ODI Cricket is one of the most fun formats of the game. In this format, the match played is 50 overs. One Day Cricket has seen several batsmen scoring tons of runs, especially opening batsmen who give crucial starts to their teams. Being an opening batsman is not an easy task, as they have to face the new ball and stay on the crease to score fast runs. In this article, we will have a look at the top 5 players who scored the most runs in ODI as an opening batsman.
5) Sourav Ganguly
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly scored 9,146 runs as an ODI opener in 236 innings. He had brilliant skills to find boundaries in the starting overs and give his team a great start. Ganguly’s cover drives were one of the most fascinating things to witness. Ganguly along with Sachin Tendulkar formed one of the best and most successful opening duos in the history of ODI. The pair opened the batting for the Indian team from 1992 to 2007. Over the course of 176 innings together, the two scored an amazing 8,227 runs, which is the highest by any opening pair in ODIs till now. Their iconic stands include 26-century partnerships.
4) Adam Gilchrist
The former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman is considered one of the most dynamic batters in ODI history. Initially Gilchrist didn’t start out as an opening batsman. He made his ODI debut in 1996, but it was 1998 when Gilchrist began playing as an opening batsman. Gilchritst was a consistent batsman who finished his ODI career with 9,619 runs in 287 matches, which included 16 hundreds and 55 fifties. He is the fourth highest run scorer as an ODI opener with 9,200 runs.
3) Chris Gayle
“The Universe Boss” Chris Gayle is regarded as one of the most explosive opening batsmen in ODI history. Once he used to start hitting boundaries, it turned into a nightmare for bowlers. He used to go for big hits right from the start, giving the opposition huge pressure. Gayle’s dominating ability to hit long sixes was extraordinary. During his ODI career, Gayle scored 10,179 runs in 274 innings as an opener.
The Srilankan icon Sanath Jayasuriya was one of the most aggressive openers in ODI history. His aggressive approach at the top position redefined the role of an opening batsman in One Day International. Jayasuriya scored 12,740 runs as an opening batsman. Overall, he finished his memorable ODI career with 13,430 runs.
The cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar used to bat at No. 5 when he made his ODI debut in 1989. It was in 1994, when Tendulkar opened for India for the first time against New Zealand. In his first knock, Tendulkar scored a notable 82 in 49 balls, which included 15 boundaries and 2 sixes. As an opener, Sachin scored 15,310 runs in 340 innings at an average of 48.30. The Master Blaster is not only the highest run scorer among opening batsmen in ODIs but also the highest run scorer in the format’s history.