Cricket is a great game for legends. Virat Kohli, Joe Root, and Steve Smith are some of the most well-known names who gain the most attention, while their fans can marvel at their runs, records, and brave deeds. Yet, what about the players who do not get noticed? Those who work in shadow to win matches, support, and silently please fans. These are the unsung heroes—the most underrated cricketers of the decade (2015-2025). We will shed light on five such players who still do not play but deserve appreciation because they work hard. Let’s look at their stories and find out why they are the dark horses of cricket.
1. Jason Holder – The Silent Giant
Jason Holder is a big guy—both literally and figuratively. A 6’7” tall all-rounder from the West Indies has always been a dependable rock for his team when they were going through hard times. During his captaincy from 2015 to 2025, Holder remained at the top and became the highest run-scorer and wicket-taker in the Windies side in an era when the team was busy trying to recapture its form. His Test record is imposing: by early 2025, he had 2,500 runs and 150 wickets to his name, leaving him among the very best of the all-rounders. However, Jason Holder did not get much attention.
Perhaps it is because he plays for a team that has not been winning significant titles. Or maybe his calm and peaceful style does not attract people to him. Still, Holder scored a double century against England in 2019 and bowled in the most difficult conditions revealing that he is a class player. At Cricbet99, fans talk about him as a dark horse—a person who gets more out of a game than the stats say. He is the unsung hero who keeps the West Indies in the game.
2. Kusal Mendis – Sri Lanka’s Quiet Spark
Sri Lanka has had some good times and some bad times this decade, but Kusal Mendis was the shining star of the team. This wicketkeeper has repeatedly led his team to big wins with his stick-to-stick like batting and has thus recorded, among many big achievements, two and a half centuries to his credit as early as 2019, during the course of which he equalled the records of most four and five wicket innings. This was a trajectory to his overall 3.500 runs in ODIs and almost 4.000 in Tests by 2025—once again on pitches that were mostly an obstacle.
So, what’s the reason for him being underrated? He has been used for the rebuilding of the team at the same time when the past greats like Sanga and Mahela were still in the scene and performers like him were in the background. His more glamorous teammates may sometimes take the spotlight, but Mendis remains consistent. The King Exchange highlights his apparent consistency with fans appreciating his role as the one who anchors the team to a victory. Therefore, he is the one that is a hero by the way of his inability to be the crowd pleaser—he just bats, and he bats very well.
3. Rory Burns – England’s Forgotten Opener
Rory Burns is the man and has the main feature among other England players. This England opener may not be as flashy as Ben Stokes or Alastair Cook with his shiny stats but since day one that he made a debut in 2018, he was a defensive rock through the most turbulent times. By the end of 2025, Burns had already scored over 4,000 Test runs among which were the centuries he made against Australia and India on the paciest and mostyl spin-friendly wickets. With his scruffy beard and quirky stance, he does not fit the picture of a star, but regardless, he is an ace holding into the new ball and winning matches for England.
Despite his contribution, Burns does not seem to get the hype. He is a support man, not the main man whose part is to fulfill the role of entertaining the fans with smashes. However, his career on Cricbet99 does not reveal these shortcomings—he is an assured man for hard days. Burns is the kind of unsung hero who does the hard work so that the big guns can go for a shot. England should be grateful to him and the smaller cheers are not right.
4. Suranga Lakmal – Sri Lanka’s Bowling Backbone
Fast bowling as a local tradition to Sri Lanka is often disregarded in favor of the spinners, while the mention of a pace bowler, like the one who retired in 2022, Lakmal, one of the best, is rare. For hours, he had to carry his team and some fast bowlers of Sri Lanka were not getting the big wickets. For 10 years, Suranga Lakmal took more than 170 wickets to his name which was quite an achievement, especially that it was done on the dullest pitches.
His swing and accuracy were good enough to disturb batters like when he dismissed Pakistan’s first order in 2017. Is Suranga Lakmal’s lack of fame due to his use of timing? He played while Sri Lanka was in decline and his silent nature kept him out of the spotlight. Still, the work he did was necessary for the growth of the young bowling department. On King Exchange, his fans mostly call him a “secret fighter” and that perfectly sums up his true nature. Lakmal’s saga deserves to be heard louder than it was.
5. Tom Latham – New Zealand’s Steady Hand
The way the New Zealand national team plays cricket is based on solidarity and synergy which is exactly the image of the left-hops, Tom Latham. With this constant and often captain, Latham has been the stand-in for his team’s captain since 2014 providing Test and ODI excelling performances—thus, by 2025, he has scored almost 5,000 runs, having a 252 against Bangladesh in 2022 that was his marquee knock. The calmer side of Latham has been the guide the Kiwis need in situations where the pressure is mounting and the first kit is away from Kane Williamson.
Then, why he is unseen? Starting with Williamson’s dominance in comparison to his no-frills style that has been of low appeal ever since, Latham has seen less of high spots. However, his stats do not lie because he is the one who always delivers when his team is in trouble. His fans keep referring to him as the man who gets on the ship when the ship is sinking and who has the personality and the grit to carry it through a match. Latham is a person who is not in the limelight—he just bats and he is very good at it.
Why These Players Matter
These five cricketers have more in common than their fame. They are the ones who appreciate not so much people’s glory but they are more into the team’s success. This is a period marked by the prevalence of flashy T20 leagues and constant big hitter action, which makes sometimes such players’ contributions get mixed up or even disappear. Without them, their teams would have been just as lost. They are the glue that ties everything together, the players that the coach depends on when the situation gets tough.
Whether that be Holder’s leadership or Lakmal’s persistence, records like these usually do not attract much notice; however, they are the ones who ultimately turn the game around. Mendis and Burns are the Grit-grinders who hold the lings for the team entitle the players of the squad or acting as the spearheads who lead the way while Latham’s focused and low-key betting keeps the team from falling apart. Bookies such as King Exchange show their value with the fans acknowledging their priceless influence over the thrilling moments.
The Bigger Picture: Cricket’s Hidden Gems
Cricket was at its height in the last decade. Test cricket existed along T20 tours while the foreign teams brought along new stars. The fact that we are often overly focusing on these big names causes us to underrate the workhorses that keep the play in their fair game. These players didn’t just fit in the slots — they turned the games around in ways that numbers do not denote. Think it through: every Kohli’s choice score depends on a partner, every Stokes’ spell needs some other players to kick start it. That’s where these heroes excel.
They may not be the talk of the town at that moment or an item to be sold in the shops but they are the spinal cords of their sides. You see their respective records on the site as well as their achievements which include showing consistency, giving all they have, showing their will, and their heart to the players, and to those who follow them.
Why Fans Should Care
We, as the fans, find a great deal of amusement in observing a player’s excitement as he makes that extraordinary play or goes off on a furious tennis series. However, just think of the beauty, in addition to the fire, of the more quiet moments, like a long game, a tight over, or a selfless player move. By highlighting these unsung heroes, we are granted insight into the deeper aspects of cricket which, in turn, make the game more vibrant. It is not merely about the players at the top but it is a team issue as well.
When you look at the game the next time, it is not always the well-known players that catch your eye. Instead, it is the player who is constantly on the run, putting in bold catches, or playing through an injury. It is maybe a Holder that is giving everything when he dives for the ball or a Latham that is directing the team through the last few runs. Some sites like King Exchange allow the viewer to delve deeper into their records and find out why they are worth supporting. These guys are deserving of your applause—they have worked hard for it.
The Legacy of the Underrated
By 2025, the cricket world is surrounded by enthusiasm for the new skills and the many new challenges which also converge on the present and the future as well. But we can’t just complete the decade’s tale without mentioning these underrated cricketers. They have sparred in the murky pit to bring their teams to a new level and showed what grit meant. Their legend does not lie in the shiny trophies nor is it spread in the newspapers—no, their legacy remained in the games they made and the colleagues they led to the courage and to the supporters who did notice.
Jason Holder might become the savior of the West Indies. Mendis may be the basis of Sri Lanka’s next great era. It is said that Burns and Latham could retire as the hidden kings while Lakmal will remain as a legend of yesteryears who influenced the new crop of bowlers coming up. The point needs to keep being made that their influence is real, even if it is only a whisper. Websites like Cricbet99 ensure that their stories stay alive, proving the point that the heartbeat of cricket is not just the main stars.
Final Thoughts
The real MVPs of cricket are those who are quiet, yet exceptional. Whether it is Jason Holder’s dominance or Tom Latham’s graceful play, these individuals have been the soul of the cricket landscape during this period. They are the most underrated cricketers of 2015-2025, and it’s time we gave them their due.
Who is your best-loved underrated player? They may be on this list or you could have another one in mind. Whichever the case, let’s lift up the quiet warriors that make cricket special. Visit King Exchange for more insights and keep on the lookout for the next surprise.—it could sprout from somebody you less expect!
