Indian cricketers to open in 100 or more ODIs

In the decades of ODI cricket, India has produced a lot of cricketers. Among them, 74 cricketers have opened the innings for India in at least one innings.

However, there have only been six cricketers who have opened the innings for India 100 or more instances.

Today, let us know about the only six cricketers who have opened in ODIs for India in 100 or more innings:

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#6 Rohit Sharma (100 matches)

In his 100 matches, Sharma has amassed 4804 runs, at an excellent average of 53.97 and a strike rate of 91.34

The 31-year-old Rohit Sharma is the newest entry to the club of cricketers who have opened the innings for India in 100 or more instances. He completed his 100 ODI innings as an opener in the Asia Cup, versus Hong Kong.

In his 100 matches, Sharma has amassed 4804 runs, at an excellent average of 53.97 and a strike rate of 91.34. During these matches, he has scored 16 centuries and 22 half-centuries among which 13 centuries and 21 half-centuries have come in won matches. Moreover, he has also remained not out in 10 out of his 100 matches, once in every ten matches.

Rohit Sharma is also the only ODI cricketer to score three double centuries in ODIs, which would be difficult for any cricketer to break in the future. In terms of runs scored as an opener, he is just behind Sachin, Ganguly, and Sehwag.

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#5 Shikhar Dhawan (106 matches)

Shikhar Dhawan has played 106 ODI matches as an opener for India

Rohit's opening partner, Shikhar Dhawan has played 106 ODI matches as an opener for India. In these matches, he has scored 4608 runs at a fine average of 46.54 and a strike rate of 94.17. 11 out of his 14 centuries and 19 out of his 25 half-centuries have played a vital role in India's victories.

Dhawan often called as 'Gabbar' has remained not out in six out of his 106 ODIs and comes fifth in the list of most runs as an opener for India.

Although Dhawan hasn't performed to his potential in the longest format of the game, he has been a valuable asset for India in ODI matches. The pair of Rohit and Dhawan has directed India to several memorable wins in ODIs.

#4 Kris Srikkanth (146 matches)

He scored just four centuries and 27 half-centuries in his ODI career that also consisted of 11 ducks

Kris Srikkanth comes at No.4 in the list of Indian openers opening for India in most matches. Batting in 146 matches as an opener, he scored 4091 ODI runs at an average of just 29.01 and a strike rate of 71.74.

It would be fair enough to call him as the least successful India opener, among those who have played more than 80 ODIs as an opener for India. He scored just four centuries and 27 half-centuries in his ODI career that also consisted of 11 ducks.

Although Srikkanth could dominate even the most fearsome bowlers at his best, his tendency to get out on ordinary deliveries made him look highly inconsistent.

#3 Virender Sehwag (204 matches)

Considered as a highly dominant international cricket, he also scored 14 hundreds and 35 fifties

Virender Sehwag, widely regarded as one of the most attacking ODI batsmen in history, has scored 7240 ODI runs at an average of 36.93 and a fabulous strike rate of 104.85 as an opener.

Considered as a highly dominant international cricket, he also scored 14 hundreds and 35 fifties, out of which 13 centuries and 25 half centuries came in won matches while opening the batting for India

Sehwag is also one of the three Indian cricketers to score a double century in ODI cricket and features third in the list of most ODI runs scored by an opener for India.

Sehwag also won 20 MoM awards in ODIs batting as an opener for India, 23 in total. He also managed to win one Man of the Series award in One Day Internationals.

#2 Sourav Ganguly (242 matches)

Ganguly scored 19 centuries and 58 half-centuries as an opener

One of India's finest leader, Sourav Ganguly has scored 9146 ODI runs as an opener, at a fine average of 41.57 and a strike rate of 73.59.

Considered as one of the best left-handed ODI cricketers till date, Ganguly scored 19 centuries and 58 half-centuries as an opener, 15 centuries and 33 half-centuries resulting in victories.

In his ODI career, Sourav Ganguly was honored with 31 Man of the Match awards and 7 Man of the Series awards, 28 Man Of The Match and 6 Man Of The Series awards while opening the innings for India with the bat.

Ganguly is the second-highest run scorer among all the Indian openers in ODIs till date, only behind the legendary Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar (344 matches)

Tendulkar has no competition in the list, as he surpasses all the other openers in terms of the number of matches, runs scored, centuries and half-centuries

Arguably the greatest international cricketer of all time, Sachin Tendulkar as expected leads the list with 15310 ODI runs as an opener in his 344 ODI matches opening the batting for India, averaging 48.29 and striking at the rate of 88.05.

Tendulkar has no competition in the list, as he surpasses all the other openers in terms of the number of matches, runs scored, centuries and half-centuries. Sachin Tendulkar has scored 45 centuries and 75 half-centuries in ODI cricket as an opener, 30 centuries and 48 half-centuries resulting in victories.

Moreover, he has also been awarded 62 Man of the Match awards and 15 Man of the Series awards; 52 MoM and 13 MoS awards coming while opening the innings for India.