in Southern Africa. 9. Ian Bishop Ian Bishop. (Photo Source: Twitter) How can anyone who watches cricket not “Remember the name” of Ian Raphael Bishop? Having represented the Windies team as a fast bowler for nearly a decade, injuries plagued his progress and forced him to look for something else to earn bread in his career. In an interview with the ICC’s official website, he mentioned that he never intended to be a commentator and everything happened in a matter of moments. The cricketing world is pretty fortunate to have had his iconic, strong and captivating voice describing so many important moments in cricket history. David Lloyd stepped back and allowed Bishop to describe the winning moment in the 2016 World T20 final, which turned out to be the most memorable of his career. He also described the winning moments in the semifinal that edition and when Windies won their first ICC trophy in 33 years in 2012, when they won the World T20 in Sri Lanka. 8. Bill Lawry Bill Lawry. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto/Getty Images) Tony Greig’s partner-in-crime for nearly 33 years, Bill Lawry was one of the finest Australian commentators after the great Richie Benaud. Often revered for his iconic catch-phrases and signature catchcries, Lawry’s enthusiasm in his commentary often reflected in the pounding hearts of the many viewing on television. Lawry firstly worked with Channel 7 and then Channel 0 Melbourne, joining Channel 9 television, beginning in the days of World Series Cricket in the 1977-78 season. He then went on to achieve great fame alongside Greig, making their combination arguably the great commentary combination of all time. His association with Greig ended with the death of the latter in 2012 and in 2018, he announced that he would no longer be a part of the broadcasting fraternity. Lawry was also rated as one of the finest batsmen Australia ever produced, with an astounding average of 47.15 in 67 Tests. 7. David Lloyd David Lloyd. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Witty, dramatic, exuberant and most importantly, very explicit with every detail he shares with the audience, David Lloyd has been a crowd favorite for a long period of time. The English broadcasting legend’s first steps after retiring as a player were towards umpiring and also tried his hand as the head coach of England from 1996 to 1999. After stepping down as the English coach, Lloyd’s most iconic stint began with Sky Sports. He kept covering the international games regularly which were hosted in England and also was rated as the voice of T20 cricket in its early days. His voice was so catchy and lovable that the Star Sports authorities had to lure him with a huge contract just to get him associated with the IPL for three weeks in 2018. Age has been a factor keeping him away from his best these days, but the 72-year-old is still keen on enriching the viewers’ experience with his voice. 6. Ravi Shastri Ravi Shastri. (Photo Source: Twitter) Give Ravi Shastri the most boring of cricket matches and he will make it sound so interesting that you’ll castle yourself to the television for as long as he speaks. The man behind the mic in most of Indian cricket’s big moments in the 21st century, Shastri provided some unforgettable commentary spells which will be cherished for a long period of time. Having represented the Indian team for a good 11 years, he made his commentary debut in 1995. The current Indian head coach was a huge part of Star Sports’ initial growth, before he was made to sign a contract with BCCI. Since taking up the head coach responsibility in 2017, the fraternity has missed his voice thoroughly. He was in the commentary box, beautifully screaming his voice out when Yuvraj Singh hit six-sixes, when Sourav Ganguly took his shirt-off and most importantly, who can forget “Dhoni finishes off in style”. He is one of the finest cricketing voices India has ever produced. 5. Tony Cozier Tony Cozier. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Patrick Eagar via Getty Images)” Some voices we listen to create such a deep impact on us that it never leaves our heart and Tony Cozier’s voice was one of those. Described by Scyld Berry as “the voice and the conscience of West Indian cricket,” Cozier was one of the few non-cricketing personalities to have made such a huge name in the field. His career as a journalist began in 1961, where he wrote for Barbados Daily. There he started working with the legendary Sir Everton Weekes and covered the Windies tour of England in 1963. After beginning his career as a radio commentator, he went on to work with reputed media houses like BBC, Channel 9 and Sky Sports. In 1994, Cozier wrote of Brian Lara’s record-breaking innings that “there was no real surprise among his countrymen, simply the feeling that his inevitable date with destiny had arrived rather more suddenly than expected.” The fine craftsman of cricket commentary passed away in 2016 in his hometown, Barbados. 4. Mark Nicholas Mark Nicholas. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) “Hello this is Mark Nicholas and with me here is Richie Benaud,” – for most cricket lovers, this line has a special place in their hearts. Apart from being the voice of cricket’s most iconic PC game, the EA Cricket 07, Mark Nicholas’s beautiful voice caught the attention of everyone in a short span of time. Having played for Hampshire in the English county for nearly 17 years, Nicholas shifted to the media side of things in 1995 and worked initially with Sky Sports. Another iconic Englishman in the Channel 9 Network besides Tony Greig, Nicholas produced some memorable spells in the press box while describing the iconic Ashes moments of the 21st century. For a lot of Indian fans, one of their favorite Mark Nicholas spells would be the India-Pakistan game in the 2011 World Cup semifinal, where his ever-intriguing voice made every moment more special than it already was. His voice was so loved that he came fourth in a Melbourne newspaper poll that set out to find the public’s choice on the new host of the Australian version of “Who wants to be a millionaire”. 3. Harsha Bhogle Harsha Bhogle. (Photo Source: Twitter) One of the few experts who made it so big in the fraternity with a great playing profile, Harsha Bhogle is often hailed as the voice of Indian cricket. One of the finest men to have ever stepped inside the commentary panels, Bhogle’s enigmatic voice, unmatched wit and keen eye for detail made him a house-hold voice in this cricket-frantic country. Born in 1958, Bhogle’s career as a commentator began with All India Radio at a tender age of 19. He soon got an invitation from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to commentate for the 1992 World Cup, becoming the first-ever Indian to get such an invitation. It didn’t take long for Bhogle’s voice to be recognized in every street of the cricketing world. He also had his share of controversies, where he was also dropped by BCCI for being too harsh on players on occasions, but none can disregard the astute professional he is. One of his finest moments came when he described the Champions Trophy-winning moment in 2013. 2. Richie Benaud (Photo by Getty Images) Sri Lankan cricket writer Harold de Andrado wrote: “Richie Benaud possibly next to Sir Don Bradman has been one of the greatest cricketing personalities as a player, researcher, writer, critic, author, organizer, adviser and student of the game.” Nothing explains Benaud’s contribution to cricket as well as this does. Beginning his media career in 1960, he initially worked a radio commentator for BBC, United Kingdom. But his most iconic days came when he worked with Channel 9, where his unique voice, amazing intellect and ability to crisply explain some intricate details staggered the crowd. Benaud was very vehement with his opinions and never backed away from speaking his heart out. Some of his iconic moments include Ian Botham’s heroics in 1981, Shane Warne‘s ball of the century to Mike Gatting and the funniest of all, Andrew Symonds’ infamous tackle on a streaker. 1. Tony Greig Tony Greig. (© Shaun Botterill/Allsport) Arguably the finest voice cricket has ever heard, Tony Greig made cricket-viewing experience more enthralling than any other individual in the game’s history. A voice that resonates child-like enthusiasm and one that triggers the emotions of the fans like no one else, it is tough to remember any individual having an impact like him in the commentary box. The South African born English cricketer played 58 Tests and 22 ODIs before turning towards the broadcasting doors. His voice seemed so compelling that Kerry Packer offered him a job for life in his World Series cricket. He did commentate for that iconic series back in the day and went on to spend his remaining years in Australia. He was behind the mic while describing some of cricket’s most memorable events like Sachin’s heroics in Sharjah, the greatest ODI played between Australia and South Africa in 2006 and also many such moments in the Ashes. Greig passed away in 2012 after succumbing to a long-term ailment. Honorable mentions: Nasser Hussain, Mark Taylor, Rameez Raja, Alan Wilkins, Michael Holding, Ian Chappell

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10 Best commentators of all time

These 10 men made a significant impact on the sport with their iconic voices and viewpoints.

2. Richie Benaud

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