Top 10 Contemporary ODI Cricketers - Part III

Continuing from the previous two pieces, this third part of the series speaks about the next three best contemporary cricketers.

Graeme Swann: It may come out as a surprise for many who believe that the phrase ‘English spinner’ is an oxymoron. But Graeme Swann is clearly the best spinner in contemporary cricket and one of the best bowlers around which reflects in his ICC rankings. In the last 12 months or so, Swann has remained in the top three of the rankings and was one of those instrumental in winning England the Ashes in 2009.

AB de Villiers: AB de Villiers was named the ODI Player of the Year for 2009-10 this month and it was not without reason. He has excelled in his this format of the game apart from being one of South Africa’s best batsmen in the T20I format. His Test best of 217 came only a couple of years back and since then, the average in the five day format has only improved drastically.

What also works in his favour is that he is clearly one of the best fielders in world cricket today.

Dale Steyn: > Much like Swann, Steyn has been up and around the top three bowlers mark in the Test match format of the game in the last 12-18 months. Steyn had started his career as a quick bowler but without much control over his lines and lengths and was shown the door. But he has come back so strongly that he not only opens the bowling for South Africa in all the formats of the game but can also swing the ball both ways and get it to reverse with the old ball. There can be no doubt that Steyn is the best pace bowler in contemporary cricket today.