Jason Gillespie Names Top 5 Indian ODI Batters, Excludes Tendulkar

Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie recently shared his top five Indian One Day International (ODI) batters of all time following the conclusion of the Australia-India ODI series. His list, revealed on the Fast Bowling Cartel YouTube channel, sparked discussions by notably excluding cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, placing him at sixth.

Tendulkar, revered as ODI cricket’s all-time leading run-scorer with 18,426 runs, is also second on the list for most centuries, having achieved 49 centuries. Gillespie’s selection began with former opener Shikhar Dhawan, who ranks fifth. Dhawan has accumulated 6,793 runs at an impressive average of over 44 and a strike rate of 91.35 across 167 matches.

In fourth place, Gillespie highlighted MS Dhoni, known for his remarkable finishing skills. Dhoni is one of only six Indian players to surpass 10,000 runs in ODIs, finishing his career with an average of over 50 and a strike rate of 87.23. Coming in third is Virender Sehwag, distinguished for his aggressive batting style, boasting a strike rate exceeding 104 in his 241 ODIs. Sehwag remains the only Indian batter to maintain a strike rate above 100 while scoring over 7,000 runs.

Gillespie selected Rohit Sharma as his second choice. Rohit is unique in ODI history for scoring three double-centuries and has amassed 11,370 runs at an average of 49.22 and a strike rate of 92.66. Topping the list as the best Indian ODI batter of all time is Virat Kohli, who ranks second overall in ODI history with 14,255 runs at an average of 57.71 and a strike rate of 93.25. Kohli also leads with 51 centuries.

Gillespie’s top five Indian ODI batters are as follows:
1. Virat Kohli
2. Rohit Sharma
3. Virender Sehwag
4. MS Dhoni
5. Shikhar Dhawan

Interestingly, Gillespie’s former teammate Glenn McGrath also shared his perspective on the best Indian ODI batters. McGrath included Kohli and Rohit as his top two, but placed Tendulkar in third. He acknowledged Tendulkar’s pivotal role during India’s victorious 2011 ODI World Cup, where he was the top scorer for the team. McGrath rated Dhoni fourth and concluded his list with Yuvraj Singh, the Player of the Tournament in the same World Cup, who finished his ODI career with 8,609 runs at an average of 36.47 and a strike rate of 87.43 across 301 matches.

McGrath’s top five Indian ODI batters are:
1. Virat Kohli
2. Rohit Sharma
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. MS Dhoni
5. Yuvraj Singh

The ongoing discussions about these rankings reflect the rich history and competitive spirit of cricket, particularly in the ODI format. Fans and analysts alike continue to engage passionately about the legacies of these iconic players as they contribute to the sport’s narrative.