Ranking the Top 10 Most Liked Cricketers on Facebook

Have you ever wondered who the most popular cricketer in the world is? Well, wonder no more, dear reader, as the answer lies within this slideshow.

Love them or hate them, social-media devices give us a way of measuring the intangible quality of popularity, and this is Facebook's top 10 players ranked by the number of likes their official accounts have received.

See how many of the 10 you can name.

10. Zaheer Khan

Ross Setford/Associated Press

Followers: 2.3 million

Perhaps the most surprising entry in the top 10 most liked cricketers on Facebook is India's left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan.

The 35-year-old paceman has struggled with injuries of late, but the online popularity of the man with 311 wickets remains strong.

9. Kevin Pietersen

Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

Followers: 2.4 million

Unloved by the England hierarchy, Kevin Pietersen clearly remains adored by large sections of cricket fans, and the South African boasts huge followings on Twitter and Facebook.

A strange season off the pitch has seen the South African-born batsman struggle to make an impact, but with his new book imminent, he'll remain in the headlines for the foreseeable future.

8. Kumar Sangakkara

Dave Thompson/Getty Images

Followers: 2.6 million

Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara is the highest-ranked non-Indian player in the list, and considering his achievements in the game, it is no surprise.

Nearly 12,000 runs and 37 centuries and counting at Test level alone, the left-handed batsman is one of the all-time greats, and he can give an eloquent speech too.

7. Gautam Gambhir

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Followers: 3.6 million

Despite his international career stuttering of late, Gautam Gambhir remains a popular figure in India, thanks in part to his leadership of the Kolkata Knight Riders who he's led to titles in 2012 and 2014.

Throw in the opener's legendary partnership with Virender Sehwag and a Test average of 42.58 and it is no surprise the 32-year-old still has a huge following.

6. Rohit Sharma

Michael Steele/Getty Images

Followers: 3.8 million

As one of the best T20 players in the world, it is no surprise that India's Rohit Sharma has a huge online army of fans cheering him on.

But with two centuries in his first seven Test matches, the 27-year-old seems set for a long career encompassing all three formats.

5. Yuvraj Singh

A.M. Ahad/Associated Press

Followers: 6.2 million

Yuvraj Singh's achievements on and off the pitch have helped make him one of the top five cricketers in the world in terms of Facebook "likes," and it is easy to see why.

Shortly after helping India win the 2011 World Cup, the swashbuckling batsman was diagnosed with cancer but recovered rapidly and returned to international cricket less than a year after the diagnosis.

4. Virender Sehwag

Eranga Jayawardena/Associated Press

Followers: 8.7 million

A half-century in the Champions League T20 group match between Kings XI and Northern Districts showed that Virender Sehwag is still hungry for runs and capable of winning matches on his own.

The Indian's inimitable style has made him one of the world's most recognisable players, but it remains to be seen if we'll see him play at the international level again.

3. MS Dhoni

Jon Super/Associated Press

Followers: 10.6 million

England's recent unsuccessful tour led to calls for MS Dhoni to step down as India's Test captain after more than six years in charge.

But the ultra-cool wicketkeeper remains incredibly popular both online and in the stands and is arguably the best finisher in world cricket.

2. Virat Kohli

Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Followers: 17.3 million

He may have had a poor tour of England, but Virat Kohli can take heart from his worldwide popularity as evidenced by his incredible Facebook entourage.

Collecting more than 17 million "likes," the 25-year-old has the cricketing world at his feet and is a future India captain-in-waiting.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

Followers: 22.6 million

Despite retiring from cricket last year, Sachin Tendulkar remains the sport's most popular figure in Facebook terms anyway, with a staggering 22.6 million fans.

The achievements of the Little Master throughout his career are well-documented, and now he can add the "most liked cricketer on Facebook" award. But will Virat Kohli eventually catch up with him?