The 5 best ODI Openers in the world currently

Cricket on most occasions these days pits the batting might of two countries against each other. Thus, it has become more important to pile on enormous totals to bat the opposition out of the game.

The role of the opener too has changed with the evolving mindset. Whereas they were earlier tasked with seeing off the new ball, the openers are now entrusted with providing rollicking starts to set the platform for a big score.

Over the years, several of ODI cricket’s finest have batted at the top of the order. Even today, the trend hasn’t shifted and teams try to ensure their best batsmen face the new ball.

Thus, with the openers now assuming more responsibility, it is warranted that we take a look at who the best openers in the world are currently.

Without further ado, here is a look at the best ODI openers in the world currently:

Honourable Mentions: Quinton de Kock and Jason Roy

---

#5 Hashim Amla (South Africa)

Amla has silenced his critics with consistent scores

The right-hander burst onto the scene as a proficient Test batsman yet over the years, has moulded his game to be an ever-present in both Tests and ODIs.

Amla averages an astonishing 50.34 in the fifty over format and rarely lets his team down. The right-handed batsman is also quite efficient at keeping things ticking and strikes at a rate of 89.31 per 100 balls.

Moreover, he converts his good starts more often than not and recently became the quickest man to 27 ODI hundreds. Though he drew a lot of flak for the speed of his record-breaking ton, the slackness was just an aberration and certainly not the norm.

Ever since making his bow on the international stage, Amla has impressed regardless of the format he has been picked in.

Yet, he fails to an extent to provide the ‘X Factor’ that teams crave at the top of the order and thus, he can only muster the No.5 spot on our list.

#4 Martin Guptill (New Zealand)

Guptill is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world

The New Zealand batsman has been around the international circuit for the better part of a decade. But, he has started to realise his immense potential only recently.

Guptill was a star for his country at the 2015 World Cup as New Zealand went all the way to the finals. The opener struck a masterful double century in the quarter-final against the West Indies and became the 1st Non-Indian to score an ODI double hundred in the process.

When Guptill is on song, there are hardly any bowling attacks that are capable of stopping him. Blessed with the ability to clear the boundary, the opener has made a living by providing New Zealand with fast starts.

The right-hander averages 43.16 in ODIs at a healthy strike rate of 86.60. Though there aren’t many more destructive openers in the world than Guptill, the New Zealander’s inconsistency has at times stifled his attempts at being crowned the best opener in the world.

Thus, despite boasting of extraordinary talent, he has to be content with the No.4 spot on our list.

#3 Shikhar Dhawan (India)

Dhawan is a hard proposition to handle at the top of the innings

The opener has been a constant presence at the top of the Indian batting line-up over the past few years. Though the lad from Delhi has endured his fair share of crests and troughs, he has made sure that it has been the former on most days.

Dhawan averages an incredible 44.95 in ODIs with his strike rate of 93.99 making him a deadly batsman at the start of an innings. Moreover, he is equally adept at playing seam and spin, thus, making him a difficult batsman to keep quiet.

The left-hander is elegance personified when playing on the off-side and has shots all around the park to put bowlers under the pump.

Though he is still susceptible against the moving ball, the ODI format very seldom exposes that weakness. Hence, it comes as no surprise that he has been able to conjure huge scores consistently.

Dhawan had a poor outing in Australia but with the New Zealand series on the horizon, he has a shot at redemption.

And if his numbers are any indicator, one can expect him to be back, firing at the outset for India.

#2 Jonny Bairstow (England)

Bairstow has made the opening slot his own

The wicket-keeper was on the periphery of English cricket for a long time yet has found his feet in the past couple of years. Initially looked upon as a middle order option, Bairstow capitalised on the opportunity Morgan provided him at the top and hasn’t looked back since.

Though Bairstow hasn’t played as many games as the others on this list, an average of 48.02 in 50 innings isn’t something to be scoffed. In addition, his strike rate of 104.56 makes him as fearsome a batsman as any on the globe.

On current form, Bairstow is simply one of the best openers and has been England’s batting mainstay over the past couple of years.

Yet, the fact that Bairstow has only played 54 ODIs and not performed in a variety of conditions places him just a rung below off top spot.

However, the wicket-keeper is fully capable of scaling the peak of being the best opener.

And don’t be surprised if he lays down his marker at the 2019 World Cup and settles the opener debate once and for all.

#1 Rohit Sharma (India)

Rohit is the best opener in the world

There wasn’t really a doubt as to who would be at the perch of our list. Since being pushed to open at the 2013 Champions Trophy, Rohit has gone from strength to strength and shows absolutely no sign of slowing down.

The decision to promote Rohit up the order raised numerous eyebrows as the batsman had rarely opened the innings in white-ball cricket. Yet, Dhoni persisted with him and provided India with the best opener in the world.

Ever since his debut, there have been question marks over Rohit’s consistency but in his golden run, he has put to rest those fears with a host of splendid innings. At this juncture, he is the only batsman in world cricket to boast of 3 ODI double hundreds, with his highest score of 264 against Sri Lanka head and shoulders above everyone else’s best scores.

When on song, Rohit is impossible to contain and possesses shots all around the park. Additionally, his ability to clear the fence at will places him on a higher pedestal than most of his peers.

At present, Rohit is the undisputed best opener in the world and anyone who argues with the said fact is either being too critical or probably watching a different game altogether.

Hence, without a shadow of a doubt, he takes the top spot on our list.