ICC Champions Trophy: David Warner becomes the fastest Australian to 4000 ODI runs

What’s the story?

Australia opening batsman David Warner has become the joint-third fastest to 4000 ODI runs, in terms of innings played, equalling India captain Virat Kohli’s record, who had also taken 93 innings to achieve this feat.

Warner reached the milestone during Australia’s second game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against Bangladesh, a match that was abandoned due to rain. Going into the game the Australian vice-captain needed 36 more runs to reach the 4000-run mark, and the left-hander finished unbeaten on 40 when rain played spoilsport.

In the process, he also became the fastest Australian to the landmark, bettering the previous record held by Dean Jones who had achieved the milestone in 103 innings.

In case you didn’t know...

Australia had to suffer their second straight washout in the Champions Trophy after their game against Bangladesh was abandoned post the 16^th over of the Australia innings. The two-time Champions Trophy winners were well-placed at 83/1, chasing 183.

Previously, their tournament opener against New Zealand could also fetch no result but in that game the Aussies were in a spot of bother, finding themselves three down for 53 in 9 overs when a rain-forced abortion meant that the trans-Tasman rivals shared a point each.

Details

The record for the fastest-ever cricketer to 4000 ODI runs is currently held by South Africa’s Hashim Amla, who broke the 4000-run barrier in 81 innings on December 8, 2013, against India.

Amla had then broken a 27-year-old world record, which was held by the great Vivian Richards of the West Indies, who had racked up the runs in 88 innings back in 1985. While Kohli achieved the milestone in 2013 against England in Ranchi, Gordon Greenidge, who took 96 innings to the said run-mark, rounds off the top 5 on this list.

Player (Team)	Innings taken to 4000 runs
Hashim Amla (South Africa)	81
Vivian Richards (West Indies)	88
Virat Kohli (India)	93
David Warner (Australia)	93
Gordon Greenidge (West Indies)	96

Author’s take

For all his exploits in Test cricket, wherein the Australian has garnered 5454 runs at 47.42, Warner’s ODI exploits come as a surprise. For a batsman having as explosive a repertoire as that of Warner, one would normally expect him to score more in the limited-overs format.

However, just like his insertion into international cricket – with no first-class experience whatsoever – his performances have been surprising as well. The 30-year-old is one of the lynchpins of the Australian line-up playing the Champions Trophy and his contribution would be vital if Australia are to beat England and make a case for the semi-final.