ODI cricket earlier was an aggressive version of Test cricket. But in the past decade or so, the format has evolved quite a lot. It is now more an extension of T20 cricket. The format has witnessed many high scores, especially in the last 5-6 years. Batsmen have gone for the jugular. Modern-day batsmen are equally concerned about both the average and the strike rate. The number of innings taken to reach a particular milestone has come down considerably. Fastest batsmen to reach 10000 runs in ODI.
StumpsandBails looks at 5 Fastest Batsmen to Reach 10000 Runs in ODI Cricket History
#5 Jacques Kallis (272 innings)
Fastest batsmen to reach 10000 runs in ODI. Jacques Kallis is a cricketing legend. He was an equivalent of a Sachin Tendulkar in batting and Zaheer Khan in bowling. Kallis played a key role in South Africa’s dominance across formats. He aggregated 11579 runs at an average of 44.4 in 314 ODI innings. The only minor blip in Kallis’ ODI career was his strike rate (72.9). He reached the milestone of 10,000 run mark in 272 innings. He was the fifth quickest to the landmark in terms of innings.
#4 Ricky Ponting (266 innings)
Ricky Ponting is another living legend. He was one of the game’s best batsmen during his playing days. Ponting played an instrumental role in Australia’s 3 consecutive World Cup wins (1999-2007). Ponting retired from ODI cricket scoring a hundred in his last innings as captain. He reached the landmark of 10,000 runs in only 266 innings. Ponting edged past Kallis to grab the number 4 spot.
#3 Sourav Ganguly (263 innings)
Sourav Ganguly was a certified ODI legend. His ODI 9 centuries in a calendar year (2000) is a long-standing record. Ganguly was a treat to watch in full flow. His attacking instincts against left-arm spin was well documented. Ganguly reached the 10,000 run mark in just 263 innings. His greatness in ODIs is often underrated. Ganguly scored a total of 11363 runs at an average of 41.02 scoring 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries.
#2 Sachin Tendulkar (259 innings)
Sachin Tendulkar redefined ODI batsmanship. He was promoted as an opener in his 79th game. Tendulkar took to opening as fish takes to water. He was the quickest to reach the milestone in 259 innings. Tendulkar held the record for 15 long years. He has amassed a total of 18426 runs in 452 innings at an average of 44.8. Tendulkar notched up 49 ODI centuries and 96 half-centuries. It will be a stretch for anyone to surpass such numbers.
#1 Virat Kohli (205 innings)
The only batsman in the current generation who has the ability to go past Sachin Tendulkar is Virat Kohli. He is the only batsman to be in the top 5 list across all 3 formats. But it was the ODI format that saw the berth of a legend. He is a sensational chaser and averages an insane 68 while chasing. His average while setting up a target is a wonderful 48. Kohli’s ODI career numbers is breathtaking. He has smashed 12169 runs at an average of 59.07. What makes these.
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