The Top Batsmen with Most Runs Scored In ODI Format

Batsmanship is an art. To master the art of batsmanship, a batsman must improve his concentration, timing, temperament, and judgment, and doing so is not an easy job at all. Only the best batsmen of all time have been able to achieve the right balance of the four elements. ODI (One Day International) cricket is, without a doubt, the most popular format of the sport, and a number of the most outstanding cricketers have been playing for over a decade to bring this format to a new level of greatness. As a result of the tough competition, many batsmen have scored over thousands of runs, and a few have even scored over ten thousand runs.

The list below shows the top batsmen with the highest number of runs in the ODI format. It is not surprising to see that Indian and Sri Lankan cricketers lead this list. It tells a lot about the popularity of the sport in the region. On the other hand, seeing only one player from the team with 5 World Cups to its name might shock some of you. Without further ado, let us have a look at ten of the best batsmen of all time.

10. Rahul Dravid (India)

Our list begins with a brilliant right-handed Indian batsman, Rahul Dravid. Scoring 10,889 runs in his 15 years long ODI career from 1996 to 2011, the former captain of the Indian cricket team has the tenth highest score in the ODI format. Apart from this, R. Dravid is the sixth batsman in the entire world to score more than 10,000 runs in ODI cricket.

9. Saurav Ganguly (India)

Regarded as one of the most successful modern Indian captains and one of the best batsmen of all time, Saurav Ganguly has gathered 11,363 runs in his 15 years long ODI career from 1992 to 2007. The unique left-handed batsman has achieved this major goal in only 300 innings. Playing with such consistency made Ganguly the 3rd batsman in history to cross the 10,000 run milestone in ODI.

8. Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

When one is talking about the finest south African cricketers, Jacques Kallis always comes to mind. Kallis scored 11,579 runs in his long career of 18 years. However, the all-rounder’s achievements do not stop there. With 273 wickets, Kallis is on the eighteenth spot in the list of leading wicket-takers in ODI cricket.

7. Inzamam-Ul-Haq (Pakistan)

The only batsman from Pakistan to secure a spot in this list is the former Pakistan captain, Inzamam-Ul-Haq. Making a huge total of 11,739 runs from 1991 to 2007, Inzamam is the seventh-highest scorer in the ODI format. Not only that, but he was also the second batsman to join the 10,000-run club in the same format.

6. Virat Kohli (India)

One of the finest batsmen India has ever produced, Virat Kohli has gathered 11,867 runs in the ODI format from 2008 to 2020. It is noteworthy that Kohli has achieved this feat in 239 innings. In addition to that, Kohli is the fastest batsman ever to score 10,000 ODI runs—in only 205 innings. Virat Kohli is expected to be on top of this list as he is the only player here who has not retired from ODI cricket and will not retire any time soon.

5. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)

In 17 years, Mahela Jayawardene has scored 12,650 runs. Having Jayawardene in the cricket team has always benefitted Sri Lanka. Apart from being a terrific right-handed batsman, Jayawardene has performed exceptionally as a fielder as well. His record for the most ODI catches (218 catches in 448 matches) is still unbeaten.

4. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)

Considered by many as one of the greatest batsmen of his time, Jayasuriya is known for his hard-hitting and match-winning performances in ODI cricket. With 13,430 ODI runs, 323 ODI wickets and 123 catches, the Sri Lankan all-rounder are regarded as one of the best all-rounders in the history of limited-overs cricket.

3. Ricky Ponting (Australia)

Due to his excellent performances in the field of batting, Ricky Ponting is often regarded as one of the best batsmen ever by many people. His collection of 13,704 ODI runs proves that. Apart from being an outstanding batsman, Ponting is also a top-class captain and fielder. Ponting captained the Australian cricket team in the 2003 and 2007 World Cup editions, both of which were won by Australia. Also, as an ODI captain, he has a large win percentage of 76.14%. Being a fearless cricketer, Ponting usually fielded in the slips, cover and silly point. At one time, he was rated as one of the best fielders in the world.

2. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

Kumar Sangakkara is one of the most reliable batsmen to come out of the Sri Lankan cricket team. In ODI cricket, he has accompanied Sri Lankan batsmen in 380 innings and made 14,234 runs in the span of 15 years (from 2000 to 2015). Not only was he an amazing batsman, but he also was an exceptional wicket keeper and captain. To date, his world record for 482 ODI dismissals is untouched. As the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team, Sangakkara has played 45 matches and has a winning percentage of 65.85%.

1. Sachin Tendulkar (India)

It is not a surprise that the number one batsman in this list is from the Indian cricket team. Sachin Tendulkar, the Master Blaster, is undoubtedly one of the best batsmen ever with several world records, many of which are yet to be beaten. In the ODI format, Sachin Tendulkar has made 18,426 runs in total, and no other batsman has been able to come close to this total. The former Indian captain was the first batsman in the world to touch the 10,000-run mark in ODI cricket. In all formats of international cricket, he has collectively made over 30,000 runs—the only player to do so. He has the highest number of centuries in ODI and Test cricket, individually and collectively as well.