'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ODI batting has come a long way in the past 20 years. There used to be a time, not long ago when 264 was a tough score to chase down. Currently, it is Rohit Sharma's highest ODI score.
In the ongoing ODI series between Pakistan and England, both teams have scored in excess of 340 whenever they have batted. Flat pitches, small boundaries, there is a lot of stuff to be said here but at the heart of it is the fact that batsmanship has evolved, and bowlers have not adapted well enough.
ODI cricket has been around for about 50 years and for the major part of it, bowlers dominated the game. It is only in the last few years that batsmen have managed to break free, but if you are a good enough bowler you will thrive. The likes of Bumrah, Cummins, Rabada, Kuldeep, Rashid, etc have shown that.
Comparison is at the heart of all sporting debates, and this one is no different. Consistency in ODI cricket is one of the most difficult attributes. The fast-paced nature of the format means that batsmen have to go for their shots all the time, and you are bound to fail at some point in time. That is what separates the best from the lot.
Over the course of time, certain batsmen have shown that it is possible to bat at a certain tempo in Odi cricket without sacrificing the team's interests. Some of them have even posted numbers that would be astronomical, even in the longest form of the game. Let's check them out.
A shout out to Rohit Sharma and Joe Root who have been in fantastic form for the past couple of years, but narrowly miss out on this list.
Without further adieu, take a look at the top 10 greatest batting streaks in ODI cricket.
#10 Dean Jones (Australia): 1987-1991
Matches: 81, Runs: 3777, Average: 55.09, Highest: 145, 100/50: 7/29, Strike-Rate: 75.
Dean Jones rarely gets a mention when we talk about great ODI batsmen, but a quick look at his stats will tell you that he is right up there with the very best the game has ever seen. Jones perfected the risk free approach of modern day ODI batting long before anyone else.
A quick single and double, the odd boundary here and there and he was on his way to a big score. Jones played 164 ODIs in his career and scored 6058 runs at an average of 45. Those are fantastic numbers, but it his performance between 1986-1991 that gets him a spot on this list.
Between January 1987 and March 1991, Jones played 81 matches and scored 3777 runs at an average of 55. Those numbers are other worldly for that era, and serves as a stark reminder of how far ahead of everyone Jones was. He scored 7 hundreds and 18 half-centuries, and played a crucial role in Australia winning their first World Cup.
He scored 314 runs at an average of 45 in the tournament as Australia beat arch rivals England for the World Cup trophy. Jones was in great nick against both of Australia's major nemesis: England and New Zealand, 5 of his 7 centuries were scored against the two of them. Jones averaged 50+ in 8 of the 13 series he played, and was a cornerstone of Australia's batting.
Jones holds the record for the fifth highest batting rating of all time. He had 918 points after his 64 against West Indies at Trinidad in 1991. It is the highest rating achieved by a batsman in the last 30 years, not even Kohli and de Villiers have managed to surpass him.
#9 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India): 2011-2014
Matches: 72, Runs: 2363, Average: 62, Highest: 139*, Strike-Rate: 90, 100/50: 2/18.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni had a similar hot streak between 2007-2009. He was bludgeoning attacks left, right and center and was crowned the top ranked ODI batsman ahead of Ponting, Kallis, Hussey and the ilk. It was MS at his flamboyant best but it is Dhoni between 2011-2014 that gets the preference here,and it is not very close.
Post the 2011 World Cup, the old guard was struggling, the new generation was yet to establish itself and less said of the Indian bowling, the better. Among all this chaos was Dhoni, carrying a mediocre side to respectability with his batting, keeping and captaincy.
Between January 2011 and June 2014, Dhoni played 72 matches and scored 2363 runs at an average of 62. It included 2 hundreds and 18 half-centuries. Most of those runs were scored with his back against the wall, the greatest example being the 113* against Pakistan in Chennai, 2012.
He led them to a World Cup triumph in 2011, his 91* against Sri Lanka in the final is the stuff of folklore. In 2013, Dhoni ushered in a new era by leading a relatively new squad to a Champions Trophy title.
For all the wins he has achieved, my fondest Dhoni memory will be the grace with which he led the Indian side during the 2011 tour of England. His team was lambasted by all and sundry.
He withstood the barrage with a smile on his face, and on the field he bunted the English attack. Dhoni scored 234 runs at an average of 78 in that ODI series, and was the only Indian player standing among the ruins. It was emblematic of Dhoni the person as well as Dhoni the Indian captain.
#8 Ross Taylor (New Zealand): 2017- Present
Matches: 42, Runs: 2200, Average: 71, Highest: 181*, 100/50: 5/15, Strike-Rate: 87.
Ross Taylor has always been a very good ODI batsman. A New Zealand great, if so to say, but in the last couple of years, Taylor has taken his batting to a whole different level. Since the beginning of 2017, Taylor has scored 2200 runs in 42 matches at an average of 71, including 5 hundreds and 15 half-centuries.
His 181* against England will go down as one of the greatest knocks in the format's history. With McCullum retired, and Guptill and Williamson floundering, Taylor has single-handedly kept New Zealand afloat in the past few years. That he has done so batting at No.4 makes this streak all the more remarkable.
Taylor has always struggled always spin but he has conquered all those demons during this phase, he scored 155 runs at an average of 52 in India in 2016 and 166 runs at an average of 166 against Pakistan in UAE in 2018.
There is no stat padding here, Taylor's centuries have come against Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and England (2). The last time Taylor averaged less than 40 in an ODI series was way back in 2016. He is just behind Kohli during this phase and is currently the 3rd ranked ODI batsmen in the world.
The reason Taylor gets preference over some other batsmen here is because he bats outside the Top 3 and has carried a middling side to stability. Taylor is one of the greatest ODI batsman of all time, and if he can continue this streak through the World Cup, he is likely to jump a couple of places on this list as well.
#7 Sachin Tendulkar (India): 2000-2004
Matches: 64, Runs: 3214, Average: 61.5, Highest: 152, 100/50: 10/17, Strike-Rate: 85.
We are celebrating great batting feats here, and it would have been a shame if Sachin Tendulkar did not feature. Tendulkar is the greatest opening batsman in ODI history, and during the course of his 24 year career, he had multiple great batting runs. The one which makes the cut ultimately is his great run of form at the beginning of the 21st century.
Tendulkar had been going strong for over a decade and was easily the best batsman in the world, but he took his game to another level in this phase. Between December 2000 and January 2004, Tendulkar played 64 matches and scored 3214 runs at an average of 61. 20% of his ODI centuries were scored during this period. Interestingly enough, his 10 Odi hundreds came against 9 different opposition.
India enjoyed their most consistent run overseas in the early part of the 21st century and Tendulkar was a big reason why, His ability to take down any bowling attack was exemplary, the greatest example of it was the 98 he scored against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup. He ended the tournament with 673 runs to his name, no one has scored more in an ICC tournament.
Tendulkar was shuffled down the order to accomodate Virender Sehwag but he succeeded at that as well. In the 2002 Natwest Series, he scored 337 runs at an average of 56 despite batting out of position at No.4. Tendulkar's worst series also happened during the same time frame. He scored 2 runs in 3 matches against New Zealand in 2002. He was then moved to the top order for the 2003 World Cup and the rest as they say is history.
Tendulkar had a brief dip in form between 2004-2007 but he bounced back well, and it culminated in him winning the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup on home soil. The longevity and consistency that Tendulkar managed is quite remarkable but he was never more dangerous than at the turn of the century. His numbers are a reflection of that.
#6 Brian Lara (West Indies): 1995-1998
Matches: 56, Runs: 2639, Average: 57, Highest: 169, 100/50: 8/16, Strike-Rate: 89.
Brian Charles Lara. This list would have been incomplete if it did not feature the great man. Those who watched Lara in his prime still swore to the fact that he is the greatest that they ever seen wield a willow. It is the kind of effect that the southpaw had on people. His ability to take down the best attacks in the world was second to none.
Lara was not as consistent as some others on this list, but he more than made up for it with his scintillating knocks. In his 18 year ODI career, Lara averaged above 50 in only 4 of them and guess what, all of them in a row. His weakest year in this period was 1997, during which he averaged 51 and struck it at 81.
Between 1995 and 1998, Lara played 56 Odi matches. He scored 2639 runs at an average of 57 with his strike-rate being 89. It included 8 hundreds and 16 half-centuries. Lara's highest career score of 169 also came during the same time. In the 1996 World Cup, Lara scored 269 runs at an average of 54 but was unable to carry the team to the final. He averaged above 50 in 9 of the 11 series he played, and was captaining the time by the end of this run.
Lara never hit those heights again in his career but during this 4 year stretch he showed that at his best, there are not a lot of people who could compete against him. That he did so playing against the likes of Donald, Pollock, Akram, Saqlain, Murali, Warne, McGrath etc is proof of how good he was.
Interestingly enough, Lara's highest rating of 908 did not come during this period, Lara also holds the record for the most year end No. 1 rankings, a feat which he accomplished 5 times (1993-1997).
#5 Michael Bevan (Australia): 1995-1997
Matches: 78, Runs: 2636, Averge: 64.3, Highest: 108*, 100/50: 3/19, Strike-Rate: 76.
Michael Bevan is a name that often invokes polarizing reactions from people.There is often talk about how Bevan had a lower strike-rate than the modern day heroes and various other things. What people don't realize is that Bevan's job was to drag Australia from a hole and he was very efficient at it.
He hardly batted in the top 3, and yet averaged in the high 50s. It is not the not outs that inflate the numbers but his unnerving consistency in winning matches for his team. Before the rise of Ponting, Gilchrist and the like, Australia was overtly dependent on their bowling and Bevan who would carry them to a reasonable total or pull out an improbable chase.
Bevan hardly went through a lull in ODI cricket, but was at this absolute best between 1997-1999. He averaged above 50 for three straight years, and was easily the most important Odi batsmen in the world. Bevan played 78 matches during this period, and scored 2636 runs at an average of 64. It included 3 hundreds and 14 half-centuries. More importantly, he was dismissed for under a double digit score only 7 times.
Bevan was an underrated hero at the 1999 World Cup where he scored 286 runs at an average of 52. His 65 in the semi-finals against South Africa was a team saving performance if there ever was one.
His reputation of being a finisher was not earned within a day but this might be the one innings that sealed the deal. Bevan ushered a new era of Australian domination in ODI cricket. While he was not the forefront of it grabbing all the media attention, he was far and away the most vital cog of that team.
#4 Vivian Richards (West Indies): 1982-1986
Matches: 67, Runs: 2850, Average: 62, Highest: 189*, 100/50: 5/22, Strike-Rate: 97.
Vivian Richards holds the record for the highest rating point achieved by a batsmen in Odi cricket. For a lot of fans and experts alike, Viv will always be the greatest Odi batsman of all time and that is an entirely fair belief. His swagger, arrogance and presence on the crease is unlikely to be ever replicated.
Viv retired almost 30 years ago, his stats are still better than Kane Williamson. This is not a slight on Williamson but a mere acknowledgement of how good Richards was. Most batsmen reach their peak performance at the age of 30, and Viv was no different,
Between late 1982 and early 1986, Richards played 67 Odi matches and scored 2850 runs. His average was 62 and strike-rate 97. Those numbers are good enough to put modern batsmen to shame. Viv achieved them when an average of 35 and Strike-Rate of 75 was considered Godly.
During this period, he arguably played the greatest ODI knock of all time, the 189* against England at Old Trafford in 1984 stands the test of time.
He was in imperious form during the 1983 World Cup where he scored 367 runs at an average of 73. It was the last time West Indies reached a World Cup final and Viv was the one leading the charge for them. He was at the helm as ODI cricket was changed by Kerry Packer.
Richards scored 651 runs in the 1985 Benson and Hedges World Series Cup as West Indies continued their world domination. Captaincy bought a downturn in Richards' batting form as he continued despite poor form but what Richards achieved during those years is the parameter on which all future legends will be judged.
#3 AB de Villiers (South Africa): 2009-2013
Matches: 49, Runs: 2663, Average: 76.08, Highest: 134, 100/50: 11/13, Strike-Rate: 103.
In his first 91 ODI matches, AB de Villiers scored 2949 runs at an average of 39. Those are very good numbers but there is very little in them to suggest the carnage that de Villiers was about to unleash in the next few years. Between November 2009 and June 2013, de Villiers scored 2663 runs at an average of 76 at a strike-rate of 103.
He was the first batsman in ODI history to aggregate over 2000 runs at an average in excess of 70 at any point of time.
De Villiers scored 11 hundreds and 13 half-centuries during this period. On 4 separate occasions, he scored consecutive hundreds. 3 in a row against India and West Indies in 2010 (all away), 2 in a row against Zimbabwe in 2010, consecutive hundreds against West Indies and Netherlands in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, and 2 against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in 2012.
Looking back at it, it is an absolute travesty that South Africa played so few ODIs during this period.
It was the coming of age of de Villiers, and he marked it in a way only he is capable of. He was anointed South Africa's captain after Graeme Smith and would continue to plunder bowlers across the world. This streak marked de Villiers as one of the world's best, but he would not be satisfied this easily.
Soon after this streak ended, AB took his game to a different level establishing himself as one of the game's greatest, if not the greatest. He is the only one who makes this list twice, and you are about to see what all the hullabaloo is all about.
#2 AB de Villiers (South Africa): 2013-2016
Matches: 48, Runs: 2726, Average: 77.88, Highest: 162*, 100/50: 10/14, Strike-Rate: 122.
After the end of his first streak, de Villiers had a little bit of slump: 12 matches to be precise. But AB is not the kind of man you can keep quiet for a long time. Starting from the fifth ODI against Pakistan in Dubai in 2013, de Villiers went on an absolute tear, one that would see him redefine ODI batting.
Between November 2013 and March 2016, de Villiers played 48 matches and scored 2726 runs at an average of 78 at a ridiculous strike-rate of 122. It included 10 hundreds and 14 half-centuries. During this period, de Villiers averaged above 60 in 10 of the 12 series he played.
De Villiers was the captain of South Africa during this entirety, and sometimes wicket-keeper and part time bowler as well. He scored the fastest ODI fifty and hundred against West Indies in January 2015 and the fastest 150 against the same opposition in March 2015.
He led the team to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup where he scored 482 runs at an average of 96, but failed to carry them over the line. It was a moment which came to define the latter half of his career, leading to his premature retirement in 2018.
De Villiers' greatest achievement was leading his side to a Odi series victory in India, a win he orchestrated single-handedly. He scored 358 runs at an average of 90, the series saw him being cheered ahead of Indian players in India. The streak ended with him scoring a ton in his 200th Odi match against England, marking a series win for South Africa after being 2-0 down.
An average of 78, and a strike-rate of 122 over a period of two years are numbers that are unlikely to be replicated anytime soon, if ever. There are arguments for this streak to be at the very top. Wherever you place it: 1 or 2, there is no denying that it was one of the greatest displays of batting in all of cricketing history.
#1 Virat Kohli (India): 2016-Present
Matches: 61, Runs: 4012, Average: 85.3, Highest: 160*,100/50: 18/15, Strike-Rate: 99.
Virat Kohli is quite simply the greatest ODI batsmen of all time, speaking statistically. In that case, it is also fitting that he is the one who sits atop of this list. For the better part of this decade. it was a three way race between Kohli, Amla and De Villiers for being the best batsmen in the world. Kohli was up there with the very best, but never at the top. All of this changed dramatically from 2016 onward.
Virat has barged so far ahead of his contemporaries in the last 4 years that it is not even amusing anymore.
Since the beginning of 2016, Kohli has scored 4012 runs at an average of 85, including 18 hundreds and 15 half-centuries. To put this into perspective, only 15 men have scored more than 18 centuries in their ODI career. The word Bradmanesque is thrown around quite loosely but with the way Kohli is going, he might just manage to tweak the cricketing vocabulary.
He has been captain for most of this duration as well, and has led India to series wins in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka. India also reached the final of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy during this phase.
The pinnacle of Kohli's batting was the 2018 tour to South India. He scored 558 runs at an average of 186 as India won their first Odi series in the Rainbow Nation. Kohli also became the first Indian batsman to score 3 consecutive ODI hundreds, a feat which he achieved against West Indies in 2018.
Australia is the only team that has been able to keep Kohli under some check during this period but then again he averages 57 against them with 5 hundreds to his name. He is also the first Indian batsman to cross the 900 point barrier in ODI cricket, and currently sits at No. 6 in the all-time rankings. Kohli's streak is still ongoing, it is highly unlikely that he will be improve on these numbers.
However, you don't bet against King Kohli, do you?
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download Cric Rocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more!
