10 players who have scored 10000 or more runs in ODI Cricket

West Ind V Zim X
Brian Lara played a game trademarked by finesse and grace

Consistency is the key to success and in batting, greatness is measured by the ability to pile up runs consistently and efficiently.

The number 10,000 holds special value for a batsman as crossing the mark is a sign of success in ODI cricket. However, reaching this mark is a daunting task and very few are able to achieve this feat.

Scoring 10,000 runs require commitment, quality, and complete dedication and hence the ones who have achieved this feat are hailed as legends.

Relive the glory of ten such batsmen who ended their career after scoring more than ten thousand runs.


#10. Brian Lara - 10405 runs

When on song, Brian Lara was the most pleasing sight on a cricket field. A flamboyant trigger movement, massive back-lift, quick foot-work and incredible timing made Lara a pure genius while his sharp mind gave him the stature of a legend.

A batsman with massive hunger, Lara was known for playing big knocks and was effective against pace as well as spin. In his career, he seldom received support from the other end, but Lara kept on amassing big scores.

His finest moment came when he routed Sri Lanka with his 169 in 1995 and he was also impressive at Adelaide against Pakistan in 2005 when he slammed 156 runs.

#9. Rahul Dravid - 10889 runs

India V Sri Lanka x
Dravid was consistent in ODIs

Throughout his career, Rahul Dravid was overshadowed by Tendulkar's flamboyance but the lack of appreciation never affected him. Stamped as an 'only Test' batsman in his early days, Dravid worked hard on his limited overs game and emerged as one of the most prolific run scorers in this format.

He ended with more than ten thousand runs and has scored an ODI fifty off only 22 balls.

Dravid is part of two 300 run partnerships in ODIs and has several other records to his name. His tally of 83 half-centuries is the second highest by an Indian.

#8. Sourav Ganguly - 11363 runs

England v India - 5th NatWest ODI
The god of off-side, Saurav Ganguly

Such was Sourav Ganguly's off-side stroke play that Rahul Dravid once said, "On the offside, first there is God, then there is Ganguly”. The left-hander was blessed with incredible timing that allowed him to pierce the off-side region nonchalantly.

Plus, he was severe against the left-arm spinners and deposited them in the midwicket stand after racing down the wicket.

He was at his best during the late 90s and early 2000s when he formed a highly successful opening partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. His form dipped in the later stages of his career and although he staged a successful comeback he couldn't bring back his old charm.

#7. Jacques Kallis - 11579 runs

South Africa v Australia - 3rd One Day International

The epitome of patience, discipline, and toughness, Jacques Kallis's huge persona overcame anything that was bowled at him. His solid technique meant there was very little for bowlers to exploit and he had impeccable focus so nothing could distract him.

While driving the ball on the off-side, Kallis displayed his power and grace and he was at his brutal best while pulling and flicking deliveries through the leg-side. He also mastered spin bowling and was a consistent run-maker in the sub-continent conditions.

His strong batting in the middle order allowed South Africa to become a competitive unit in ODI cricket.

#6. Inzamam-ul-Haq - 11739 runs

GBR: ICC Champions Trophy: Pakistan v India
Inzamam-ul-Haq was powerful and ferocious

Inzamam-ul-Haq wasn't the fittest cricketer in the world and had issues while running between the wicket. But he ended up being the best Pakistani batsman after Miandad and scored the most runs for the nation in ODIs.

What he had in abundance was power, and a fearless approach that made him play pace bowling with ease. Imran Khan first recognized his talent and exploited his batting abilities to perfection in the 1992 World Cup.

Inzamam never looked back after playing an instrumental inning in the semi-finals of the 1992 world cup and dominated bowlers for a decade with his dabs, cuts, flicks, and pulls.

#5. Mahela Jayawardene- 12650 runs

South Africa v Sri Lanka: Quarter Final - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup
Jayawardene: Wristy and classy

Mahela Jayawardene scored his runs in a classy manner. He was more of an artist than a batsman and his wrists had an aura of magic that enabled him to wrap his runs with grace and elegance.

He was blessed with a calm mind that enabled him to handle crisis situation effectively and at the same time, he could change gears swiftly. These abilities made him a trusted and highly successful middle-order batsman.

He scored a valiant hundred in the finals of the 2011 World Cup, but unfortunately ended up losing the game. In the same tournament, in 2007 he had amassed a hundred in the semifinals which signified his ability to stand up when it mattered the most.

#4. Sanath Jayasuriya- 13430 runs

Carlton United Australia v Sri Lanka  Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya: Fast and ferocious runs

Sanath Jayasuriya's sensational and fearless brand of aggressive batting in the 1996 World Cup stirred the cricket world, but what set him apart from the rest was his ability to score big knocks without reducing the intensity of his aggression.

He exploited the powerplay overs in cricket with his aggressive batting and was brave enough to play aerial strokes from the beginning of his innings.

With his trademark bottom-hand stroke play he revolutionised ODI cricket and emerged as a match winner for all conditions. His average of 32.36 is the least among all batsmen in the top 20 but with Jayasuriya, the numbers didn't matter. His batting was all about entertainment and joy.

#3. Ricky Ponting-13704 runs

South Africa v Australia - 5th ODI
Ponting was all about aggression and passion

Aggressive, dominating and brutal, Ricky Ponting is Australia's best batsman after Don Bradman. The right hander's batting capabilities can be understood by the fact that he broke into the dominating Australian team at the age of 21 when there were plenty of batting stars waiting their turn.

Courtesy his consistent performances, he was appointed as the captain of Australia and he ended up leading one of ODI cricket's most dominating teams of all eras, with he being the leader of their batting attack.

His hundred in the finals of the 2003 world cup which sank India is one of the finest ODI performances ever and he also has 30 ODI hundreds, the second most by any batsman.

#2. Kumar Sangakkara-14234 runs

England v Sri Lanka - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup
Sangakkara was phenomenal during his final phase

One of the most stylish and elegant left-hand batsmen of all times, Kumar Sangakkara was Sri Lanka's batting pillar for more than one decade.

His drives were supreme while his leg-side play was effective as well. Having grown up in Sri Lanka helped him in playing spin with ease, but he was impressive against the pacers as well. The fact that he averages more than 40 in all Test playing nations except South Africa (31.40) and West Indies (33.52) signifies his batting prowess.

Although he was consistent throughout his career, his batting reached its peak after 2010 and from 2011 to 2014, he scored more than thousand runs every year. During the 2015 world cup, he slammed four hundreds in as many innings and made a world record. Also, 14 of his 25 hundreds came during his last four years.

#1. Sachin Tendulkar-18426 runs

India v South Africa - 2nd ODI
Sachin was sensational. serene and swashbuckling at times

One-day cricket's biggest superstar, Sachin Tendulkar is the most prolific run-getter in this format. A technically sound batsman, Tendulkar was gifted with impeccable timing and sharp mind. Add to it his unparalleled hard-work and dedication for the art and there is no surprise that he ruled cricket for two decades.

The Indian batsman had mastery over all strokes and in the later stages, he added some innovative strokes as well. His twin masterpieces at Sharjah against the best bowling attack in the world in 1998 added to his legendary stature and he was also the first man to score a double-hundred in ODIs.

He has several records to his name including most hundreds, most fours, and most man-of-the-match awards.

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Edited by Anuradha Santhanam