Who is the world's best batsman?

With cricketers these days being increasingly tested in all three formats of the sport, we've broken down exactly which batsmen have the versatility to excel across the board.

Of course, with some superstars choosing not to exhibit their skills in Tests, ODIs or Twenty20 cricket, you won’t find the likes of Michael Clarke, Kumar Sangakkara or Alastair Cook on this list.

The formula we’ve used is simple: add together the rankings of each player across the three formats, and the player who emerges with the lowest total is elevated to the top of the list.

So here it is – the world’s best 10 batsmen across cricket’s three formats.

Despite a lean trot in England at present, India superstar Virat Kohli comes in at No.1. 

The middle-order man’s game is well-equipped to deal with the varying demands of each of cricket’s formats, and he is expected to relish Australia’s pacier wickets when his side tours Down Under later this year.

Classy South African pair Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers come in next, with de Villiers’ lower T20 ranking seeing him below Amla on this list.

Amla was outstanding in South Africa’s crucial drawn second Test against Sri Lanka which allowed them to regain the world No.1 Test ranking, while de Villiers’ undoubted quality is underscored by his No.1 ranking in both Tests and ODIs.

Brendon McCullum leads the first of three New Zealanders in the top 10, with the presence of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson – both of whom have enjoyed particularly productive periods – demonstrating the fact that this trio from across the Tasman have the all-round games to handle themselves no matter which form of the game they are playing.

Australians David Warner and Shane Watson slot in at No.5 and No.7 respectively, and with a home World Cup just around the corner, expect Warner to improve his ODI ranking from a relatively low 38th place in the ensuing 12 months.

The remaining places are filled by captains Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) and MS Dhoni (India).

Mathews has been consistent across all forms of the game in recent times, and his Test ranking of sixth is the highest it has ever been, while Dhoni’s expert finishing skills keep him in the top 10 of the one-day format.

Stay tuned for the world’s top 10 bowlers.