There is a reason that Cricket is called a gentlemen’s game. You play hard, you play to win but you play fair. Over the 150 years that cricket has been played, there have been some wonderful moments showcasing why cricket is a gentlemen’s game.

We live in a generation driven by stats, where every run scored, wicket taken goes a long way in judging an individual rather than his impact on the game and how he mixes it into a team. Cricket is also plagued by sledging, match-fixing, spot-fixing.

But there are a few cricketers who have always played the game with the utmost dignity and put the team ahead of themselves.

Here we look at the most selfless XI of the all-time:

1. Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Some moments of bravery are always remembered by the fans across the world. One of those moments was when Graeme Smith walked out to bat against Australia in Sydney with a broken left hand and a right hand numb with injections.

Only Smith will know the pain he suffered in facing those 17 balls. Even though South Africa had already won the series, Smith’s bravery showed the steel he possessed in him as a cricketer.

He eventually got out to Mitchell Johnson and wasn’t able to pull out a draw for his team but his effort certainly will be remembered more even if it went in a losing cause. It was an act of absolute bravery and selflessness.

2. Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson. (Photo Source: Twitter)

There is always a debate about who is the best batsman in the world between Virat Kohli and Steve Smith but there is no debate about who is the most loved cricketer globally right now. It most definitely is Kane Williamson.

With his sportsmanship and brilliant captaincy, Kane has won hearts of people across the World. He led his side in the 2019 World Cup with the utmost dignity and even after losing the final because of a debatable rule he was very calm and composed.

Cutting a cake with the Sri-Lankan fans in the ground during his 28th birthday just showed his humility towards the people. Just like most other Kiwi cricketers, Kane is one of the most selfless cricketers one can ever come across.

3. Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid 2002 Adelaide Test. (Photo by Tony Lewis/Getty Images)

The first cricketer to pop-up in most people’s mind when they hear the word ‘selfless’ is perhaps Rahul Dravid. As Harsha Bhogle once said, “Tell Rahul Dravid to walk on water and he will ask how many KMS”, Dravid is the epitome of selflessness.

Be it opening the batting in tough overseas conditions or turning into a wicket-keeper so that India could play an extra batsman, moving to No. 6 to give an in-form VVS Laxman a chance, Rahul Dravid has done it all for the team.

Now taking the job of coaching the younger breed of Indian cricketers while staying in the shadows, Dravid is again showing an example of his selflessness. He is playing a major role in the development of players like Prithvi Shaw, Shubhman Gill and other youngsters.

4. Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

If Jacques Kallis played for either of India, Australia or England he would have been regarded even higher than he actually is. He is perhaps the greatest all-rounder to have ever graced the game and also one of the most under-celebrated cricketers of all time.

Kallis had all the shots in the book but he didn’t play those risky shots just to give South Africa the stability they would have wanted. After batting for long hours, he went and bowl plenty of overs every day and stood in the slips for the longest time.

His batting stats in Test cricket are comparable to that of Sachin Tendulkar, his bowling stats are comparable to that of Zaheer Khan and his catches in the slips are almost equal to that of Rahul Dravid. Yet he went about his cricket in a very unassuming and selfless manner.

5. Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

It is very difficult to find expression on Suresh Raina’s face apart from a smile. Be it playing in the IPL or for India, Raina is always happy to play the role his team needs him to play rather than doing what feels comfortable to him.

He is also one of the first players to go and congratulate the opposition player after a great inning. One of such examples was when Rishabh Pant got out after playing an outstanding inning of 97 and Raina being the opposition skipper went up to him and gave him a pat on his cheeks.

He has batted for India in all positions from No. 3 to No.7 and that in itself is a big indicator of his selflessness. He is never involved in sledging or any kind of banter and plays the game as it is supposed to be played.

6. Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist. (Photo by Jonathan Wood/Getty Images)

If there is any batsman who would just walk off if he was out without waiting for the umpire’s decision, it is Adam Gilchrist. One of the finest wicketkeeper-batsman to have ever played the game, Gilchrist was also an absolute gentleman.

He famously walked off against Sri Lanka in the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup when he knew he had nicked the ball. The umpire had given him not out, but Gilchrist still walked off and doing so he showed us what it is like, to be honest to the game.

He also does a lot of charity work for providing education to underprivileged kids in India. Even after so much success, he is very humble and down to earth person, a quality everyone should learn from him.

7. Shaun Pollock

Shaun Pollock of South Africa. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

When you think of a fast bowler who has taken over 400 Test wickets, you think of someone who is aggressive, in your face and mean fast bowler. Shaun Pollock was anything but that. He hardly ever sledged any opponent and was one of the so-called ‘good boys’ of Cricket.

He played a huge part in the development of Dale Steyn early on in his career when he helped him improve his line and length. When the time came he handed over the new ball to Steyn without any hesitation. It was wonderful of him passing on the baton without much fuss.

His selflessness helped South Africa accommodate Steyn, Morkel and himself coming as a first change bowler. And the result was South Africa not losing an away series for 9 years and they dominated the longest format of the game under Graeme Smith for a long time.

8. Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble. (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

India’s biggest Test match-winner, Anil Kumble gave his absolute 100 % every time he took the field for his country. He took 619 wickets, more than twice of what most experts believed he could take.

When Harbhajan Singh arrived to the scene, Kumble welcomed him with open arms and mentored him rather than looking at him as a competitor. Harbhajan has always credited Kumble for his development as a spinner.

Another example of Kumble putting the team ahead of himself was in Antigua. He was struck by a bouncer which had broken his jaw. Yet he came onto bowl with his mouth completely strapped and got the price wicket of Brian Lara.

9. Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images)

Ask the people from Mumbai where does Lasith Malinga belong to and they would say he is from Mumbai. Such is his humility that he has won the hearts of all the fans across the world. If someone says the name of Malinga, the 1st picture that comes to everyone’s mind is that of a smiling person at the end of his follow-through.

It is also safe to say that if it weren’t for Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah wouldn’t have been the bowler that he is today. Malinga literally put an arm around Bumrah’s shoulder and taught him to bowl effective and toe-crushing yorkers consistently.

Hailing from a different country and to teach his key weapon to a bowler from another country just shows his humility and selflessness towards the game. Along with Sri Lanka, he is also one of the most favourite sons of Mumbai.

10. Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram. (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

Arguably the greatest left-arm fast bowler of all time. Wasim Akram is perhaps one of the most loved cricketers in India. Despite India and Pakistan being arch-rivals, Akram has always helped young Indian fast bowlers.

His relationship with Irfan Pathan is very well documented. Even Irfan credits a lot of his success to Wasim. Even while coaching KKR, Wasim passed on a lot of knowledge to a young Mohammed Shami which has eventually helped him to become a world-class fast bowler.

Being from Pakistan and still helping so many young Indian fast bowlers just shows how giving and selfless Wasim Akram is. Nowadays even during his commentary stints, we saw a lot of young fast bowlers from across the world turning to him for advice.

11. Sir Richard Hadlee

Richard Hadlee. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)

It is safe to say that the Kiwis are perhaps one of the most selfless bunch of players and it was proven by Sir Richard Hadlee. He was perhaps involved in one of the most selfless acts ever in the history of the game when he missed once in a lifetime opportunity to register his name in the history books.

In a Test match in 1985, Sir Richard Hadlee had taken all first 8 Australian wickets and had an opportunity to become only the second bowler after Jim Laker to take 10 wickets in an innings. But to everyone’s surprise, he took a catch off Vaughan Brown, which he could easily have dropped and denied himself a golden opportunity.

As it turned out, Sir Hadlee took the last wicket and ended with 9 wickets in the innings. Interestingly, it was also the only wicket Vaughan Brown took in his Test career which made that act even more memorable.

~Written by Parth Parekh