Former pacer Jason Gillespie ranks Virat Kohli as India’s greatest ODI batter, excluding Tendulkar.
New Delhi
Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has stirred debate in the cricketing fraternity by leaving out Sachin Tendulkar from his list of India’s top five ODI batters of all time. Gillespie, announcing his picks ahead of the India–Australia T20I series, ranked Virat Kohli at the top while placing Tendulkar at No. 6, calling it a “tough decision.”
Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest batters in history, finished his ODI career with 18,426 runs from 463 matches, including 49 centuries. Despite those staggering numbers, Gillespie’s list prioritised players from the modern era for their strike rates and impact in big games.
Gillespie’s top five featured Shikhar Dhawan at fifth place for his explosive starts and consistency at the top, followed by MS Dhoni at fourth, credited for his finishing prowess and leadership. Virender Sehwag, known for redefining aggressive batting with a strike rate of over 104 in 241 ODIs, was placed third. Rohit Sharma, who recently led India to the 2025 Champions Trophy title and remains the only player with three ODI double centuries, took second place.
At the top stood Virat Kohli, the modern-day giant of ODI cricket, who has scored 14,255 runs at an average of 57.71 and a strike rate of 93.25, along with a record 51 centuries.
Meanwhile, Gillespie’s former teammate Glenn McGrath released his own list, including Tendulkar at No. 3, alongside Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni, and Yuvraj Singh — all key contributors to India’s ODI legacy.
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Jason Gillespie’s Top 5 Indian ODI Batters: 1. Virat Kohli 2. Rohit Sharma 3. Virender Sehwag 4. MS Dhoni 5. Shikhar Dhawan.