Indian cricket has long been synonymous with batting excellence in the One Day International (ODI) arena. Technical mastery of Sachin Tendulkar And Rahul Dravid to the fearless stroke play of modern-day stars like Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohlithe country produced an assembly line of big hitters who defined generations.
Jason Gillespie reveals his top 5 Indian ODI batters
Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gilespie recently shared his list of top five Indian ODI batters during a discussion on YouTube channel The Fast Bowling Cartel. His selections, however, sparked significant debate as he left out one of the game’s most iconic names: Tendulkar.
Gillespie started his list with Shikhar Dhawan at number five, emphasizing that the left-hander’s consistency often goes unnoticed. He pointed to Dhawan’s impressive career figures – an average of 44 and a strike rate of 91 – as proof of his reliability and impact. The Australian noted that Dhawan’s ability to perform in ICC tournaments and key bilateral series made him one of the most reliable Indian top-order batters of the modern era.
“Shikhar Dhawan would be number 5 for me. I think he has gone under the radar a bit. An average of 44 with a strike rate of 91, which is a huge number. So he would be my number five Dhawan,” Gilchrist said.
At number four, Gillespie placed MS Dhonidescribing him as the “ultimate finisher” of limited-overs cricket. The former pacer praised Dhoni not only for his batting figures but also his game awareness and leadership. He pointed out that Dhoni’s calmness under pressure and his knack for timing his innings perfectly were qualities that set him apart from most of the world’s batters.
“Dhoni would be number four for me. Dhoni’s numbers are absolutely brilliant and you know what a finisher he was,” Gillespie added.
Gillespie’s number three choice was Virender Sehwagthe explosive opener that redefined India’s approach to ODIs. He admired Sehwag’s fearless batting style, which laid the foundation for India’s dominance in the early overs and often broke the opposition’s rhythm before they could settle down.
“Virender Sehwag would be number three for me. A strike rate of around 105, averaging in the mid 30s, is very good and he comes third on my list,” explained the former Australian leader.
Also READ: AB de Villiers names Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni among others in his top 10 batters in ODI cricket
For the second spot, Gillespie opted for Rohit, calling him a “complete modern ODI batsman”. He was particularly impressed with Rohit’s ability to play long innings and convert starts into mammoth scores. Gillespie said Rohit’s strike rate of 93 and average close to 50 underline his rare combination of aggression and consistency.
At the top of the list, Gillespie named Kohli, describing him as the most complete ODI hitter in the world. Gillespie praised Kohli’s impeccable chase records, unrivaled fitness levels and thirst for runs, which have made him one of the most dominant figures in modern cricket.
“The real surprise is probably at number two. Here I would put Rohit Sharma at number 2. I mean, with three ODI double centuries, Rohit Sharma is the number 2 batsman for me. With his strike rate of 93 and his average below 50, that’s pretty good. Number one is absolutely no surprise that Virat Kohli is number 1, I would even say that I think he is the best ODI player in the world,” added Gillespie.
Sachin Tendulkar exclusion shocks fans
Although he recognized several greats, Gillespie’s omission of Tendulkar – India’s top scorer in ODIs and one of cricket’s all-time legends – surprised fans around the world. Tendulkar’s monumental record of over 18,000 runs, 49 centuries and a career spanning over two decades was long considered untouchable. His exclusion from the top five has sparked a debate among cricket fans over whether modern measures of strike rates and conversion rates should trump longevity and impact.
Gillespie clarifies his position on Tendulkar
Anticipating controversy, Gillespie clarified that Tendulkar’s absence from his top five did not reflect any doubt about his greatness. Instead, he explained that his criteria was based on modern ODI dynamics, where the pace of scores and the impact of the match carry more weight.
“I have some very good players who have been left out and probably no one is bigger than Sachin. He is number six on my list. So that in itself is controversial,” admitted Gillespie.
Ranking Tendulkar just outside his top five, Gillespie acknowledged the legend’s immense influence, but suggested that the new generation of Indian batting has further raised the standards in ODI batting. Yet his comments reignited the timeless debate: Can anyone truly surpass Sachin Tendulkar when it comes to defining Indian batting greatness?
ALSO READ: Wasim Akram names his top 5 batters in world cricket
