 |
| Advertisement |
The debate about who is the greatest ODI batsman of all time is one that will rage on for as long as there is cricket. It is hard to know how to settle the debate – should it be based on batting averages or simply on sheer volume of runs?
Is strike rate important or is it about actual trophies and series won? Perhaps the best way is to use a supposedly objective measure… The ICC produce rankings which are updated after each game. The players who have been at the top of the rankings longest must therefore be the best.
With news that New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has reached the top of the rankings for the first time, let’s look at the ten players who have dominated the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings the most.
1. Viv Richards (West Indies)
- Days at the top: 2306
Viv Richards remains the gold standard for ODI dominance. In an era with fewer matches and less emphasis on individual milestones, Richards combined brutal scoring with consistency that kept him at number one for more than six years in total.
His ability to dominate elite bowling attacks without a helmet, while setting the template for aggressive one-day batting, explains why his reign remains unmatched.
2. Brian Lara (West Indies)
- Days at the top: 2079
Brian Lara’s time at the summit reflects his extraordinary peak rather than sustained team success. While West Indies were often inconsistent during his career, Lara’s personal brilliance ensured his place among the elite.
His elegance, range of scoring options and appetite for big innings translated seamlessly into ODIs, even if his greatness is more often associated with Test cricket.
3. Michael Bevan (Australia)
- Days at the top: 1361
Michael Bevan’s presence so high on this list underlines how valuable consistency and finishing ability were in Australia’s golden era. Rarely spectacular, Bevan mastered the art of pacing an ODI chase and was devastating under pressure.
His long stay at number one came through relentless reliability rather than dominance, a reminder that influence is not always loud.
4. Babar Azam (Pakistan)
- Days at the top: 1359
Babar Azam’s modern-era consistency stands out in a format increasingly tilted towards power hitters. His extended time at number one reflects technical excellence, balance and adaptability across conditions.
Despite limited ICC tournament success compared to some peers, Babar’s run-making in bilateral series has been so consistent that his ranking longevity is fully justified.
Also read: What venues are being used for the 2026 T20 World Cup?
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
- Days at the top: 1356
AB de Villiers redefined what was possible in ODI batting. His ability to score at extraordinary strike rates without sacrificing his average allowed him to dominate attacks in ways few could replicate.
While his time at number one was slightly shorter than some others here, his impact on how the game is played arguably outweighs his numerical ranking.
6. Dean Jones (Australia)
- Days at the top: 1161
Dean Jones was ahead of his time. Athletic, innovative and tactically astute, he set new standards for scoring rates in ODIs during the 1980s.
His extended stay at the top of the rankings reflects how consistently he performed when one-day cricket was still defining its identity. Jones helped turn Australia into a formidable limited-overs force.
7. Keith Fletcher (England)
- Days at the top: 1101
Keith Fletcher’s inclusion is a reminder of how influential early ODI pioneers were. Playing in a far less crowded international calendar, Fletcher combined solidity with match awareness.
His long spell at number one speaks to sustained excellence rather than volume, and he remains one of England’s most underrated limited-overs batsmen.
8. Hashim Amla (South Africa)
- Days at the top: 1047
Hashim Amla’s ODI career was defined by extraordinary efficiency. He reached milestones faster than almost anyone before him and maintained an elite average while scoring quickly by classical means.
His time at number one reflects a prolonged period where he was arguably the most complete ODI batsman in the world, especially between 2010 and 2015.
9. Greg Chappell (Australia)
- Days at the top: 998
Greg Chappell’s near 1000 days at the summit underline his importance in the formative years of ODI cricket. Technically flawless and tactically sharp, Chappell helped legitimise the format as one requiring skill rather than compromise.
His ranking longevity came at a time when consistency across relatively few matches carried enormous weight.
10.Virat Kohli (India)
- Days at the top: 825
India star Virat Kohli’s presence at number 10 may surprise some, given his colossal run totals and match-winning reputation. However, the ICC rankings reward sustained dominance rather than cumulative greatness.
Kohli’s repeated returns to the top reflect his ability to adapt across eras, conditions and phases of his career. With time still on his side, his total days at number one may yet rise significantly.
He’s in great form at the moment and holding out for a place in the World Cup squad for the 2027 tournament.
Read next: The 7 shock exclusions from South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad
The post 10 batters who epitomised staying power at the top of the ICC ODI rankings appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/GsjfMJO
0 comments: