ODI’s Greatest Trios – Where do Shikhar-Rohit-Virat stand?

Comparing India's formidable top order with past greats in ODI Cricket

India displayed their mighty domination in ODI cricket with the 3-1 win over the Windies in the recently concluded series. Virat Kohli was adjudged as the Man of the series for his phenomenal batting effort where he struck three consecutive centuries in the first three matches. He remained the major talking point as he shattered the record of being fastest to score 10,000 runs in ODI cricket.

India’s opening batsman Rohit Sharma hogged the limelight as well with his two centuries. The Hitman struck his 200th six of the ODI cricket career and continued his belligerent batting. Shikhar Dhawan did not have a pleasant outing, but he enjoyed tremendous success in the recently concluded Asia Cup.

These performances raise the question of where does the Indian trio of Rohit-Shikhar-Virat stand in the pantheon of ODI greats. Here is an attempt of comparison based on statistics of the past greats and the current Indian top-order.

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#5. Tillakaratne Dilshan - Kumar Sangakkara - Mahela Jayawardene

Dilshan, Sangakkara and Mahela added 26,000-plus runs for SL

The golden generation of Sri Lankan batting consisted of the opener Tillakaratne Dilshan and the middle order pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Their union lasted for 15 years starting from the year 2000. Dilshan played 330 ODIs in total while Sangakkara (404) and Jayawardene (448) crossed the 400-ODI mark.

These three batted together for Sri Lanka in 267 ODI matches. In these games, they added 26,204 runs for the island nation. Sangakkara was the leading run-getter among the trio as he accounted for 10,263 of these runs at an average of 44.42. Dilshan contributed 8,051 runs at 38.52 while Jayawardene added 7890 runs at 35.06. Their combined individual batting average* comes to be 39.40.

Sangakkara leads the century tally as well as he scored 20 centuries while batting alongside Dilshan and Jayawardene. Dilshan scored 18 for himself, and Jayawardene completed 10 hundreds. Collectively the trio added 48 centuries and 155 fifties. Their association ceased to exist after Sri Lanka’s defeat against South Africa in the Quarterfinal of the 2015 World Cup.

* - Combined individual batting average = Total runs by three batsmen / (total innings played by three - the number of not outs)

#4. Sachin Tendulkar - Sourav Ganguly - Rahul Dravid

Sachin, Sourav Rahul played together for 190 ODIs

It is the triumvirate that captured the imagination of every Indian cricket lover. The nostalgia and memories associated with these three will be unrivalled for a long time. The opening pair of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly is still the most successful and most loved. These two followed by Rahul Dravid, whose ODI career is often neglected, formed a formidable trio which the bowlers dreaded to bowl at.

These legends played with each other in 190 ODIs for India. Tendulkar outscored the other two with 7720 runs in these matches at an average of 45.68. His frequent opening partner, Ganguly, was not far behind. He added 7332 runs at a healthy average of 44.16. Batting at three or four, Dravid scored 6237 runs at an average of 42.71. The epic triple century partnerships took place among this trio as Tendulkar-Dravid and Ganguly-Dravid added 300-plus runs together.

Combining their contributions, Tendulkar-Ganguly-Dravid added 21,289 ODI runs for India at a combined individual batting average of 44.26. The trio scored 47 centuries (Tendulkar 22- Ganguly 17- Dravid 8) and 128 fifties (38-41-49 respectively). In their 11-year long span as a group (1996-2007), these three giants elevated the Indian cricket to new heights.

#3. Matthew Hayden - Adam Gilchrist - Ricky Ponting

Australia's dominating trio poses after the 2007 World Cup triumph

The captain of the Australian juggernaut Ricky Ponting and two of its leading men Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist composed a top order that made the bowlers sweat. The attacking opening left-handed duo of Hayden and Gilchrist was complemented by one of the greatest ODI batsmen of the era, Ricky Ponting. They decimated the opponents at the earliest of the opportunities.

Collectively, these three Aussies played 116 ODI matches in seven years from 2001 to 2008. They added 13,253 runs to the Australian total and together struck 30 centuries. Hayden led the run tally with 4695 runs, however, Ponting maintained a better average of 48.35 while scoring 4449 runs. Gilchrist made up with his speed and with a strike rate of 101.38 was the quickest of the three.

Trio’s combined individual average comes down to 44.32. Along with 30 ODI centuries (Hayden 9, Gilchrist 7, Ponting 14), they contributed for 73 fifties as well. These include the World Cup-winning knocks of Ponting (2003) and Gilchrist (2007).

#2. Gordon Greenidge - Desmond Haynes - Sir Vivian Richards

Vivian Richards was the most destructive batsman of his time

The first superpower in the limited overs cricket was the West Indies. Although they are known for their menacing fast bowlers, their powerful batting lineup must not be neglected. Greenidge and Haynes were the first great opening pair in ODIs while Viv Richards still stays strong in the contention of being the greatest ODI batsman ever.

These three featured together for West Indies in 97 ODIs spanning from 1979 to 1991. While Greenidge outscored the other two with his tally of 3904 runs, Viv Richards (3581 runs) predictably had a superior average. The legendary batsman averaged 51.89 and scored seven centuries, one of which was the magnificent 189 not out. Haynes accounted for six centuries and 20 fifties.

Together, the West Indian greats added 10,805 runs at a combined individual average of 44.83. They scored 22 centuries in total while playing with each other and added 66 half-centuries. Richards’ strike-rate in that era was 88.39, far higher than his contemporaries.

#1. Rohit Sharma - Shikhar Dhawan - Virat Kohli

These three have scored 45 centuries together

Modern Indian batting champions are breaking records with almost every innings of theirs. Rohit Sharma already has scored three double-centuries in ODIs while no one else has even two. Shikhar Dhawan is India’s most phenomenal performer in ICC events and there are not enough words to describe Virat Kohli’s domination in ODI cricket. Together, the trio scores the majority of the runs for India and their failure puts the team into crisis mode.

The triumvirate has featured in a total of 86 ODI matches for India. They have added 12,542 runs for the nation in these games with a total of 45 centuries and 58 fifties. Virat, of course, leads the tally of runs, average and centuries with 4687 runs at an average 69.95 with 19 centuries. Rohit is very close with 4222 runs with an average of 59.46. Dhawan, on the other hand, has added 3633 runs.

The combined average of this trio comes out to be a whopping 57.26 which is miles away from any other legendary trios. Their tally of 45 centuries is just two short of Sachin-Sourav-Rahul’s tally of 47. With plenty of years still to come for these three, it is a mind-boggling exercise to anticipate where they will eventually stop.

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