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If you watch cricket on the television or follow headline news then you may have come across the terms ‘capped’ and ‘uncapped’ but what do they actually mean?
What Does Capped Player Mean in Cricket?
Caps are awarded in recognition of certain achievements in cricket. At international level, a cap is ceremoniously handed to a player when he or she makes their first appearance for their country.
In domestic cricket, a cap is given to the player at a non-specific point in time that rewards their loyalty and achievements on the pitch.
What Does Uncapped Player Mean in Cricket?
When a player is uncapped it can mean one of two things. At international level, a player is uncapped if they have yet to appear for their country.
In domestic cricket, a player can still perform for their county, state or province side if they are uncapped. At a later date, they can be awarded a cap in recognition of their services.
What is Meant By Most Capped Player?
At domestic level, a cap is only awarded once so this section relates solely to international cricket. Appearances are referred to as ‘caps’ so, if a cricketer has played ten times for his or her country, they have won ten caps.
Therefore, when the media talks about the most capped players, they are simply referring to those who have made the most international appearances for their country.
In the main, the charts relating to most capped cricketers are split between the three established formats. Test Matches, One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals are usually shown separately.
This is largely because players are often bracketed as being either white ball or red ball specialists. It would, therefore, be unfair to compare a patient test batsman with power hitters that specialise in the limited overs forms.
On isolated occasions, you may hear cricket commentators refer to overall caps in all three formats. This is rare and will only tend to happen when someone has played an extraordinary amount of cricket. A good example is India’s Sachin Tendulkar who won an incredible 864 caps across Tests, ODIs and T20is.
Who are the Most Capped Test Cricketers in the World?
Winning 100 caps at test level is a notable achievement but there are a number of players who have gone some way past that milestone.
The chart of most capped test cricketers shows Sachin Tendulkar at the top. The Indian batsman retired after earning an incredible 200th test cap.
The only man currently in with any chance of catching Tendulkar is England’s James Anderson who won his 169th cap on the 2021/22 Ashes Tour to Australia. Anderson edged past two men in joint third place. Australian captains Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh retired on 168 caps each.
Moving through the top ten in descending order, the other cricketers involved are Jacques Kallis with 166 caps, Shivnarine Chanderpaul with 164, Rahul Dravid with 164, Alastair Cook with 161, Allan Border with 156 and Stuart Broad with 152.
