When it comes to 50 overs cricket, suddenly batsmen have a different outlook to their game. While Test cricket remains the pinnacle of the “real test” of the players, ODI and T20’s are more entertainment oriented. Only few players have performed exceptionally well across formats, while others have had a liking for a particular format. For instance, Alaistar Cook is an exceptional Test Batsman but not as wonderful in colored jersey. Similarly, Rohit Sharma is a match winner when it comes to limited overs cricket but is yet to prove his worth in Test cricket.
However, some people have risen above this demarcation and performed well in all formats of the game like the present superstars Virat Kohli or Kane Williamson or Mr. 360 Ab De Villiers.
Although numbers don’t tell the whole story let’s have a look at the 10,000-run club in ODI Cricket.
1. Sachin Tendulkar: It is not for no reason that Sachin Tendulkar is considered one of the all-time greats to have played the game. Sachin has 18,426 runs in his tally, the most by any batsmen in the history of the game, at an excellent average of 44.83 and a strike rate in the 80’s. Sachin got to this figure with the help of 49 Hundreds and 96 half centuries. Sachin’s record is safe by quite a distance at the moment.
2. Kumar Sangakkara: At no. 2 is Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper batsmen and a wonderful ambassador of the game Kumar Sangakkara with over 14,200 runs. Sangakkara’s elegant style of batting was beautiful to witness. Kumar also scored record 4 consecutive One Day Hundreds during the ODI World Cup 2015 before retiring from ODI’s. Sangakkara took 296 innings to reach the landmark.
3. Ricky Ponting: Australia’s Ricky Ponting was as good a batsman as he was a captain. He led Australia to very famous victories and led indeed by example. Ricky Ponting for a long time in his career was in race to break Sachin’s record but by the dusk of his career reached a 13,704 runs at an average of 42.03 with 30 hundreds and 82 fifties.
4. Sanath Jayasuriya: Sri Lankan opener’s career ran parallel to India’s Sachin Tendulkar. Sanath redefined limited overs cricket when he went after the new ball bowlers right from the word go taking advantage of the fielding restrictions and making this trend popular especially in the 1996 World Cup. Sanath scored a 13,430 runs averaging over 32 but with an extremely healthy strike rate of above 90.
5. Mahela Jayawardene: Another Sri Lankan in the list Mahela Jayawardene was an excellent orthodox batsman. He showed the world how orthodox textbook cricketing shots are enough to rule in any format and under any condition. Jayawardene’s heroic efforts went in vain in the 2011 World Cup Final when he became the only centurion in world Cup final to end up on a losing side. Jayawardene along with Sangakkara remained the backbone of the lineup for quite some time. He scored 12,650 runs with the help of 19 hundred.
6. Inzamam Ul-Haq: Pakistan’s leading run scorer in ODI’s Inzamam was an outstanding talent that world Cricket witnessed. Although he wasn’t the most fit batsman in the team that didn’t come in the way of 11,739 runs that he scored which included 10 hundreds and 83 half centuries. Inzamam played a key role in Pakistan’s famous semi-final victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, which later Pakistan went on to win. He played many memorable innings like these.
7. Jacques Kallis: Arguably, the sport’s all-time greatest all-rounder, Jacques Kallis features next in the list. Kallis scored a 11,579 runs at an average of 44.36 when we add this to this already outstanding contributions with the bowl and on the field, Kallis was an absolute asset in the South African Team. Any captain would love his services under his captaincy.
8. Sourav Ganguly: The architect of India’s Number 1 test team under Virat and MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar’s opening partner Sourav Ganguly is next in the list with a total of 11,363 runs with 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries. Ganguly-Tendulkar remain India’s most successful opening pair till date and together have won India many games. However, it is only an irony that India’s most successful opening pair never opened together in World Cup history.
9. Rahul Dravid: An underrated ODI Cricketer Rahul Dravid is number 9 in the list with a total of 10,889 runs with 12 hundreds and 83 half centuries. Rahul Dravid is one great ambassador of the sport of Cricket, for the kind of gentleman he is on and off the field. Rahul Dravid kept wickets for India in the 2003 world Cup to end India’s need for a wicketkeeper who could bat.
10. Brian Lara: West Indian Legend is presently number 10 in this list. With 10,405 runs including 19 hundreds Lara was an absolute master of his art. His unique ability to find the gaps from nowhere kept everyone amazed. Lara played 299 One day Internationals before retiring from International Cricket.
11. Tillakratne Dilshan: Dilshan became the latest player to join the club in 2015, the Sri Lankan opener is known for his unorthodox and attacking style of batting. His scoop shot over the fine leg popularly came to be known as the DilScoop after him. Dilshan scored a 10,290 runs with 22 Centuries.
