Top 10 Greatest Batsmen in ODIs
Cricket is a batsman’s game and even more so in limited-overs cricket like ODIs and T20. Many batsmen have been fortunate enough to play for India in ODIs. In this article, we will talk about the greatest Indian batsmen in ODIs.
Here is a list of top 10 players:
- SR Tendulkar – Runs – 18426 & Avg – 44.83
- V Kohli – Runs – 12040 & Avg – 59.31
- SC Ganguly – Runs – 11221 & Avg – 40.95
- R Dravid – Runs – 10768 & Avg – 39.15
- MS Dhoni – Runs – 10599 & Avg – 50.23
- M Azharuddin – Runs – 9378 & Avg – 36.92
- RG Sharma – Runs – 9115 & Avg – 49.27
- Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609 & Avg – 36.47
- V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 & Avg – 35.37
- S Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & Avg – 45.02
Sachin Tendulkar, the all-format greatest player for India, is at the top followed by the modern-day great, Virat Kohli. Rahul Dravid makes it to the list for his sheer consistency at the top. MS Dhoni, the master chaser, is also included in the list.
All players have scored more than 5000 runs with the top 5 having scored more than 10,000 ODI runs. Kohli trumps everyone in terms of average, while Sachin in terms of longevity and run-scoring appetite.
Let’s talk in detail about each of them in the following article.
Contents
- SR Tendulkar – Runs – 18426 & Avg – 44.83
- V Kohli – Runs – 12040 & Avg – 59.31
- SC Ganguly – Runs – 11221 & Avg – 40.95
- R Dravid – Runs – 10768 & Avg – 39.15
- MS Dhoni – Runs – 10599 & Avg – 50.23
- M Azharuddin – Runs – 9378 & Avg – 36.92
- RG Sharma – Runs – 9115 & Avg – 49.27
- Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609 & Avg – 36.47
- V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 & Avg – 35.37
- S Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & Avg – 45.02
SR Tendulkar – Runs – 18426 & Avg – 44.83
Arguably the greatest all-format batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, is at the top of India’s top ODI batsmen of all time. He debuted in 1989 and was playing ODIs for 23 years. During this time, he scored 18426 runs – by far the most in ODI cricket – with an average of 44.83. In all those years, he faced more than 21,000 deliveries and was still able to score at a strike rate of close to 90. Sachin scored 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries in his career, the most for any player in ODI cricket. He was also the first man to break the score of 200 runs in ODI cricket. Sachin’s longevity and stats are unparalleled and are unlikely to be broken anytime in near future.
V Kohli –V Kohli – Runs – 12040 & Avg – 59.31
nd of took the baton from Sachin Tendulkar and has carried the Indian team on his shoulders for quite a while now. In his 12-year-long career so far he has scored 12040 runs at an average of 59.31, currently the highest in ODI cricket (min. 35 matches). He has faced close to 13,000 deliveries in ODIs so far and has managed to score at a rate of 93.24. He has scored 43 centuries and 60 half-centuries with the highest score of 183. If anyone has a realistic chance of coming close to Sachin’s stats, it is Virat Kohli. He has perfected the art of chasing and most of his centuries have come in successful run chases.
SC Ganguly ̵SC Ganguly – Runs – 11221 & Avg – 40.95
tain and left-handed batsman Sourav Ganguly helped India begin their new dominating era in cricket after Mohammad Azharuddin. He scored 11221 runs in ODIs in 297 innings at an average of 40.95. He played more than 15,000 deliveries in ODIs and scored at a slightly slower rate of 73.65, the second-lowest on this list. He has scored 22 ODI centuries and 71 half-centuries. His highest score of 183 came in a world cup match against Sri Lanka. Ganguly was very dominant early in his career but towards the end the runs did not come at the same pace, hence the lower average and strike rate. He captained India in the 1999 and 2003 ODI World Cups.
R Dravid –R Dravid – Runs – 10768 & Avg – 39.15
o is primarily known for his Test match batting, is on the list of top cricketers in ODIs as well. He was playing ODIs for 16 years since 1996 and scored 10768 runs at an average of 39.15. Like Ganguly, Dravid also faced more than 15,000 deliveries and scored at a strike rate of 71.18, the lowest on this list. His strike rate was a matter of criticism throughout his career, but he served India well coming in at number 3. Dravid scored 12 hundreds and 71 fifties in his career. Dravid’s highest score in ODIs was 153 against New Zealand.
MS Dhoni – Runs – MS Dhoni – Runs – 10599 & Avg – 50.23
players in the modern era for India is MD Dhoni. He scored 10599 runs in the 15-year-long career at an average of 50.23 – one of the only two batsmen on this list to average more than 50. He led India to the ODI World Cup victory at home in 2011. He was the Man of the Match in the final for his knock of 91 not out. He converted ODI chases into artistic performances and loved taking the game deep. His highest score of 183 came in a chase against Sri Lanka. He scored 9 centuries and 73 half-centuries along with 83 not outs. MS Dhoni has been one of the most successful ODI captains for India.
Contents
- SR Tendulkar – Runs – 18426 & Avg – 44.83
- V Kohli – Runs – 12040 & Avg – 59.31
- SC Ganguly – Runs – 11221 & Avg – 40.95
- R Dravid – Runs – 10768 & Avg – 39.15
- MS Dhoni – Runs – 10599 & Avg – 50.23
- M Azharuddin – Runs – 9378 & Avg – 36.92
- RG Sharma – Runs – 9115 & Avg – 49.27
- Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609 & Avg – 36.47
- V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 & Avg – 35.37
- S Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & Avg – 45.02
V Kohli – Runs – 12040 & Avg – 59.31
nd of took the baton from Sachin Tendulkar and has carried the Indian team on his shoulders for quite a while now. In his 12-year-long career so far he has scored 12040 runs at an average of 59.31, currently the highest in ODI cricket (min. 35 matches). He has faced close to 13,000 deliveries in ODIs so far and has managed to score at a rate of 93.24. He has scored 43 centuries and 60 half-centuries with the highest score of 183. If anyone has a realistic chance of coming close to Sachin’s stats, it is Virat Kohli. He has perfected the art of chasing and most of his centuries have come in successful run chases.SC Ganguly ̵SC Ganguly – Runs – 11221 & Avg – 40.95
tain and left-handed batsman Sourav Ganguly helped India begin their new dominating era in cricket after Mohammad Azharuddin. He scored 11221 runs in ODIs in 297 innings at an average of 40.95. He played more than 15,000 deliveries in ODIs and scored at a slightly slower rate of 73.65, the second-lowest on this list. He has scored 22 ODI centuries and 71 half-centuries. His highest score of 183 came in a world cup match against Sri Lanka. Ganguly was very dominant early in his career but towards the end the runs did not come at the same pace, hence the lower average and strike rate. He captained India in the 1999 and 2003 ODI World Cups.
R Dravid –R Dravid – Runs – 10768 & Avg – 39.15
o is primarily known for his Test match batting, is on the list of top cricketers in ODIs as well. He was playing ODIs for 16 years since 1996 and scored 10768 runs at an average of 39.15. Like Ganguly, Dravid also faced more than 15,000 deliveries and scored at a strike rate of 71.18, the lowest on this list. His strike rate was a matter of criticism throughout his career, but he served India well coming in at number 3. Dravid scored 12 hundreds and 71 fifties in his career. Dravid’s highest score in ODIs was 153 against New Zealand.
MS Dhoni – Runs – MS Dhoni – Runs – 10599 & Avg – 50.23
players in the modern era for India is MD Dhoni. He scored 10599 runs in the 15-year-long career at an average of 50.23 – one of the only two batsmen on this list to average more than 50. He led India to the ODI World Cup victory at home in 2011. He was the Man of the Match in the final for his knock of 91 not out. He converted ODI chases into artistic performances and loved taking the game deep. His highest score of 183 came in a chase against Sri Lanka. He scored 9 centuries and 73 half-centuries along with 83 not outs. MS Dhoni has been one of the most successful ODI captains for India.
R Dravid – Runs – 10768 & Avg – 39.15
o is primarily known for his Test match batting, is on the list of top cricketers in ODIs as well. He was playing ODIs for 16 years since 1996 and scored 10768 runs at an average of 39.15. Like Ganguly, Dravid also faced more than 15,000 deliveries and scored at a strike rate of 71.18, the lowest on this list. His strike rate was a matter of criticism throughout his career, but he served India well coming in at number 3. Dravid scored 12 hundreds and 71 fifties in his career. Dravid’s highest score in ODIs was 153 against New Zealand.MS Dhoni – Runs – MS Dhoni – Runs – 10599 & Avg – 50.23
players in the modern era for India is MD Dhoni. He scored 10599 runs in the 15-year-long career at an average of 50.23 – one of the only two batsmen on this list to average more than 50. He led India to the ODI World Cup victory at home in 2011. He was the Man of the Match in the final for his knock of 91 not out. He converted ODI chases into artistic performances and loved taking the game deep. His highest score of 183 came in a chase against Sri Lanka. He scored 9 centuries and 73 half-centuries along with 83 not outs. MS Dhoni has been one of the most successful ODI captains for India.
M Azharuddin – Runs RM Azharuddin – Runs – 9378 & Avg – 36.92
e most elegant batsmen in the late nineties and India’s former captain, has been one of the country’s top ODI batsmen. He played for 15 years from 1985 to 2000. He scored 9378 runs in 308 ODI innings at an average of 36.92. He made 7 centuries and 58 half-centuries in ODIs along with 54 not outs, second-highest on this list. He played more than 12,000 deliveries and scored at a strike rate of 74.02. His highest score of 153 not out came against Zimbabwe in 1998. Azharuddin captained India in the 1996 World Cup.
RG Sharma – Runs – 911RG Sharma – Runs – 9115 & Avg – 49.27
double centuries in ODIs, has been a phenomenal ODI player for India in the recent past. So far, he has scored 9115 runs at an average of just under 50 in 217 ODI innings. He has 29 centuries – 3 of them double centuries – and 43 half-centuries in ODIs so far. He scored 5 centuries in the last ODI World Cup in 2019 held in England. He has played more than 10,000 deliveries in ODIs and managed a strike rate of close to 90. He has immense six-hitting abilities. His highest score of 264 came against Sri Lanka in a match in which the whole Sri Lankan team could not score that many runs.
Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609 & Avg – 36.47
igy and the under-19 superstar, played for India for 17 years from 2000 to 2017. He scored 8609 runs at an average of 36.47 in 275 innings. In the process, Yuvraj Singh hit 14 hundreds and 52 fifties. He played close to 10,000 deliveries and managed a strike rate of 87.43. His top score of 150 came towards the end of his career, in 2017, against England. He was one of India’s most gifted left-handed batsmen.
V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 &V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 & Avg – 35.37
layed for India for 14 years from 1999 to 2013. He scored 7995 runs in 235 ODI innings at an average of 35.37. He is the only one among the players on this list with a strike rate of more than 100, 104.44 to be exact. Throughout his career, he made 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries. Sehwag became the third Indian with a double century in ODIs – 219 against West Indies. He was one of the most destructive openers India has ever had in ODIs.
S Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & AS Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & Avg – 45.02
ft-hander who opens the innings for India in ODIs. In his career so far, Shikhar Dhawan has scored 5808 runs at a healthy average of 45.02 in 136 ODI innings. He has 17 centuries and 30 half-centuries in ODIs at a superb strike rate of 93.88, second only to Sehwag on this list. His highest score of 143 came against Australia in 2019. He was the main architect of the Champions Trophy win for India in 2013 in England and was named the Man of the Series.
RG Sharma – Runs – 9115 & Avg – 49.27
double centuries in ODIs, has been a phenomenal ODI player for India in the recent past. So far, he has scored 9115 runs at an average of just under 50 in 217 ODI innings. He has 29 centuries – 3 of them double centuries – and 43 half-centuries in ODIs so far. He scored 5 centuries in the last ODI World Cup in 2019 held in England. He has played more than 10,000 deliveries in ODIs and managed a strike rate of close to 90. He has immense six-hitting abilities. His highest score of 264 came against Sri Lanka in a match in which the whole Sri Lankan team could not score that many runs.Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609Yuvraj Singh – Runs – 8609 & Avg – 36.47
igy and the under-19 superstar, played for India for 17 years from 2000 to 2017. He scored 8609 runs at an average of 36.47 in 275 innings. In the process, Yuvraj Singh hit 14 hundreds and 52 fifties. He played close to 10,000 deliveries and managed a strike rate of 87.43. His top score of 150 came towards the end of his career, in 2017, against England. He was one of India’s most gifted left-handed batsmen.
V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 &V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 & Avg – 35.37
layed for India for 14 years from 1999 to 2013. He scored 7995 runs in 235 ODI innings at an average of 35.37. He is the only one among the players on this list with a strike rate of more than 100, 104.44 to be exact. Throughout his career, he made 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries. Sehwag became the third Indian with a double century in ODIs – 219 against West Indies. He was one of the most destructive openers India has ever had in ODIs.
S Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & AS Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & Avg – 45.02
ft-hander who opens the innings for India in ODIs. In his career so far, Shikhar Dhawan has scored 5808 runs at a healthy average of 45.02 in 136 ODI innings. He has 17 centuries and 30 half-centuries in ODIs at a superb strike rate of 93.88, second only to Sehwag on this list. His highest score of 143 came against Australia in 2019. He was the main architect of the Champions Trophy win for India in 2013 in England and was named the Man of the Series.
V Sehwag – Runs – 7995 & Avg – 35.37
layed for India for 14 years from 1999 to 2013. He scored 7995 runs in 235 ODI innings at an average of 35.37. He is the only one among the players on this list with a strike rate of more than 100, 104.44 to be exact. Throughout his career, he made 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries. Sehwag became the third Indian with a double century in ODIs – 219 against West Indies. He was one of the most destructive openers India has ever had in ODIs.S Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & AS Dhawan – Runs – 5808 & Avg – 45.02
ft-hander who opens the innings for India in ODIs. In his career so far, Shikhar Dhawan has scored 5808 runs at a healthy average of 45.02 in 136 ODI innings. He has 17 centuries and 30 half-centuries in ODIs at a superb strike rate of 93.88, second only to Sehwag on this list. His highest score of 143 came against Australia in 2019. He was the main architect of the Champions Trophy win for India in 2013 in England and was named the Man of the Series.
Generally, Mumbai does not experience rains in either November or December. Quite unsurprisingly, the practice sessions of the India and New Zealand squads were washed out by unseasonal rains witnessed on 1 December, with two days to go before the 2nd test at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. With more rain expected on 2 December, the two […]
Coaches Andy Flower and Trevor Bayliss have quit their positions at their respective franchises, Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The duo, both of whom have coached England in the past, have been offered positions by the newly-formed Lucknow franchise ahead of IPL 2022. Wadia Confirms Flower Departure Ness Wadia, co-owner of Punjab Kings, revealed to […]
Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener has chosen against the renewal of his contract as Afghanistan head coach. Klusener’s tenure ends on the last day of the year after over 2 years in charge, after having taken the job following the exit of former West Indies international Phil Simmons following the 2019 ODI World Cup. […]
The Oman and UAE squads have quit the CWC League 2 trilateral ODI cricket series in Windhoek, Namibia, midway in the wake of an outbreak of Omicron in Southern Africa. At cric-life.com, we have learned that hosts Namibia were forced to call off the rest of the competition after travel restrictions were imposed by many […]
Irish youngster Ben White will be on course to have his ODI debut soon, with the leg spinner being part of the squad for his team’s USA and West Indies tours. The tour is scheduled to start in late December during the holidays, with the matches being held in Florida to keep bad weather out […]
The Dutch tour of South Africa is at risk of being abandoned midway following the imposition of stricter travel restrictions after a new Coronavirus variant has reportedly emerged in South Africa. UK Has Suspended Flights from South Africa Flights to the UK from South Africa — as well as from many other neighbouring countries — […]