Top 10 Batters with Highest Averages in ODIs

When we talk about the game of Cricket, one of the first things that comes to everyone’s mind is the batters. The batters have always been known as the heroes of the game while the bowlers are villains. However, the definition has changed a bit in recent times. There have been so many legendary batters from different countries who have graced the game with their brilliant skills and technique. While contributing to the country, batters also look for their individual stats and records. One of the most talked-about and important stats for the batters is their batting average.

The term ‘batting average’ means the average number of runs scored by a batter in each innings he has featured. But how do we calculate the batting average of a particular batter? For that, we have to divide the total runs a batter has scored by the number of times the batter has been dismissed. The batting average doesn’t really matter in T20Is, since it’s a power-hitting format and the most important thing in that format is the strike rate.

But it’s not the same with the other two formats which are Tests and ODIs. A player’s form and ability in Tests and ODIs is determined by his batting average. When we particularly talk about the ODI format, batting average becomes more important. Because, in the 50-over format, a batter has a higher chance of making his batting average increase. There are multiple players who have boasted a batting average of around 50 for most of the time in their careers. In the article, we will discuss about the players with the highest batting average with a ranking factor of at least 20 innings played by each batter. With that being said, let’s take a look at 10 batters with the highest batting average in ODIs:

10. Ibrahim Zadran

Afghanistan’s star opener Ibrahim Zadran has come to the limelight after scoring the highest runs in Champions Trophy history. Also, he helped Afghanistan knock off England from the tournament. It speaks volumes about the player. In ODIs, he has played 35 games and scored 1634 runs at an average of 51.04.

9. Jonathan Trott

England’s former cricketer and Afghanistan’s present coach Jonathan Trott has the ninth-best average in the ODIs. He was a terrific batter of his time, especially in the Tests. He was a part of the ODI team from 2009 to 2014 where he played 68 games and amassed 2819 runs at an average of 51.25. He was an important member of the English team for a long time.

8. Ben Duckett

Another English player in today’s time is Ben Duckett who recently scored 165 runs against Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025. Despite playing just 20 games as of now, Duckett has cemented his place in the ODI team. In 20 games, the player has scored 996 runs at an average of 52.42. Duckett has a long way to go in his career if he continues to do his best in the format.

7. AB de Villiers

South Africa’s former captain AB de Villiers is known as Mr 360 for his magnificent stroke play against the bowlers. De Villiers played for the Proteas from 2005 to 2018. He has amassed 9577 runs in 228 matches at an average of 53.50. The world still remembers him for his excellent gameplay in the ODIs. His highest score in the format is 176 runs.

6. Michael Bevan

Australia’s former star cricketer Michael Bevan was a part of the ODI cricket team from 1994 to 2004. He played in 232 games and scored 6912 runs at an average of 53.58. He was an important player in the ODIs and his absence was felt for a long time. His average is the sixth-best in the history of the game.

5. Babar Azam

Pakistan’s opening batter, Babar Azam, is currently playing for the team in the Champions Trophy 2025. While the player is going through a lean patch in his career, his ODI average remains unaffected. In 128 games, the player has scored 6106 runs at an average of 55.50. He has a lot of years left to score more and improve his average in the upcoming years. Babar is one of the classic batters of the Pakistan team.

4. Dawid Malan

England’s Dawid Malan has the fourth-most batting average in ODI format. He has just played 30 matches and scored 1450 runs. This is the reason why his average is 55.76. Malan was a good batter but failed to score runs in crunch situations. This is the main reason why he couldn’t cement his place in the ODI team.

3. Virat Kohli

India’s star batter and one of the best batters in cricket, Virat Kohli, is in third place despite having a bad phase in cricket. In the game against Pakistan, Kohli scored a blistering century in the Champions Trophy 2025. Kohli is a prolific batter who has played 299 games in ODIs and scored 14058 runs at an average of 58.20. He has played the highest number of games on the list and hasn’t let the average drop. This is the main reason why he is known as the best in the sport.

2. Shubman Gill

Another fantastic batter from India, Shubman Gill, has recently entered the cricket field. Despite making his debut in 2019, Gill failed to cement his place in the team. However, he has been performing really well lately and scored a century against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025.

He has also played just 52 games and scored 2734 runs at an average of 62.13. Gill is a magnificent top-order batter who strikes well in the power plays. India is lucky to have a good top-order batter like Gill.

1. Ryan ten Doeschate

Netherlands’ former player Ryan ten Doeschate has the best batting average in ODI cricket. He has played just 33 games. He has scored 1514 runs at an average of 67. Since he has played less number of games, he has the best average. Ryan has announced his retirement from cricket and is India’s fielding coach across formats.

List of Batters with Highest Batting Average in ODIs