A number of famous players have had a second career as writers or commentators. However, many commentators never played the game at a professional level, yet they have gone on to become famous names associated with the game. The following is a list of the cricket commentators, including name, nationality, Broadcaster/Publication and other careers.
| Name | First-class / List A career | Broadcaster/Publication |
|---|
| Sri Lanka}} Russel Arnold | Nondescripts Cricket Club 1993-2007
World XI{{siadn>date=May 2016}}
Chennai Superstars | United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2009–present
|
| Sri Lanka}} Ranil Abeynaike | Bedfordshire 1982
Sinhalese Sports Club 1989–1990 | United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2004–2011
{{flagicon|India}} Nimbus Sport 2006–2011 |
| Sri Lanka}} Karunaratne Abeysekera | None | Sri Lanka}} Radio Ceylon/ Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation First ever Sinhala cricket commentator |
| South Africa}} H. D. Ackerman | South Africa 1998 | South Africa}} SuperSport (Super Cricket) |
| England}} Jonathan Agnew | Leicestershire 1978–1990, 1992
England 1984–1985 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1991–present{{flagicon|England}} The People 1990–1991
{{flagicon|England}} BBC Television 1999, 2006–2009
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC ?-present |
| Pakistan}} Wasim Akram | Pakistan 1985–2003 | India}} ESPN Star Sports 2003–present |
| Australia}} Terry Alderman | Australia 1981–1991 | ABC ?-present |
| England}} Paul Allott | Lancashire 1978–1991
England 1981–1985 | England}} BBC Television 1994–1995{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 1995–present |
| England}} Rex Alston | None | England}} BBC Radio 1945–1957
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1957–1964 |
| England}} John Arlott | None | England}} BBC Radio 1946–1957
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1957–1980{{flagicon|England}} The Guardian 1968–1980 |
| Bangladesh}} Athar Ali Khan | Bangladesh 1988–1998 | BGD}} Independent Television 2013–present
{{flagicon|India}} Nimbus Sport |
| England}} Mike Atherton | Lancashire 1987–2001
England 1989–2001 | England}} Channel 4 2002–2005
{{flagicon|England}} Sunday Telegraph
{{flagicon|England}} The Times
{{flagicon|England}} TalkSPORT 2004–2005
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 2005–present |
| England}} Trevor Bailey (1923 - 2011) | Essex 1946–1967
England 1949–1959 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1967–1999
|
| England}} Jack Bannister (1930 - 2016) | Warwickshire 1950–1968 | England}} BBC Television 1984–1998{{flagicon|England}} TalkSPORT 2001–2015 |
| Australia}} Richie Benaud (1930-2015) | New South Wales 1948–1964
Australia 1952–1964 | England}} BBC Television 1960–1999, 2007
{{flagicon|Australia}} Nine Network 1977–2015
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 4 1999–2005{{flagicon|England}} Channel Five 2009 |
| India}} Harsha Bhogle | None | Australia}} ABC 1991–present
{{flagicon|India}} ESPN Star Sports 1995–
{{flagicon|England}} BBC 1998–Fox Cricket 2018- |
| West Indies}} Ian Bishop | West Indies 1989–1998 | England}} Sky Sports 2005–present Channel 4 2000-2004
{{flagicon|South Africa}} SABC Television 2005–2008
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 5 2007-2009 |
| Australia}} Greg Blewett | South Australia 1991–2007
Australia 1995–2000 | England}} Sky Sports 2009– Seven Network 2018- |
| England}} Henry Blofeld | Cambridge University 1958–1960 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1972–1991, 1994–2017
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 1991–1994 |
| England}} Ian Botham | Somerset 1974–1985
Worcestershire 1986–1991
Durham 1992–1993
England 1976–1992 | England}} BBC Television 1994–1995{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 1996–present |
| Sri Lanka}} Roshan Abeysinghe | None | United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2010–present
|
| England}} Geoffrey Boycott | Yorkshire 1962–1986
England 1964–1982 | England}} Sky Sports 1990–1998
{{flagicon|England}} BBC Television 1993–98{{flagicon|England}} TalkSPORT 1998–2003
{{flagicon|India}} ESPN Star Sports 1997–2005
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 4 2004–2005
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2005–present
{{flagicon|England}} Channel Five 2006–present |
| Australia}} James Brayshaw | Western Australia 1987–1990
South Australia 1990–1997 | Australia}} Nine Network 2007–2016[1] |
| England}} Freddie Brown | England 1931–1953 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1957–69 |
| Australia}} Jim Burke | Australia 1951–1959 |
| New Zealand}} Chris Cairns | New Zealand 1989–2004 | Australia}} Fox Sports Australia 2012–present |
| Australia}} Greg Chappell | South Australia 1966–1973
Queensland 1973–1984
Somerset 1968–1969
Australia 1970–1984 | Australia}} Nine Network 1989–1994 |
| Australia}} Ian Chappell | South Australia 1961–1980
Lancashire 1963
Australia 1964–1980 | Australia}} Nine Network 1980–present
{{flagicon|India}} ESPN Star sports 2007–presentChannel 5 2009 |
| Australia}} Michael Charlton | None | Australia}} ABC ?–?
{{flagicon|England}} BBC Radio 1956 (Ashes series);
{{flagicon|India}} Nimbus Sport |
| England}} Denis Compton | England 1937–1957 | England}} BBC Television 1958–75
Sunday Express |
| New Zealand}} Jeremy Coney | Wellington 1971–1987
New Zealand 1974–1987 | New Zealand}} Sports Roundup/Radio Sport 1990–2000
{{flagicon|New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2004 |
| England}} Dominic Cork | Derbyshire 1990–2003
Lancashire 2004–2008
Hampshire 2009–2011
England 1992–2002 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2010 –present
{{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistan Television Corporation 2009–present
{{flagicon|England}} Talksport 2013–present
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 2011–present |
| Australia}} Jamie Cox | Tasmania 1987–2005 |
| West Indies}} Tony Cozier | None | Barbados}} Barbados Daily News 1961–1969
{{flagicon|Australia}} Nine Network 1977–1992
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC ?–?
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1966–2015 (West Indian series against England and some World Cups) |
| England}} Peter Cranmer | Warwickshire 1934–1954 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1965–1968 |
| New Zealand}} Martin Crowe (1962 - 2016) | New Zealand 1982–1995 | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2006 |
| New Zealand}} Craig Cumming | Canterbury 1995–2000
Otago 2000–2015
New Zealand 2005–2009 | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2014 |
| Sri Lanka}} Aravinda De Silva | Sri Lanka 1984–2003 | England}} Sky Sports 2006 |
| England}} Ted Dexter | Sussex 1956–1968
England 1958–1968 | England}} BBC Television 1968-19?? |
| South Africa}} Allan Donald | South Africa 1991–2003 |
| New Zealand}} Simon Doull | New Zealand 1992–2000 | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2006– |
| West Indies}} Jeff Dujon | Jamaica 1974–1993
West Indies 1981–1991 | England}} Sky Sports |
| England}} Matthew Engel | None | England}} The Guardian
{{flagicon|England}} Wisden Cricketers' Almanack |
| India}} Farokh Engineer | India 1961–1975 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) |
| Sri Lanka}} Ranjit Fernando | Ceylon 1964–1978
Sri Lanka 1975 | United Arab Emirates}} Ten Sports 2004–2009 |
| Australia}} Jack Fingleton | New South Wales 1928–1940
Australia 1932–1938 |
| Australia}} Damien Fleming | Australia 1994–2001 | Australia}} ABC ?-present Fox Sports (Australia) 2010-2012 Seven Network 2018- Ten Network 2013-2017 |
| England}} Tom Fordyce | None | England}} BBC Live Text |
| South Africa}} Charles Fortune | None | South Africa}} SABC |
| England}} Graeme 'Foxy' Fowler | Lancashire 1979–1991
Durham 1992–1994
England 1982–1985 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1994–2005 |
| England}} Angus Fraser | Middlesex 1984–2002
England 1989–1999 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special)
{{flagicon|England}} The Independent 2002– |
| England}} David Frith | None | England}} The Cricketer
{{flagicon|England}} Wisden Cricket Monthly 1979–1996 |
| England}} Mike Gatting | Middlesex 1975–1998
England 1977–1994 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) |
| India}} Sunil Gavaskar | Mumbai 1966–1988
Somerset 1980
India 1971–1987 | India}} ESPN Star Sports 1992–
{{flagicon|India}} BCCI
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) |
| England}} Alan Gibson (1923 - 1997) | None | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1962–1975
{{flagicon|England}} The Times |
| England}} Arthur Gilligan | England 1922–1925 |
| England}} Graham Gooch | Essex 1973–2000
England 1978–1992 | England}} Test Match Special 2002–2009 |
|
| England}} David Gower | Leicestershire 1975–1989
Hampshire 1990–1993
England 1978–1992 | England}} BBC Television1995–1999{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports1999–present
{{flagicon|England}} Sunday Times |
| England}} Tom Graveney (1927 - 2015) | England 1951–1969 |
| England}} Tony Greig (1946 - 2012) | Sussex 1966–1978
England 1972–1977 | Australia}} Nine Network 1979–2012
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 4 2005
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports |
| Sri Lanka}} Bob Harvie | None | Sri Lanka}} Radio Ceylon/ Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation |
| Australia}} Mike Haysman | Leicestershire – | South Africa}} SuperSport (Super Cricket)
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports |
| Australia}} Ian Healy | Queensland 1986–1999
Australia 1988–1999 | Australia}} Nine Network 1999–present Fox Sports (Australia) 2018- present |
| West Indies}} Michael Holding | West Indies 1975–1987 | England}} Sky Sports
{{flagicon|Australia}} Nine Network 1992–present |
| Australia}} David Hookes | South Australia 1975–1992
Australia 1977–1986 |
| England}} Robert Hudson | None | England}} BBC Television 1949–1950, 1962–1964
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1958, 1962–1968 |
| England}} Simon Hughes | Middlesex 1980–1992
Durham 1992–1993 | England}} The Independent
{{flagicon|England}} Daily Telegraph
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 4 1999–2005
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 5 2006–present{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2007–present |
| England}} Nasser Hussain | Essex 1987–2004
England 1989–2004 | England}} Sky Sports 2004–present |
| England}} Ray Illingworth | England 1958–1973 | England}} BBC Television 1984-1993 |
| England}} Robin Jackman | England 1974–1983 | South Africa}} SuperSport (Super Cricket) |
| England}} Brian Johnston | None | England}} BBC Television 1946–1970
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1970–1994 |
| Australia}} Dean Jones | Australia 1984–1992 | Australia}} ABC
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2003–2006
{{flagicon|India}} Zee Sports 2007–2008 (Indian Cricket League)
{{flagicon|India}} NDTV 24x7 2010 |
| England}} Rob Key | Kent 1998-2016
England 2002-2009 | England}} Sky Sports 2012–present |
| England}} Nick Knight | Warwickshire 1991–2006
England 1995–2003 | England}} Sky Sports 2006–present |
| England}} Jim Laker | England 1948–1959 | England}} BBC Television 1969–1985 |
| India}} Arun Lal | India 1982–1989 | India}} Nimbus Sport 2003–
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2010– |
| New Zealand}} Gavin Larsen | Wellington 1984–1999
New Zealand 1990–1999 |
| Australia}} Geoff Lawson | Australia 1989–2004 | Australia}} ABC ?-present |
| Australia}} Bill Lawry | Victoria 1955–1972
Australia 1961–1971 | Australia}} Nine Network 1977–present |
| Australia}} Darren Lehmann | Australia 1996–2005 | England}} Sky Sports 2005–2007
|
| England}} Tony Lewis | Glamorgan 1955–1974
England 1972–1973 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1975–1984
{{flagicon|England}} The Sunday Telegraph 1975–1993
{{flagicon|England}} BBC Television 1984–1998
|
| England}} David Lloyd | Lancashire 1965–1983
England 1973–1980 | England}} Test Match Special 1992–1995
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 1999–presentNine Network 2013-14 (The Ashes) |
| England}} Simon Mann | None | England}} BBC (Radio 5) 1994–1996
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1996–present |
| India}} Sanjay Manjrekar | Mumbai 1984–1998
India 1987–1996 | India}} ESPN Star Sports 2009–present
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2003–2009 |
| South Africa}} Neil Manthorp | None | South Africa}} SuperSport (Super Cricket)
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special)
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC ?-present
Talksport 2003-2008 |
| England}} Vic Marks | Somerset 1975–1989
England 1982–1988 | England}} The Observer 1989–present
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1992–present |
| England}} Howard Marshall | None | England}} BBC (BBC Radio) early 1930s–1945 |
| England}} Christopher Martin-Jenkins (1945 - 2013) | None | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1973–1980, 1985–2012
{{flagicon|England}} BBC Television 1980–1985
{{flagicon|England}} The Cricketer 1980–1990
{{flagicon|England}} Daily Telegraph 1990–1998
{{flagicon|England}} The Times 1998–2012 |
| Australia}} Jim Maxwell | None | Australia}} ABC 1973–present
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2005– (Ashes series); |
| Zimbabwe}} Pommie Mbangwa | Zimbabwe 1996–2002 | South Africa}} SuperSport (Super Cricket)
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports |
| Australia}} Alan McGilvray | New South Wales 1933–1937 | Australia}} ABC 1938–1985
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1948–1985 (Ashes series) |
| Australia}} Glenn Mitchell | None | Australia}} ABC 1990–2011 |
| England}} Alison Mitchell | None | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2003–present
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC 2014, 2016-17
{{flagicon|India}} ESPN Star sports 2013, 2014Seven Network 2018 |
| Australia}} Drew Morphett | None | Australia}} ABC 197?-2015 |
| New Zealand}} Danny Morrison | New Zealand 1987–1997 | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2000–present
{{flagicon|Australia}} Fox Sports
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC ?-present |
| England}} Don Mosey | None | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1974–1991 |
| Australia}} Johnnie Moyes | South Australia 1912–1915
Victoria 1920–1921 | Australia}} ABC 1950–1963 |
| England}} Mark Nicholas | Hampshire 1978–1995 | England}} Sky Sports 1996–1998
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 4 1999–2005
{{flagicon|England}} Daily Telegraph
{{flagicon|Australia}} Nine Network 2001–present
{{flagicon|England}} Channel 5 2006–present |
| Australia}} Kerry O'Keeffe | New South Wales 1968–1980
Australia 1971–1977 | Australia}} ABC 2001–2014 Fox Sports (Australia) 2018- |
| Australia}} Cate McGregor | none | Australia}} The Australian
Australian Financial Review
The Spectator[2] |
| South Africa}} Shaun Pollock | South Africa}} KwaZulu Natal 1992-2004
{{flagicon|England}} Warwickshire 1996-2002
South Africa 1995-2008 | South Africa}} SuperSport 2008–present |
| India}} Venkatesh Prasad | India 1996–2001 | India}} SET Max 2003 |
| Sri Lanka}} Norton Pereira | None | Sri Lanka}} Radio Ceylon/ Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation |
| Pakistan}} Rameez Raja | Servis Industries 1977–1978
Punjab 1978
Lahore City 1979–1983, 1985–1987, 1992–1993
Allied Bank Limited 1983–1984, 1994–1998
Pakistan National Shipping Corporation 1988–1991
Islamabad 1994
Pakistan 1984–1997 | United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) |
| England}} Dermot Reeve | Sussex 1983–1987
Warwickshire 1988–1996
Somerset 1998
Marylebone Cricket Club 1990
England 1991–1996 | England}} Channel 4 1999–2005 |
| South Africa}} Barry Richards | South Africa 1970 | United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports |
| New Zealand}} Mark Richardson | New Zealand 2000–2004 | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2006–present
{{flagicon|New Zealand}} The Crowd Goes Wild 2006–present |
| Australia}} Vic Richardson | Australia 1927-1936 | Australia}} ABC 1929-? |
| England}} R C Robertson-Glasgow | Somerset 1920–1935 | England}} The Morning Post
{{flagicon|England}} The Observer |
| England}} Peter Roebuck (1956 - 2011) | Somerset 1974–1991 | Australia}} ABC 2001–2011 |
| England}} Mike Selvey | Surrey 1968–1971
Middlesex 1972–1982
Glamorgan 1983–1984
England 1976–1977 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1984–2008
{{flagicon|England}} The Guardian 1985–present |
| India}} Ravi Shastri | Mumbai 1979–1994
Glamorgan 1987–1989, 1991
India 1981–1992 | India}} ESPN Star sports 1994–present
{{flagicon|India}} BCCI 2006–present |
| India}} Navjot Singh Sidhu | Punjab 1981–1999
India 1983–1999 | India}} ESPN Star sports 1999–2003
{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2003–2004
{{flagicon|India}} NDTV 24x7 2006–2009
{{flagicon|India}} Times Now 2010–present |
| India}} Laxman Sivaramakrishnan | India1983–1987 | India}} Nimbus Sport
{{flagicon|India}} BCCI |
| Australia}} Michael Slater | New South Wales 1991–2001
Australia 1993–2001 | England}} Channel 4 2001–2005
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 2006
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC ?-?
{{flagicon|Australia}} Nine Network 2006–presentSeven Network 2018- present
|
| England}} Ed Smith | Middlesex 2005-2008
Kent 1996-2004 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) |
| New Zealand}} Ian Smith | New Zealand 1980–1992 | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand)Channel 4 1999-2003 |
| Pakistan}} Aamer Sohail | Lahore 1983–1999
Habib Bank Limited 1987–1992
Allied Bank Limited 1995–2001
Karachi 1998–1999
Lahore 2000–2001
Somerset 2001
Pakistan 1990–2000
| United Arab Emirates}} Ten Sports 2001–present |
| Australia}} Keith Stackpole | Australia 1966-1974 | Australia}} ABC ?-? |
| New Zealand}} Scott Styris | New Zealand 2002– | New Zealand}} Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2006 |
| England}} E.W. Swanton | Middlesex 1937-8 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1938–1975
{{flagicon|England}} BBC Television 1948–1967
{{flagicon|England}} The Daily Telegraph 1946–1975 |
| Barbados}} Donna Symmonds | None | Barbados}} Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation 1988–?
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1998–2000? |
| Australia}} Mark Taylor | New South Wales 1985–1999
Australia 1989–1999 | Australia}} Nine Network 1999–present |
| England}} Fred Trueman | Yorkshire 1949–1969
England 1952–1965 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1974–1999 |
| England}} Phil Tufnell | Middlesex 1986–2002
England 1990–2001 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2003–present |
| England}} Michael Vaughan | Yorkshire 1993–2009
England 1999–2008 | England}} Channel 5 2009–present
{{flagicon|England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2009–present |
| New Zealand}} Bryan Waddle | None | New Zealand}} Radio Sport
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC ?-present |
| England}} Ian Ward | Surrey 1992–2003
Sussex 2003–2005
England 2001 | England}} Sky Sports 2005–present |
| Australia}} Shane Warne | Hampshire 2000–2007
Australia 1992–2006
Rajasthan Royals 2008–2010
Victoria 1990–2006 | Australia}} Nine Network 2008–present
{{flagicon|England}} Sky Sports 2009–present
{{flagicon|India}} ESPN Star sports 2012–present
{{flagicon|India}} BCCI 2012–presentFox Sports (Australia) 2018- present |
| South Africa}} Kepler Wessels | Queensland 1979–1986
Australia 1982–1985
South Africa 1992–94
Sussex 1976–1980
| South Africa}} SuperSport (Super Cricket) |
| England}} Peter West | None | England}} BBC Television 1952–1986 |
| England}} Arlo White | None | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 2005–2008 |
| England}} Alan Wilkins | Glamorgan 1975–1979, 1983
Gloucestershire 1980–1982 | England}} BBC 1987–1998
{{flagicon|India}} ESPN Star Sports 2000–present |
| England}} Bob Willis | Surrey, Warwickshire 1969–1984
England 1971–1984 | England}} Sky Sports |
| India}} Sourav Ganguly | Bengal 1989–2012
Lancashire 2000
Kolkata Knight Riders 2008–2010
Pune Warriors India 2011–2012
India 1992–2008 | India}} ESPN Star sports 2010–present
{{flagicon|India}} BCCI 2012–present |
| India}} Rahul Dravid | Karnataka 1990–2012
Kent 2000
Scotland 2003
Royal Challengers Bangalore 2008–2010
Rajasthan Royals 2011–2013
India 1996–2012 | India}} ESPN Star sports 2012–present
{{flagicon|Australia}} ABC 2014–present
{{flagicon|India}} BCCI 2012–present |
| England}} John Woodcock | None | England}} The Guardian
{{flagicon|England}} The Times |
| England}} Norman Yardley | Yorkshire 1935–1955
England 1938–1950 | England}} BBC (Test Match Special) 1956–1969
|
| Pakistan}} Waqar Younis | Karachi, Lahore, Multan, National Bank of Pakistan, Rawalpindi, Redco Pakistan Ltd, United Bank Limited 1989–2003
Surrey 1990–1993
Glamorgan 1997–1998
Warwickshire 2003
Pakistan 1989–2003 | United Arab Emirates}} TEN Sports 2010–present |
| England}} Charles Colville | None | England}} Sky Sports 1990–present |
| Zimbabwe}} Dean du Plessis | None | USA}} ESPNcricinfo 2001–present
|
1. ^James Brayshaw gone from Channel 9 cricket commentary News.com.au 25 October 2016
2. ^Malcolm McGregor, The Spectator, 12 November 2011