3 batsmen who started their ODI career in the middle order but were more successful at the top of the order

Jonathan Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow

He has been a revelation for England at the top of the order over the past year. Bairstow was England's backup batsman but a slump in form for Jason Roy during the Champions Trophy forced England to rope in Bairstow. The move worked as he scored 43 against Pakistan in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy. He was a middle order batsman but England made him open and it has worked wonders as he has been a game changer for them with 5 centuries, over the last year or so.

He has scored 1584 runs in 40 innings at an average of 49.5 and a strike rate of 100.12. He has been phenomenal at the top of the order having scored 993 runs in 19 innings at a breathtaking average of 62.06 and a strike rate of 107. Compared to that he has scored 591 runs in 21 innings at a strike rate of 90.22 and had an average of 62.06 while batting in the middle order.

There is a difference of 25.13 between both the averages and 16.78 in the strike rates.