Highest Batting Average in ODI Cricket: Records and Statistics

Since the ODI format of the game was introduced in 1971, numerous records have been created and broken as players from various eras come and go. Since the flamboyance of Vivian Richards and Ian Botham was replaced by the polish of Rohit Sharma and AB De Villiers, ODI cricket has evolved immensely. The format has evolved over time to become increasingly favourable to the batsmen. The number of players permitted outside the circle was limited, and batting powerplays were added. The averages and strike rates of batsmen were improved by these changes.

Over time, players have a tendency to claim certain positions as their own. Specific batsmen have claimed certain locations and established the right usage for those slots in the format, whether it is the likes of Kohli and Ponting at number three or Dhoni and Bevan at number six. For each position, we look at the players with the highest batting averages (minimum 30 innings).

Highest Batting Average at Each Position: ODI Cricket Records and Statistics

Player	Team	Runs	Average
Shai Hope	West Indies	2,042	70.41
Babar Azam	Pakistan	3,720	65.26
Michael Bevan	Australia	2,265	59.60
AB de Villiers	South Africa	2,027	77.96
Michael Bevan	Australia	3,006	56.71
Michael Hussey	Australia	725	120.83
Lance Klusener	South Africa	1,056	58.66
Liam Plunkett	England	459	25.50
Dawlat Zadran	Afghanistan	252	28.00
Boyd Rankin	Ireland/ England	85	14.16

Rohit Sharma’s Opening (58.37)

Rohit has been one of the most dependable limited overs batsmen ever since MS Dhoni decided to bat him first in the 2013 Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma‘s career had its ups and downs before that, but he hasn’t turned around since. With 5,487 runs scored as an opener from 108 innings, or 58.37 runs per inning, Rohit, who is known for his massive hundreds and incredible record of three double hundreds, leads all openers in the game.

Virat Kohli (63.58)

Virat Kohli has rendered all batting records useless. He is scoring with inexplicable regularity, setting records, and hitting at an entirely new level. He already has the record for finishing 10,000 runs in the shortest amount of time, and he keeps breaking records for fun. At number three, Kohli, one of the top players in the world right now, has 8,139 runs from 156 innings at an average of 63.58.

Michael Bevan (59.60)

During the peak of the Australian cricket team’s dominance, Bevan filled the role of holding the middle order. Bevan played 53 innings at number 4 and went 15 innings without being removed, showing how important he was for both starting and ending innings. He ran for 2,265 runs at a 59.60 average while playing position four.

AB de Villiers (77.96)

Former South African captain AB de Villiers is one of cricket’s most adored players worldwide for his incredible skill sets and unusual strokes. Middle over management in ODIs has revolutionized thanks to AB, aka “Mr. 360. But AB’s exceptional consistency is also demonstrated by his average of 77.96 over 42 innings at position number 5. AB has totalled 2,027 runs while playing this position.

Michael Bevan (56.72)

Bevan, one of the greats of the game, contributed to the definition of the role and significance of a finisher in ODI cricket. He was the one who gave the rest of cricket’s playing community examples of how to win games. Bevan pitched a total of 87 innings at position number 6, going perfect in 34 of them while accruing 3,006 runs with an average of 56.72.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (46.84)

By pushing games to their limits and creating mistakes for the opponent, the former captain of India, one of the best finishers the game has ever seen, redefined the art of winning games. His nerves of steel are well known. His impressive finishes and the way he pursued and established goals to achieve them are just unmatched. When MS played the position of 7 in 32 innings, he amassed 890 runs with an average of 46.84 and went 13 innings without getting struck out.

Lance Klusener (58.67)

A terrific finisher on par with Dhoni and Bevan, Lance Klusener was also one of the best all-rounders in ODI history. The highlight of the Proteas all-star rounder’s career was his World Cup performance, in which he almost guided his squad to the championship match. Klusener averaged 58.67 runs per 36 innings while playing the position of 8.

Liam Plunkett (25.00)

The English speedster, who is occasionally known for his power hitting, has played the number 9 position for a total of 30 innings and has gone 12 innings without striking out. Plunkett has scored 450 runs at an average of 25.00.

Kyle Mills (17.20)

The Kiwi seamer frequently delivered strong smashes down in the order that caused great difficulty for the opposition. The 344 runs scored by Mills from a total of 38 innings at an average of 17.20 is not bad at all for a player batting number 10.

Ewen Chatfield (13.25)

A medium pacer from New Zealand is the only player from the 1980s on the list. Ewen Chatfield batted at position 11 in 44 innings, being unbeaten in 36 of them. He ran for 106 runs at this position, average 13.25.