Many aspire to become the best cricketers on the global stage, but a handful dare to make it big with perseverance and dedication. Such players don’t leave any stone unturned to leave a mark with sheer commitment and passion.
The player’s hard work reflects in their will to play for their country for the longest time possible with consistency. In this article, we’ll list the top 10 players who have had the longest careers in international cricket across formats.
Longest Careers in International Cricket (Test+ODI+T20I)
| Player | Career Span | From | To | Matches Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilfred Rhodes (ENG) | 30y 315d | 1 Jun 1899 | 12 Apr 1930 | 58 |
| Brian Close (ENG) | 26y 356d | 23 Jul 1949 | 13 Jul 1976 | 25 |
| Frank Woolley (ENG) | 25y 13d | 9 Aug 1909 | 22 Aug 1934 | 64 |
| George Headley (WI) | 24y 10d | 11 Jan 1930 | 21 Jan 1954 | 22 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 24y 1d | 15 Nov 1989 | 16 Nov 2013 | 664 |
| John Traicos (ZIM) | 23y 48d | 5 Feb 1970 | 25 Mar 1993 | 34 |
| Jack Hobbs (ENG) | 22y 233d | 1 Jan 1908 | 22 Aug 1930 | 61 |
| Collins Obuya (KENYA) | 22y 221d | 15 Aug 2001 | 23 Mar 2024 | 179 |
| George Gunn (ENG) | 22y 120d | 13 Dec 1907 | 12 Apr 1930 | 15 |
| Chris Gayle (ICC/WI) | 22y 56d | 11 Sep 1999 | 6 Nov 2021 | 483 |
Key Insights
30: England’s Wilfred Rhodes holds the record for having the longest career in international cricket. Rhodes’ career lasted for 30 years and 315 days, spanning 58 Tests where he scored 2325 runs and picked up 127 wickets. This is also the longest career in the Test format.
22: On the other hand, Sachin Tendulkar had an extensive run in ODIs for the Men in Blue. He played in the 50-over format for a whopping 22 years and 91 days.
17: When it comes to the shortest format, Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams holds the pole position. Williams has been playing in T20Is for over 17 years.
664: India’s Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has played the most number of matches across formats. He appeared in a record 200 Tests, 463 ODIs, and a single match in T20Is, aggregating it to 664 matches.
1: Collins Obuya is the only player from an associate nation to have a career spanning 20+ years. The all-rounder was part of Kenya’s squad that made it to the 2003 World Cup semi-final.
20: Over 25 players have played international cricket for over 20 years, which showcases their devotion to the game.
