Alastair Cook, Neetu David and AB de Villiers are the newest inductees into the ICC Hall of Fame. The trio are the 113th, 114th and the 115th members of the club.
David, a former left-arm spinner who played 10 Tests and 97 ODIs, is the second Indian woman after Diana Edulji to be included in the ICC Hall of Fame.
“It is truly an honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, something that I consider to be the highest recognition available to anyone who puts on their national team jersey,” David said in an ICC statement. “This comes after a lifetime of dedication to this great sport, and it caps a very special journey for me to get to this point. I would like to thank the ICC for the recognition, as well as all the BCCI, my team-mates, coaches, family and friends that were a constant source of support throughout my career.”
David, currently the chair of selectors for the Indian women’s team, was the first Indian woman to pick up 100 ODI wickets. She topped the bowling charts at the 2005 ODI World Cup, taking 20 wickets as India finished runners-up. She ended her career with a bowling average of 16.34, which is the best by any bowler – male or female – to have taken at least 100 ODI wickets. Her figures of 8 for 53 are also the best in an innings in women’s Tests, and it was the first eight-wicket haul in the format.
Former opener Cook was, until recently, the leading run-scorer and century-maker for England in Test cricket. He scored 766 runs in seven innings in England’s first Ashes win in Australia for 24 years in 2010-11 and captained England to two successive home Ashes wins in 2013 and 2015. He was at the forefront of England’s first Test series win in India for 28 years in 2012.
“It is a huge honour to join some of the greatest players to have ever played the game,” Cook said. “I have always felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play for Essex and England and so to have this latest honour given to me just makes it all the more special.”
De Villiers lit up world cricket with his innovative strokeplay and set the record for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI cricket. He scored over 20,000 runs in international cricket and was part of South Africa’s semi-final finishes at the 2007 and 2015 ODI World Cups. His career-best Test score of 278 not out against Pakistan in 2010 was briefly the highest individual score for South Africa. He retired from internationals in 2018 with an average of over 50 in Tests and ODIs.
“Cricket is often described as an individual sport within a team game … and it’s true that, whether you are a batsman taking guard at the crease or a bowler pausing at the start of his run-up, you – and only you – are responsible for what happens,” de Villiers said. “That said, everyone who plays cricket understands it is, in spirit, a team game. And I know I would have achieved nothing without the help and support of so many team-mates, coaches and support staff from my early days at school in Pretoria, through so many memorable days at the Titans and with the South Africa team – and, indeed in franchise cricket – all around the world. To all of them, to the ICC, and supporters around the world, thank you.”
