Image: Sachin Tendulkar remains unique for his extreme longevity and consistency / © X (Twitter)
Throughout the years, there have been just a few players who have mastered those three things together and become the all-time leading run-scorers in ODI cricket (one-day international cricket).
The number one player on that list is Sachin Tendulkar. He is the only one who has ever had such an amount of longevity and consistent performance over time. 18,426 runs in 463 matches is the total number of runs scored by the Indian great in ODIs. Today, that record remains unbroken many years after he retired from international cricket.
Tendulkar revolutionized how ODIs [One Day Internationals (A type of Cricket)] were played and had multiple complexities and adaptations over different time spans (1989 – 2012) while being successful in adapting to different eras of ODIs – some of which include the game being 50 overs long in its inception, some 20 years later being played under “Power Play” rules.
Tendulkar had had a long period without there being any players/runs that could be expected to get close to these records until the last decade.
Virat Kohli is emerging as one of the best ODI batters there is, having reached 14,000+ ODI runs already, and is currently on track to break numerous records held by Tendulkar. He is also well on his way to breaking Tendulkar’s long-standing domination number for a No. 3 batter, as he will likely finish with a career average above 50 at that no in his career.
Kumar Sangakkara is another high-end cricketer. He has scored more than 14,000 runs in One Day Internationals, and also demonstrated that he can play successfully at different batting positions.
With his ability to hold an innings together with bat legs and score runs simultaneously, Sangakkara was one of Sri Lanka’s most important players in One Day Internationals.
Also, Ricky Ponting ranks among Australia’s best-ever captains and as one of the top run-scorers in One Day Internationals. His aggressive nature, as well as his World Cup successes, were major contributors to shaping Australia’s greatness during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Since 1971, ODI batting has grown significantly as a result of advancements in both batting technique and understanding how to constantly score runs without taking risks. Batters today have incorporated explosive batting with proper techniques seamlessly into their game as an example of how far ODI batting has developed.
For example, Rohit Sharma is a testament to this evolution of ODI batting through his achievements in the format, including scoring over 11,500 overall runs with the highest individual score in ODI history at 264. The ability to construct long innings from his first-wicket partnership through to the end of his innings has become one of the most important components of modern-day ODI batting.
Players such as Sanath Jayasuriya and Chris Gayle have also revolutionised the way ODIs are played with their aggressive style during the powerplay, setting the stage for today’s aggressive style of play during the powerplay in ODI Cricket.
Due to the introduction of T20 leagues and Test cricket becoming a potential competitor(s) against One Day International formats, there are chances we will not see as many players achieve the same great totals over their careers compared to generations before us. That said, we are still producing amazing ODI batsmen who could potentially change the record books by breaking current records for most runs or centuries.
As long as ICC-sanctioned tournaments and bilateral series of One Day Internationals still exist, we can expect to see some form of competition between the top run-scorers in this specific format, even though it may be impossible for anyone ever to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time high of 18,426 runs.