The talk around strike rate has gained momentum in recent times. Batters in ODIs too are now conscious of their strike rates. But there have been a few outliers who have gone all out in ODIs too. Indian batters have been among the top ones in ODI strike rates too.
We look at the top 10 Indian batters with the best ODI strike rates:
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[Qualification criteria – 2,000 runs]
#10 Sachin Tendulkar – 86.23
He is the highest run-getter in ODIs scoring 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs at an average of 44.83 scoring 49 centuries and 96 fifties. Sachin Tendulkar was the ODI pioneer. He struck at 86.23 per 100 balls in ODIs. Tendulkar is a World Cup winner (2011) and also won the player of the World Cup in 2003.
#9 Ravindra Jadeja – 86.52
He played an integral role in India’s Champions Trophy win in 2013. But it was the 2019 World Cup semifinal that saw Ravindra Jadeja’s ODI career. He almost took India over the line in a gut-wrenching game. Jadeja’s strike rate of 86.52 earns him a spot at number 9 on the list.
#8 MS Dhoni – 87.13
He is regarded as one of the best finishers of the format. MS Dhoni’s presence at the crease ensured an Indian win more often than not. His World Cup-winning six in 2011 is a sparkling memory among Indian fans. His strike rate is an impressive 87.13.
#7 Yuvraj Singh – 87.41
He is the only Indian player to win both the junior and senior men’s World Cup. Yuvraj Singh’s greatest format was the ODIs. He won the player of the World Cup medal in 2011. Yuvraj Singh’s strike rate of 87.41 occupies the seventh spot on this list.
#6 Rohit Sharma – 89.89
He is among the greatest ODI openers of all time. Rohit Sharma has redefined ODI cricket with his epic double hundreds. He is the only batsman to have scored 3 double centuries in this format. Sharma has scored close to 10,000 runs (9,782) in ODI cricket at a strike rate of 89.89.
#5 Shikhar Dhawan – 91.35
He is the most underrated ODI legend of Indian cricket. Shikhar Dhawan couldn’t really come out of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s superstardom. There is hardly any player as effective as Dhawan in an ICC ODI tournament. He strikes at 91.35 ahead of his long-time opening partner Rohit Sharma.
#4 Suresh Raina – 93.50
His story is similar to that of Shikhar Dhawan. Suresh Raina’s utility was often sandwiched between Yuvraj and Dhoni. The southpaw is credited with India’s famous World Cup in 2011 owing to his two crucial knocks in quarters and semis. Raina struck at 93.50 across 226 ODIs.
#3 Virat Kohli – 93.77
He is well on course to break all existing ODI records. Virat Kohli has already scored 46 ODI centuries. He is the record holder for the best ODI average among batters who have scored more than 5000 runs. Kohli’s consistency in this format is so insane that hardly anybody notices his strike rate. He is the top striker (93.77) among active Indian batsmen on this list.
#2 Kapil Dev – 95.07
He is the only player from the 70s to feature on this list. The fact that Kapil Dev takes up the second spot speaks volumes about his ball-striking ability. He was India’s first World Cup-winning captain (1983). Dev’s strike rate of 95.07 rightly earns him a place among all-time greats.
#1 Virender Sehwag – 104.44
It was argued that Test was Virender Sehwag’s best format. But few realized that he was way ahead of the opposition and his contemporaries across all formats. Sehwag is the only Indian batter to strike at more than 100 in ODIs. He is almost 10 points clear of the next best on this list. Sehwag was indeed a once-in-a-generation player!
