AB De Villiers, Alastair Cook, Neetu David named inductees in ICC Hall of Fame

The ICC announced the latest inductees into the council's Hall of Fame. Former England skipper Alastair Cook, adjudged with the knighthood to his name has aced a place into the council's record of the greatest cricketers. Along with Cook, former South African wicket-keeper batter, AB De Villiers was also honoured with the title. For the third and final place this year, ICC chose the former Indian bowler Neetu David as the deserving prospect. Alastair Cook, Neetu David, and AB De Villiers have consequently became the 113th, 114th, and 115th members in the ICC Hall of Fame.

AB De Villiers, Alastair Cook, Neetu David latest inducties in the ICC Hall of Fame

Neetu David, the former left-arm spinner, is now the second Indian woman to be honored in the ICC Hall of Fame, following in the footsteps of Diana Edulji. Currently serving as the chair of selectors for India’s women’s cricket team, David was the first Indian woman to take 100 wickets in ODIs. She also topped the bowling charts at the 2005 ODI World Cup, claiming 20 wickets as India finished runners-up. The former player boasts an outstanding career bowling average of 16.34, the best among any bowler, male or female, with at least 100 ODI wickets. Moreover, David holds the record for the best bowling figures in a women’s Test match, with 8 for 53. This was also the first-ever eight-wicket haul in the format.

Former England opener Alastair Cook was, until recently, England’s leading run-scorer and century-maker in Test cricket. Though Joe Root has now surpassed Cook in the batting records, Cook played an integral role for England as a batter and the skipper, especially in the true format of the game. Cook was the key figure in England’s 2010-11 Ashes victory in Australia, where he amassed 766 runs in seven innings. The skipper also led the team to two consecutive home Ashes series wins in 2013 and 2015. Additionally, he played a crucial role in England’s first Test series triumph in India in 28 years, back in 2012.

AB de Villiers, renowned for his captivating and inventive batting, holds the record for the fastest 50, 100, and 150 in ODI history. Regarded as Mr. 360 degree for his unconventional shots, De Villiers amassed over 20,000 runs in international cricket and played pivotal roles in South Africa’s semi-final runs at the 2007 and 2015 ODI World Cups. De Villiers' career-best Test knock of 278* against Pakistan in 2010 briefly stood as the highest individual score for South Africa. When he retired from international cricket in 2018, he had maintained an average above 50 in both Tests and ODIs.