5 batsmen with the highest percentage of 'bowled' dismissals in ODIs

Cricket is a battle between bat and ball that has come a long way since the first recognised international match in 1877 between England and Australia.

The first ever ODI was also played between the very same two teams in 1971 with 40-overs a side and each over consisting of eight deliveries. It later gave way to 60-overs a side and eventually the 50-over format with six deliveries in an over, which we have presently.

Several great batsmen like Sir Donald Bradman were destined to play just Test cricket and one can only assume how some of the legends would have fared in the ODI format. Nonetheless, the format has seen many players having a long and successful career with their international teams.

Unlike Test cricket, where the entire batting line-up is almost certain to spend time in the middle at least once during a match, in the 50-over format, chances come few and far for the lower-order batsmen and even when they do, they have very little time to adjust to the conditions and get going.

Batsmen at the top of order thus have the advantage of spending maximum time in the middle and a look at the leading run-scorers in the format proves the point. But that also means that they have more chances of being dismissed as carrying the bat through an ODI inning is quite tough.

While getting caught is the most common form of dismissal in any form of cricket, being bowled is the second-most common form of dismissal and something which gives the bowler a moral victory like no other. Played on is one thing but getting the stumps uprooted really ups the confidence of the bowlers.

So, let's have a look at the 5 top-order batsmen with an average of above 40 with the highest percentage of their dismissals as 'bowled'

#5 MS Dhoni (India) - 18.55%

The man who captained India to success in the 2007 World T20, 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy, MS Dhoni is one of the greatest finishers in the limited-overs format.

Most of his innings have come at the Number 6 spot for India while he has also batted higher up the order depending on the team's needs. He is just 33 runs of the 10000-run in ODI cricket and will no doubt go down in history as one of India's greatest skippers and players in the shorter versions of the game.

For someone who bats lower down the order, Dhoni has an outstanding average of above 50 in ODIs, something which is also helped by the fact that he remained unbeaten on 78 occasions out of the 272 times he has come out to bat in the 50-over format.

Out of his 194 dismissals, 36 or 18.55% of them have been 'bowled' with West Indies' Jerome Taylor dismissing him thrice in this fashion.

#4 Gary Kirsten (South Africa) - 22.89%

Kirsten played 185 ODIs for South Africa

Former South African opener Gary Kirsten was a consistent figure for the Proteas during the period from 1993 to 2003, featuring in 185 ODIs.

The 2011 World Cup winning coach of the Indian cricket team, Kisten scored 6798 runs for the Proteas at an average of just under 41. All but one of his 13 ODI centuries have come in a winning cause for South Africa in ODIs proving how instrumental he was to the side's success.

Out of his 166 dismissals in the 50-over format, 35 or 22.89% have been bowled.

As many as seven different bowlers have got rid of Kirsten bowled twice in their career, including India's Javagal Srinath.

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Extra Cover: A tribute to Gary Kirsten

#3 Sir Viv Richards (West Indies) - 24.47%

Richards was the player in history to receive 20 Man-of-the-Match awards in ODIs

One of the most destructive players the game has ever seen, West Indian legend Sir Viv Richards was a man well ahead of the times, playing an entertaining brand of cricket that made him a favourite among the fans worldwide.

His ability to win matches singlehandedly was second to none as the fact that he was the first cricketer in ODI history to achieve 20 Man of the Match awards proves.

He scored 6721 runs from 187 ODIs at an average of 47 with 11 centuries and 45 half-centuries to his name.

35 of Richards' 143 ODIs dismissals were bowled with as many as five different bowlers getting the West Indian dismissed in this manner twice during their ODI career.

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Extra Cover: SK Elite: When Viv Richards played the greatest ODI innings of all-time

#2 Desmond Haynes (West Indies) - 25.83%

Haynes' is one of West Indies' most successful opening batsmen in history

The great West Indian opener of yesteryears, Desmond Haynes, marked his arrival on the ODI stage with a majestic knock of 148 on debut against Australia at St John's 1978.

He had a highly successful career, forming a highly formidable opening stand with Gordon Greenidge.

Haynes scored 8648 runs from 238 matches at an average of more than 41 with 17 centuries to his name.

He was dismissed 209 times in the 50-over format with 54 of them being bowled - a percentage of 25.83.

Extra Cover: Desmond Haynes: A giant of the game

#1 Damien Martyn (Australia) - 26.7%

Martyn was known for his elegance and classical approach to batting

One of Australia's most underrated batsman in their ODI history, Damien Martyn was an excellent player known for his sound technique who proved his worth often at times when the team needed it the most.

In an ODI career spanning 14 years, Martyn played 208 matches, scoring 5346 runs at an average of 40.80, winning ten Man-of-the-Match awards in the process.

Out of Martyn's 131 ODI dismissals, 35 have been bowled - a record high 26.7% for batsmen averaging more than 40 in the 50-over format.

England's Alan Mulally and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan have dismissed the Australian thrice while seven other bowlers have dismissed him twice in this fashion during their career.