Top 10 Indian Left-Hand Batsmen Till 2024

In cricket, left-handed batsmen hold a unique position. They stand out from the crowd because they are elegant and, for the most part, appear to have endless leisure time. We have grown to respect batsmen with skills like Gundappa Viswanath, Mohammad Azharuddin, and VVS Laxman because of their ability to hit the ball with flair and time while avoiding injury. Here is the list of the top 10 Indian left-hand batsmen till 2024.

1. Nari Contractor

He was regarded by his peers as an inspiration because he was one of the bravest openers in Indian history. His career, like that of Ajit Wadekar, was characterized by consistency and could not be measured by the number of hundreds he scored in Test matches. Old hands reminisce about his two elegant ninety-plus innings; his 1969 match at Delhi against the West Indies and his 1961 match at the same venue against Pakistan both scored ninety-plus runs. The fact that he scored runs on unprotected pitches and without padding demonstrated his capacity to withstand pressure. His career was tragically terminated due to a potentially fatal brain damage sustained by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith, who was well-known for his questionable behavior.

2. Ajit Wadekar

There was a time when Garry Sobers needed to deliver a message to Ajit Wadekar. "From a good batsman, please say hello to a great batsman." The renowned West Indian regarded Wadekar, one of the most elegant batsmen in Indian cricket history, in that manner. Batting was a practice of nonchalance for Wadekar. In fact, his slow stroll to the crease was somewhat deceptive. He had lightning-fast reflexes and executed shots with precision. It was amazing how well he could position himself for a draw or hook. A pleasure to watch and an entertaining batsman. His 1967 Ranji Trophy 323 match against EAS Prasanna and BS Chandrasekhar is regarded as a classic.

3. Salim Durani

India made history in 1971 when he dismissed Clive Lloyd and Sir Garfield Sobers to create an exciting victory at Port of Spain. Despite playing only 29 Tests in 13 years, most captains choose to start him as their first choice in their starting XI. The fact that he could consistently hit sixes made him a fan favorite. Durani amassed 1202 runs with one century and seven half-centuries in 29 Test matches. He amassed 8545 runs with 14 hundreds and 45 half-centuries in the 170 First-class games. 

4. WV Raman

The underachiever, who is rightfully considered lazy, is an artist. Despite Raman's incredible ability to overwhelm the competition with a single blow, he fell short of his promise. He was able to perform exceptionally well in any circumstance. His strength was his ability to swiftly adjust to challenges, so he didn't have to worry about the playing surface. He was equally at ease attacking as he was waiting. Coaches pointed to his amazing off-side play and footwork against the spinners as examples to follow. While his opening-day century of 83 against the West Indies in Madras in 1988 was as skilfully constructed as one could hope for, the spotlight was taken by Narendra Hirwani's 16 wickets in that Test match.

5. Vinod Kambli

It would be unfair to compare this talented Bombay batsman to Sachin Tendulkar. Had he possessed Tendulkar's level of dedication, Kambli undoubtedly would have been considered one of the game's greatest players. He was a leading Indian batsman after scoring two double-hundreds in a single season against Zimbabwe and England, but he fell short of expectations. He frequently threw away wickets, but when he batted, he excelled at strokeplay against the strongest bowlers. He enjoyed accepting challenges from the other team, and the games he produced as a result were enjoyable aspects of those encounters.

6. Sourav Ganguly

Perhaps the best left-hander Indian cricket has ever seen, and one of the best players to have ever played the sport. His spectacular century-run debut at Lord's in 1996 was just more evidence of his abilities. We tend to forget that after being selected for the 1991–1992 Australian tour, Ganguly was denied the opportunity to play cricket for five years. With a great repertoire of shots square of the wicket, he was a superb stroke player. He was able to dominate the opposition thanks to his aggressive hitting style, and he had an incredible run of consistency in both game types.

7. Yuvraj Singh

The dressing room's fear of failure would vanish with his batting. He became even more determined to destroy the opponent as a result of the pressure to score while others failed. His batting style was characterized by a natural elegance. Because of his ability to perform well under pressure, he stood out among the other men in the captain's notebook as a remarkable player. He was a terror at the crease because of his ability to pick the ball early. He had a reputation for providing force to propel the ball deep into the crowd and for picking openings with deft placements. He improved his batting as he went along, but his Test record was merely mediocre. Even though he played all of his career on merit and regrettably wanted to establish his mettle in the lengthier format of cricket, it remained his greatest disappointment. It would be worth paying to watch this batsman.

8. Gautam Gambhir

He was a picture of assurance at the crease, gritty and compact. With his will to battle, he made his space in the center. He enjoyed a good battle. It was, in fact, a crucial component of his preparation for the moment. He created an angry persona for himself, and it served as the inspiration for his game-winning strikes in two major tournaments: the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai and the 2007 T20 World Cup final in Johannesburg. In addition to his amazing strokeplay that could light up a limited-overs match, he could also anchor the scoresheet, as he demonstrated in an incredible performance against New Zealand in Napier, where he batted 436 balls for 137 runs to help India draw the Test. He was a full-fledged batsman who should have received more recognition for his input during the match.

9. Suresh Raina

2010 against Sri Lanka on his Test debut was a well-deserved reward for this talented batsman. It was difficult to comprehend that he played his first Test five years after making his ODI debut. Even with the excellent form, Raina had to wait. To his credit, he contributed significantly to the ODI squad and produced numerous game-winning performances in the limited-overs formats. Against Australia and Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup, Raina delivered vital blows that validated Greg Chappell's assertion that the southpaw had exceptional mental tenacity to perform well under pressure. Young cricket fans also find him appealing because of his outstanding performances in T20 cricket.

10. Shikhar Dhawan

He established himself as a promising young cricket player and went on to achieve great things at the highest level. Being able to score in difficult situations has allowed him to continue being one of the team's most reliable batsmen. In 2013, he made a memorable Test debut against Australia, which turned into one of the best innings in a long time. The Australian attack was completely deflated by his 187, and the timing of his shots was the standout aspect of the innings. He played around with the bowlers and used a variety of shots to make a big impression on the crowd. He received a tonne of acclaim for his innings, which helped him stay relevant in all cricket formats.