After a successful IPL, all the focus shifts on India vs Australia series which comprises three ODI, three T20Is, and four Tests. The series starts with the ODIs and talking about ODI cricket, India has the No.1 batsman in ODIs at the moment. Virat Kohli is ranked No.1 in the ICC ODI Rankings and Rohit Sharma is not far behind him.
There are some people who believe that Virat Kohli is the best in ODI cricket but if we go by the all-time ratings then he is not even in the top five. Virat Kohli is at the sixth position with 911 rating points but then who is in the top five? Let’s have a look at the five batsmen with the highest ratings in ODI cricket.
5. Dean Jones – 918 points
We all know that Dean Jones is not with us anymore. Unfortunately, he passed away during the IPL when he was working for the broadcaster. Dean Jones has been one of the best in ODI cricket. People say that he was ahead of his time as he used to take on the bowlers at times. He reached 918 rating points in 1991 in a series against West Indies.
Jones has scored 6068 runs in 161 innings at an average of 44.62 and a strike-rate of 72.57. He was a great coach as well and the cricketing world is missing him.
4. David Gower – 919 points
David Gower the left-handed batsman for England reached the rating of 919 points way back in 1983 against New Zealand. Gower played in 114 ODIs as he scored 3170 runs with an average of 30.78 and a strike-rate of 75.15 with the highest score of 158. He was one of the finest to have played the game.
3. Greg Chappell – 921 points
Greg Chappell is famous in India as the coach who ruined Indian cricket but many might also know that he is one of the greatest batsmen to have played the game. He reached a rating of 921 points in 1981 against New Zealand.
The right-handed batsman has scored 2331 runs in 72 innings at an average of 40.19 and a strike-rate of 75.71. He hit three centuries in his ODI career. He was the best Australian batsman of his time.
2. Zaheer Abbas – 931 points
Zaheer Abbas who was known as the Asian Bradman was a run-making machine for Pakistan. He was a great timer of the cricket ball and was the finest when it came to piercing gaps in the field. He reached a rating of 931 points in 1983 against New Zealand.
He played only 62 ODIs but he scored 2572 runs at an average of 47.63 and a strike-rate of 84.8. The average and the strike-rate are something that separated him from the rest. Abbas will always remain as one of the greats of Pakistan cricket and world cricket.
1. Sir Vivian Richards – 935 points
Michael Holding was once asked about the best batsman in his era and without taking a second, he answered – Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards. The swag with which he used to bat was at a different level. Sir Viv Richards played 187 ODIs and scored 6721 runs at an average of 47 and a strike-rate of 90.2.
A strike-rate of over 90 was unheard of in those days as he just used to dominate the bowling. He reached the highest rating points in 1985 against Pakistan. He is arguably the best batsmen to have played ODI cricket.
