Don Bradman

Playing for Australia from 1928 to 1948, he scored 6,996 runs in 52 Tests, needing just 4 runs in his final innings to average 100; he was dismissed for 0, preserving a mystique that statisticians call the greatest statistical achievement in sports. England's Bodyline series in 1932-33, specifically targeting him with short-pitched bowling, caused a diplomatic crisis between Australia and Britain, highlighting his dominance.