Most Runs in ODI Cricket: India’s Top Five Batters Revealed by Kheloexch

One-Day Internationals (ODIs) are now a very popular format of the game of cricket, ensuring a nice diluted format of the beautiful game especially in India where things go to another level in regards to the sport being honored and revered. In such a high tempo game where batting, rightly or wrongly, often comes to the fore above the first overs or wrestling positional plays.

Individuals who have graced international cricket and scored truck loads of runs that amount in the thousands, are certainly among the many phenomenal Indian batting maestros that have shaped the game throughout history. Big runs have featured prominently in their canon and the body of work saved has quite often set the benchmarks which so many have tried but few can touch. Here we take a look at the top five highest run-scorers in ODIs for India, as seen on Kheloexch, and give their respective plaudits and records.

1. Sachin Tendulkar – The God of Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar, who is a hockey table on the God of Cricket, is not only the highest run-scorer in ODIs with 18,426 runs from 463 matches played between 1989 and 2012.

Sachin had some phenomenal technique, and a cool head, let alone that it is arguably the absolute epitome of cricketer style at great heights, he was the first-ever male cricketer to score a double hundred in ODIs. He could dominate bowlers anywhere around the globe, so much so that his bat became a universal symbol. Sachin brought a different dynamic against Australian bowlers and usually dictated play on his own terms in innings against sub-continent spinners, and this made his innings look like batting masterclass, no matter just how extensive or damaging he delivered.

2. Virat Kohli – The Chase Master

Virat Kohli, the run machine of the modern era, has lifted ODI batting to another level. Kohli has scored more than 13,800 runs and has an average of nearly 58, which speaks volumes about his consistency.

Kohli, best known as the Chase Master, has a great reputation for delivering when it matters, especially when chasing a target. Kohli has broken records like the fastest player to reach landmarks in many centuries in ODIs. Kohli's aggressive but controlled approach, with tracking performance has inspired the new generation of cricketers.

3. Sourav Ganguly – The God of the Off Side

Sourav Ganguly, known as Dada, has not only been a great batsman but also one of the most influential captains. He scored 11,221 in 308 matches and loved to play the off-side game so much he earned the nickname God of The Off Side.

Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar forged one of the greatest opening partnerships in ODI history. Ganguly's fundamentals as a batting leader, along with his courageous batting, assisted with India's flourishing aggressive identity as a cricketing nation during the 2000s.

4. Rohit Sharma – The Hitman

Rohit Sharma, nicknamed Hitman, is one of the most destructive ODI openers of the modern-day cricketer. Rohit has scored over 10,800 runs in ODIs and uniquely scored 3 double centuries in ODIs — with his highest being 264 when not out which has never been achieved.

Rohit's natural stroke play and ability to accelerate an innings make him an absolute nightmare for any opposition bowler. Whether he is opening the innings or the eyes of the Indian batting lineup during the middle overs, he is still a force to be reckoned with.

5. Rahul Dravid – The Wall

Rahul Dravid, the aptly nicknamed The Wall, perfectly encapsulated patience, technique, and reliability. He amassed 10,768 runs across 340 matches, which does not do justice to the sum of his ODI contribution compared to his astounding Test innings.

Dravid could certainly play limited-overs cricket when necessary, although he was primarily a front-foot batsman unique to the Indian batting lineup; he was also a part-time wicket-keeper at certain stages of his career.

Conclusion

Thus, these five players not only scored thousands of runs, but they also inspired fans and young players everywhere watching them. Although Tendulkar floated across the crease like a butterfly, Kohli stamped power to the wicket, Gangulys strength in leadership was echoed across generations of test batsmen, Rohit is fireworks of strength and power while Dravid was the steady rock in the success of the Indian cricket team.

As Kheloexch continues to showcase such feats, what is certain is that the Indian cricketing story does not have a complete tale without highlighting these players and their extraordinary innings scores.