Who is the greatest ODI opener ever? A data-driven comparison of runs, strike rate, centuries, and big-match performances.
The ODI format is unique in that it demands a delicate balance between aggression and patience. Few roles embody that challenge more than the openers, who are tasked with setting the tone and shaping the direction of the entire innings.
Over more than five decades of ODI cricket, the game has seen a number of outstanding openers who mastered this art. This piece examines the batters who have done it with consistency and longevity – and who, as a result, stand in contention for the title of the greatest ODI of all time.
Most runs as an ODI opener
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 340 | 15310 | 48.29 | 45/75 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 383 | 12740 | 34.61 | 28/66 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 274 | 10179 | 39.45 | 25/53 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 191 | 9512 | 54.98 | 31/48 |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 259 | 9200 | 36.50 | 16/53 |
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | 236 | 9146 | 41.57 | 19/58 |
| Desmond Haynes (WI) | 237 | 8748 | 41.37 | 17/57 |
| Tamim Iqbal (BAN) | 240 | 8357 | 36.65 | 14/56 |
| Saeed Anwar (PAK) | 220 | 8156 | 39.98 | 20/37 |
| Hashim Amla (SA) | 175 | 8083 | 49.89 | 27/39 |
Analysis (Minimum 8000 runs as ODI opener)
Read More: Comparative Analysis – Who is the ODI GOAT: Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli?
Top 5 batters with the best strike rates:
| Adam Gilchrist | 98.02 |
| Rohit Sharma | 96.26 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 92.48 |
| Hashim Amla | 88.65 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 88.04 |
Top 5 opener batters with the most centuries:
| Sachin Tendulkar | 45 |
| Rohit Sharma | 31 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 28 |
| Hashim Amla | 27 |
| Chris Gayle | 25 |
Top 5 batters with the most fifty-plus scores (including 100s):
| Sachin Tendulkar | 120 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 94 |
| Rohit Sharma | 79 |
| Chris Gayle | 78 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 77 |
Top 5 batters with the best batting averages
| Rohit Sharma | 54.98 |
| Hashim Amla | 49.89 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 48.29 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 41.57 |
| Desmond Haynes | 41.37 |
Read More: Best ODI World XI based on recent trends
Top-3: Fastest to reach 5000, 6000, 7000, and 8000 ODI runs as an opener
| Player/ Innings | Innings to 5000 runs | Innings to 6000 runs | Innings to 7000 runs | Innings to 8000 runs |
| Player 1 | Hashim Amla (101) | Rohit Sharma (122) | Rohit Sharma (139) | Rohit Sharma (162) |
| Player 2 | Rohit Sharma (103) | Hashim Amla (124) | Hashim Amla (148) | Hashim Amla (174) |
| Player 3 | Sachin Tendulkar (114) | Sachin Tendulkar (114) | Quinton de Kock (157) | Sachin Tendulkar (182) |
- Only six batters have scored over 9000 ODI runs as an opener, and Rohit Sharma is the fastest to achieve that (183 innings).
- If we take openers with 10000 ODI runs, Sachin Tendulkar (217) took the fewest innings, with the others being Chris Gayle (272 innings) and Sanath Jayasuriya (305 innings).
Most runs at home as an opener in ODIs
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 124 | 6067 | 52.30 | 19/30 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 83 | 4535 | 58.14 | 14/20 |
| Tamim Iqbal (BAN) | 114 | 4034 | 37.70 | 7/26 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 108 | 4006 | 37.79 | 7/24 |
| Martin Guptill (NZ) | 88 | 3922 | 50.28 | 11/90 |
Most runs away from home (neutral included) as an opener in ODIs
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 216 | 9243 | 45.98 | 26/45 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 271 | 9045 | 34.52 | 21/42 |
| Saeed Anwar (PAK) | 182 | 6608 | 38.64 | 17/29 |
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | 174 | 6400 | 39.26 | 15/36 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 166 | 6173 | 40.61 | 18/29 |
- Sachin Tendulkar leads the pack with the most ODI runs both home & away, while opening the innings.
- The former Indian batter also has the most centuries in both these categories.
- India’s Rohit Sharma has the best batting average at home for an opener (Minimum of 3000 runs), and his strike rate of 106.58 is also the best.
- When it comes to away from home as an opener in ODIs, Rohit (4977 runs) again has the best average, 52.38 for a batter with a minimum of 4000 runs.
Read More:Â Rohit (1.29) only batter apart from Gayle (1.12) to have 1+ sixes/inns ratio in ODIs (min 200 sixes)
Most runs as an opener in ODI World Cups
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 31 | 1767 | 58.90 | 5/11 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 28 | 1575 | 60.57 | 7/6 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 28 | 1506 | 55.77 | 6/5 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 34 | 1186 | 35.93 | 2/6 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 32 | 1091 | 37.62 | 3/6 |
- Sachin Tendulkar has the most runs in the ICC World Cup with 1767 runs.
- For a batter with a minimum of 1000 runs as an opener in World Cups, Rohit Sharma leads the pack with the highest batting average (60.75) and number of centuries scored (7).
Most runs as an opener in ODI wins
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 174 | 9414 | 60.73 | 30/48 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 212 | 8626 | 42.70 | 24/43 |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 189 | 7455 | 40.96 | 16/42 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 126 | 7139 | 64.90 | 25/35 |
| Desmond Haynes (WI) | 159 | 6524 | 49.05 | 16/40 |
- 12 batters have scored 5000 or more runs in ODI wins for their sides.
- Sachin Tendulkar has the most centuries in ODI wins.
- For a batter with a minimum of 5000 ODI runs in wins, Hashim Amla (6159) has the best batting average (65.52), followed by Rohit Sharma’s 64.90.
Most runs as an opener in ODI losses
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 149 | 5349 | 36.14 | 14/25 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 147 | 4841 | 33.15 | 11/24 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 161 | 3636 | 22.86 | 3/18 |
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | 114 | 3442 | 30.19 | 4/25 |
| Tamim Iqbal (BAN) | 127 | 3251 | 25.59 | 3/23 |
Most runs as an opener in ODI (batting first)
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 160 | 7753 | 50.67 | 28/32 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 200 | 7292 | 36.82 | 18/37 |
| Hashim Amla (SA) | 98 | 5134 | 56.41 | 21/22 |
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | 114 | 4761 | 43.28 | 13/27 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 128 | 4666 | 37.32 | 83.36 |
- Sachin Tendulkar has the most ODI runs batting first as an opener, though he has played 40 fewer innings than the second-best Sanath Jayasuriya.
- Sachin has the most centuries (28), followed by Hashim Amla, who has hit 21 tons batting first.
- Hashim Amla’s average of 56.21 is the best for an opener batting first in ODI (Minimum 4000 runs).
Read More:Â Rohit (1714) & Virat (1710) are the fifth & sixth-highest run-scorers in ODIs from 2023 onwards
Most runs as an opener in ODI (chasing)
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 180 | 7557 | 46.07 | 17/43 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 146 | 5513 | 41.45 | 12/34 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 183 | 5448 | 32.04 | 10/29 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 107 | 5117 | 55.59 | 16/30 |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 121 | 4655 | 40.83 | 8/32 |
- Sachin again leads the charts with 7557 runs in chases in the 50-over format, and also has the most centuries.
- Rohit Sharma has the highest batting average in chases (55.59) for a batter with a minimum of 4000 runs.
The above numbers suggest that most of the categories are topped by one single batter, and that is Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian legend has the most ODI runs not just as an opener, but is the leading run-getter in the format.
The only active cricketer who is following this great batter is India’s Rohit Sharma. The former India skipper, who is a prolific ODI opener in his own right, is arguably the best ODI batter now, along with Virat Kohli.
Read More:Â Since 2023, India have struck at SR of 100.26 in PP1 in ODIs, bettered only by Australia (107.05)
