Best Opening Pair in ODI
Be it any format in cricket, openers hold great importance in a team. Opening the batting is considered as one of the most important and difficult roles. An opener needs to be adept to playing on all kinds of pitches as they are the ones who face the new ball. For any batsman, it’s tough to start the innings with the new ball and against the best bowlers of the opposition team. Thus, the role of openers in the current era has become even more important.
Apart from having the right technique, they need to play aggressively, given that no total in white-ball cricket is looked as safe in the current era. Over the years, we have been witnessed to some world-class opening pairs in the history of white-ball cricket. In this article, we will be talking about such pairs and list down the five best opening pair in ODIs in the history of white-ball cricket:
#5 Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock
The South-African opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla is known to be one of the best opening pair South African has ever had. The duo made a plethora of runs together, both in ODIs and Tests.
They played together between 2013 and 2019. As far as ODIs are concerned, Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla opened together in 93 matches, scoring 4198 runs at an average of 46.64. The duo hit 11 centuries and 14 half-centuries together for the opening wicket. The South-African pair sits fifth in the list of best opening pair in ODIs.
#4 Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma
The Indian opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma has been ruling the cricket world with their stellar partnerships since 2013. Ever since Rohit Sharma was sent at the opening spot for the first time in International cricket, he formed a lethal opening pair with Shikhar Dhawan and has shared plenty of valuable runs for the team over the years. The duo is still going strong in the limited over’s format is counted amongst the opening pair of the current era.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have scored 4802 runs in 107 matches at an average of 45.30, including 16 centuries and 14 half-centuries.
#3 CG Greenidge and DL Haynes
The former West Indies opening pair of Greenidge and Haynes was regarded as the one who were ahead of their time. They are still ranked number three in the list of best opening pair in ODIs. The duo scored 5150 runs for the opening wicket in 102 matches at an average of 52,55, including 15 centuries and 24 half-centuries.
#2 Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden
One of the best opening pair the world has ever seen and unarguably Australia’s best opening pair in their cricketing history, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden secure the second position in the list. The duo has ripped apart bowlers with disdain in their time and is known to be the most destructive pair in world cricket.
Both played aggressive cricket and had the ability to turn the table in their favour in quick time. Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden have scored 5732 runs together for the opening wickets. They have scored runs in 114 matches at an average of 48.39.
#1 Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly
Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly hold the first position when it comes to the most successful opening pair in the history of ODIs cricket. The duo batted opened together in as many as 136 games, scoring 6609 runs at an average of 49.32.
Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly hit 21 centuries and 21 half-centuries stand together for the opening wicket in One-Day cricket. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly are hailed as two of the best batsmen India has ever produced. Both have achieved immense success in their respective international careers. In 463 ODIs, Sachin Tendulkar has scored 18426 runs, while Sourav Ganguly has 11,363 runs to his name in 311 one-day internationals.
