Mount 10K: Five fastest batsmen to complete 10,000 runs in ODI cricket

For a batsman, reaching the 10,000-run mark in One Day Internationals is not an easy feat. It takes a lot of consistency, hard work and dedication to achieve this milestone. Thus far, only 14 players have reached 10,000 ODI runs. However, in this list, there are some who have outscored others by taking less number of innings to score 10,000 runs in ODI format. In this article, let’s discuss five cricketers who are the fastest to reach this milestone.

5. Jacques Kallis (South Africa – 272 innings)

One of the most complete cricketers in the history of the game, South Africa great Jacques Kallis took 272 innings and 13 years and 14 days to breach the incredible feat of 10,000 runs in One Day Internationals. The Proteas all-rounder named this record on January 23, 2009, in Sydney against Australia. Since his debut in January 1996, Kallis scored a total of 11,579 runs and also took 273 wickets in 328 ODI fixtures.

4. Ricky Ponting  (266 innings)

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was unstoppable with the bat as he collected 13,705 runs in his ODI career of 17 years including 30 tons and 82 half-centuries at an average of over 42. He is the only Australian batsman to feature in this coveted list. Ponting reached the decorated 10000-run mark in One Day Internationals in 266 innings and a time span of 12 years and 37 days. He celebrated this achievement on March 24, 2007, in a fixture against South Africa in Basseterre.

3. Sourav Ganguly (263 innings)

One of the best leaders to have ever captained the Indian cricket team, Sourav Ganguly was equally talented with his willow too. He was the backbone of India’s middle-order for a long period of time. In this list of the fastest batsmen to reach 10,000 runs in ODI, Sourav Ganguly sits at third position with 263 innings. Since his debut on January 11, 1992 against West Indies, Ganguly took 13 years and 204 days to get to the 10,000-run landmark. He achieved this remarkable feat against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on August 3, 2005. In his career spanning over 15 years, Ganguly played a total of 311 ODIs scoring 11,363 runs at an average of 41.02.

2. Sachin Tendulkar (259 innings)

Tendulkar’s 10000 ODI Runs?#OnThisDay 2001 Sachin Tendulkar became First Player to Made 10000 ODI Runs
Sachin Made 139(125) v Aus@sachin_rt is 1st-
10000
11000
12000
13000
14000
15000(*only to reach)
16000*
17000*
18426* Runs

How Old Were You When Sachin Made this History?? pic.twitter.com/7OTtHTtdCI

— CrickeTendulkar??SachinTendulkar Fc (@CrickeTendulkar) March 31, 2020

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar was unstoppable in the ODI format. Hailed as one of the most passionate and talented cricketers of all time, Sachin touched the mark of 10,000 in One Day Internationals on March 31, 2001 while playing against Australia in Indore. It took him 259 innings to register this amazing record on his name. He went on to add another few thousand runs in his ever-bulging ODI career while playing some of the most memorable knocks.

1. Virat Kohli (205 innings)

?? Reigning Supremacy #KingKohli ?@imVkohli becomes the FASTEST BATSMAN to score 10000 ODI runs.

???? pic.twitter.com/2YMoFtr2L1

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 24, 2018

One of the finest batsmen of the modern era, Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli tops the charts when it comes to the fastest batsman to reach the 10,000-run mark in the One-day Internationals. Kohli achieved this remarkable feat in just 205 innings. Since making his ODI debut on August 18, 2008, against Sri Lanka, Virat took just 10 years and 67 days, also the shortest amount of time — to get to the coveted mark. The captain breached the 10,000 run-mark in a fixture against West Indies on October 24, 2018, in Visakhapatnam.