Opening batsmen are the players who launch a cricket team’s batting innings. They begin with the fresh ball and have to contend with the opponent’s fast bowlers’ initial attacks. Opening batsmen have excellent spatial awareness as well as an excellent technique to react to vicious fast bowlers. They still have a range of shots in their arsenal to provide every batting side an early lift. They’re often renowned for scoring huge runs in ODI matches as they hold to the mound for the first few spells. And now, here is our unique ranking of the top 10 best opening batsmen.
Top 10 Best Opening Batsmen in Cricket History [2024 Ranking]
10. Graham Gooch – England
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age in 2024 | 69 |
| Status | Retired |
| Team | England |
| 100s | 28 |
Graham Gooch, the successful England opener, is rated No. 10 after combining a significant number of runs in Test cricket with a good ODI record. Gooch could smash the ball almost everywhere with his signature hard bat, and he always laid excellent foundations for his side at the top of the order. He didn’t get as many centuries as he might have wanted, but he always had a wonderful career as one of the most prolific openers of all time.
09. Quinton De Kock – South Africa
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 31 |
| Status | Active |
| Team | South Africa |
| 100s | 24 |
The latest scenario is for Virat Kohli to break several of AB de Villiers’ records, which are then surpassed by Hashim Amla, who is then broken by his opening partner Quinton de Kock. Since his debut, the left-hander has become a marvel for the Proteas at the top of the order, breaking all records in this style. In 2013, he shot to fame after scoring three centuries in a three-match ODI series against India, and he hasn’t stopped since.
The wicketkeeper-bat has a strong combination of accuracy and violence, accumulating 5051 runs at 45.10 average, and a strike rate of 87, with 15 centuries and 25 fifties. He has his team off to a fast start and has the potential to hit for strength, as he has shown over the past few years. The left-hander takes the ninth position on the list of best openers in cricket history.
08. Shane Watson – Australia
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 42 |
| Status | Retired |
| Team | Australia |
| 100s | 9 |
Shane Watson was an uncompromising cricketer who faced injuries early in his career but has since found his spot for Australia. He emerged as one of the most lethal openers in cricket history with an average of almost 46. He could score runs easily at the top of the order and has really come into his own over the last few years of his career. The dashing Aussie was known for his bloodthirsty batting style and was a real nightmare for the bowlers when he was in his mode.
07. Shikhar Dhawan – India
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 38 |
| Status | Active |
| Team | India |
| Total Runs | 9898+ |
Fans can be critical of Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan’s results, but the Delhi batsman deserves better because he is one of the world’s most underestimated openers. For the Men in Blue, he does an excellent job of taking the team off to a strong start while encouraging his opening partner Rohit Sharma to take his time. However, he frequently ends up going out on the cheap.
In all of the ICC One-Day International tournaments in the last 4-5 years, the dashing lefty has been one of India’s best batsmen as well as one of the best opening batsmen in the world. With the aid of 17 centuries and 31 fifties in 137 matches, he averaged 45.43 and scored 5906 runs at a strike rate of 94.
06. Gordon Greenidge – West Indies
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 72 |
| Status | Retired |
| Team | West Indies |
| 100s | 30 |
Gordon Greenidge’s strong stroke play controlled both Tests and ODIs, making him a frightening threat for opposing bowlers. The West Indian’s long-form prowess adapted beautifully to the shorter version, and he helped keep his team above the world rankings. He tore opposition bowlers to pieces with partner Desmond Haynes, leaving them and their bowling figures deeply affected. Gordon’s unmatchable batting skills brought him among the top 10 best openers in the world.
05. David Warner – Australia
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 37 |
| Status | Active |
| Team | Australia |
| 100s | 44 |
Warner is regarded as one of the greatest openers in cricket history. David Warner’s 2016 was a remarkable year for him, as the Australian vice-captain recorded 1388 runs in the year, including seven centuries. Just six centuries have been scored by the lefty throughout the rest of his career. He is one of the greatest Australian openers in history.
Warner has remained remarkably reliable over the last three years, and he has begun to adjust to the format’s demands, which has been his undoing in ODIs for some time. Warner, who is renowned for his big-hitting skills, has already gotten his team off to a strong start in field restriction overs and has now learned to speed his innings and remain at the crease for longer periods of time, making him even more dangerous.
04. Tillakaratne Dilshan – Srilanka
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 47 |
| Status | Retired |
| Team | Srilanka |
| 100s | 38 |
Tillakaratne Dilshan is another inventive and imaginative batsman who looks to reach boundaries at any chance and only defends when absolutely appropriate. Tillakaratne Dilshan, a Sri Lankan batsman, saw his career take off after he began opening for the national team.
In 1999, he made his one-day international debut against Zimbabwe, scoring 163 runs in the process. With his impactful all-around performance, the rampaging opening batsman also lit up the 2011 World Cup. Dilshan’s average increased to 40.04 when batting as the opener, with 21 hundred and 34 half-centuries. In 2008, he was offered the opportunity to open with his squad.
03. Hashim Amla – South Africa
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 40 |
| Status | Retired |
| Team | South Africa |
| 100s | 55 |
The former cricketer, Hashim Amla, who is known around the world as a bully of Test bowlers, has also performed admirably for South Africa in one-day internationals. While he isn’t renowned for being an aggressive batsman, his high strike rate demonstrates that he can pick up the pace when necessary and help his team gain an early advantage. Because of the way he complements his opening partner de Kock, the two are probably one of the most effective opening combos. His capacity to rotate the strike in the middle overs and hold the scoreboard ticking distinguishes him from the competitors. With 27 tons and 39 fifties, he surely is one of the greatest openers ever in cricket history.
02. Rohit Sharma – India
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 36 |
| Status | Active |
| Team | India |
| 100s | 39 |
Rohit Sharma has been a totally different player since being asked to open the innings in 2013. He has taken to the task like a fish to water. The right-hander has not only cemented his position in the Indian squad but has also established himself as one of the best openers in the world, breaking records along the way.
Rohit prefers to take his time settling in and bat for as many overs as necessary while Dhawan is the aggressor. When Rohit gets his eye in, everybody knows how risky he can be, as he has a habit of scoring big anytime he gets a start. He’s been doing it since 2013, and he’s even amassed two double centuries in the format, including the best-ever ODI score of 264. He is the second-best opener in cricket history.
01. Sachin Tendulkar – India
| Facts | |
|---|---|
| Age | 50 |
| Status | Retired |
| Team | India |
| Total Runs | 34357 |
The master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored over 15,000 ODI runs in the opening positions, is placed first on the list. He holds nearly every ODI batsman record, including the first-ever double-century in the style, which he scored against South Africa in 2010.
Tendulkar was a full batsman who could play both defensively and offensively, and he handled the immense demands of the Indian public admirably. No one can beat him when it comes to opening batting skills as he rules the top-best opening batsmen in the world.
Here is our updated list of the world’s top-opening batsmen. We hope you enjoyed this compilation. Also, don’t forget to let us know what you think about this list in the comments section below
The list of best openers in cricket history includes:
01. Sachin Tendulkar – India
02. Rohit Sharma – India
03. Hashim Amla – South Africa
04. Tillakaratne Dilshan – Srilanka
05. David Warner – Australia
06. Gordon Greenidge – West Indies
07. Shikhar Dhawan – India
08. Shane Watson – Australia
09. Quinton De Kock – South Africa
10. Graham Gooch – England
