Above average: Top 5 current batsmen with best average in ODIs
Average is always an important factor to judge a batsman’s calibre in the ODI format especially that of the top order batsmen. Usually, we see pretty high averages of the top-order players only seldom of the middle-order guys due to not outs. As many as five players have a batting average over 50 after playing a minimum of 100 ODI matches but only two of them are still playing the format.
Here are the top five active players with the highest batting average in the ODI format: (Min: 50 innings)
5. Rohit Sharma – 49.27:
Rohit Sharma has come a long way to be inches away from 50 batting average in ODI format from averaging around 30 in 2013. Becoming a regular opening batsman has put Rohit in many charts of ODI batting records. Currently, the Indian opener has 9115 runs to his name from 224 matches which he scored at an average of 49.27 with help of 29 hundreds.
Most Consecutive Years with 50+ ODI Average
8 Rohit Sharma (2013 – 2020)**
7 AB de Villiers (2009 – 2015)
4 MS Dhoni (2011 – 2014)
4 Virat Kohli (2016 – 2019)
4 Joe Root (2016 – 2019)— Merin Kumar ™ (@merin_kumar) January 2, 2021
4. Joe Root – 50.10:
In an England team filled with stroke makers, Joe Root provides stability especially in tricky conditions for the batting. His excellence at a certain role has helped in maintaining an average of 50.10 with the bat in the ODI format. He has scored 5962 runs with help of 16 hundreds in his 149-match career. Root is currently 38 runs short of completing 6000 runs and the next ODI he plays will be his 150th ODI appearance.
3. Shai Hope – 52.20:
Shai Hope’s success in ODI format has been boosted due to him opening the batting for West Indies especially in the subcontinent. His batting average in ODI format reads well over 100 as an opener which did a lot of good to his ODI career batting average. Hope is currently averaging 52.20 having scored 3289 runs from 73 innings with help of 9 tons.
Shai Hope has the highest average in ODI’s for Westindies in their history. #AFGvWI pic.twitter.com/rdQNjPmV3H
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 9, 2019
2. Babar Azam – 55.93:
Babar Azam grew in with a tag of being the next batting superstar of ODI format and hasn’t disappointed anyone yet with his returns. Across the 77 ODI matches he has played, Babar amassed 3580 runs at an amazing average of 55.93. Despite playing mostly on the slower tracks, Babar has managed to maintain a strike rate of 87.87 having smashed 12 hundreds.
1. Virat Kohli – 59.31:
Virat Kohli tops in the metric of averages in most of the batting lists in the ODI format and does have the highest batting average among the active players. Kohli’s average, in fact, is the highest for any player who has batted in at least 50 innings in ODI cricket. Virat has 12040 runs across his 251-match ODI career at an average of 59.31. He has smashed 43 hundreds and 60 fifties in his ODI career spread across 13 calendar years thus far.
