Top 10 Best Top-Order Batsmen In ODI Cricket Right Now

October 20, 2021 By Sourav

Starting from Sachin Tendulkar to Don Bradman, many of the greatest players in cricket history batted in top orders. And even after their retirement, several amazing players are also playing in that same position. Top-order batsmen are not only the main batting pillar of any team but also the leading run-scorer of the team’s history. They possess extreme batting skills with great technique. Most of the batsmen who play in the top-order also have various shots to play throughout the ground. And, here goes our exclusive list of the best top-order batsmen in ODI cricket right now.

Best Top-Order Batsmen In ODI Cricket Right Now | 2021 Updates

We recently published a list of the best opening batsmen in ODI cricket. But, this series will be really incomplete without the mention of some of the best batsmen that played in top orders, mostly from number 3 to number 6. SO, here goes our exclusive list of the best top-order batsmen in ODI 2021.

10. Mushfiqur Rahim

Bangladeshi cricket star Mushfiqur Rahim previously captained his national side. Besides, he now plays for the Rajshahi Division in domestic cricket and also for the Bangladesh Premier League side Chittagong Vikings.

He previously played for Karachi Kings, Rajshahi Kings, and Nangarhar Leopards. In 2019, ESPN named him among the ‘World Fame 100’ as one of the most popular Asian cricketers.

Mushfiqur Rahim scored 219 runs, the highest runs scored in a test match by any Bangladeshi player. He also holds his place as the second batsman to score 4,000 runs in Test cricket.

He recently became a part of the Bangladeshi national team that participated in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. During that tournament, he scored his first century against Australia. And by doing that, he became the third player from Bangladesh to score a century in the World Cup.

9. Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler, one of the best top-order batsmen in ODI, currently plays for the England national cricket team. Besides being a talented batsman, he also holds his place among one of the best wicketkeepers in the world.

He currently plays for the Sydney Thunder and Rajasthan Royals. Moreover, he also plays county cricket for the Lancashire club. He previously played for the Indian Premier League side Mumbai Indians.

Jos Buttler currently acts as vice-captain of his national side. And recently, in 2019, he started playing for the Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals.

During his young cricketing career, he won the Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year award in 2010. Besides his brilliant batting skill, he also mesmerizes his fans with his amazing wicket-keeping skills.

8. Usman Khawaja

One of the best left-handed batsmen globally, Usman Khawaja, currently plays for the Australian national cricket team. Besides, he also plays for Sydney Thunder and Queensland in domestic cricket.

Moreover, he now also captains the Queensland cricket team. He previously played for several other cricket clubs such as New South Wales, Derbyshire, Lancashire, and Rising Pune Supergiant.

Usman Khawaja recently became a part of the Australian cricket team that took part in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Besides, he also recently appeared in the 2019 Ashes Series.

However, in both the tournaments, he failed to deliver impressive performance. And in April 2018, the Australian cricket board signed a central contract with him. And now, he has become an integral part of the Australian side.

7. Shai Hope

One of the best top-order batsmen in ODI, Shai Hope, currently plays for the West Indian cricket team. Besides, he also plays for Barbados in domestic cricket. Moreover, he also plays for the Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League.

And recently, in 2019, he signed for Bangladesh Premier League side Rangpur Rangers. But, he is yet to start his career in the Indian Premier League.

Shai Hope recently won the Men's Cricketer of the Year in 2018 by the West Indian cricket board. Besides, he also received the Test Cricketer of the Year in the annual Cricket West Indies' Awards.

Moreover, he also received the ODI Cricketer of the Year from the Caribbean board. And again, in 2019, he won the consecutive ODI Player of the Year by the West Indian cricket board.

6. Joe Root

Without any doubt, Joe Root is one of the best top-order batsmen in ODI cricket. He currently captains the England national cricket team. Besides, he also plays for Yorkshire in county cricket.

And recently, in 2019, he signed a contract with the Big Bash League franchise Sydney Thunder. Besides his brilliant batting, he also frequently catches the attention of cricket pundits with his awesome spin bowling skill.

Joe Root recently captained the England team that won the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Besides, he also earned his place among the top 10 batsmen in the ICC ODI ranking in 2019.

England Cricket board recently also named him among the England Greatest Test XI in August 2018. He also won the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2014. And in 2015, he won the England Limited-Overs Cricketer of the Year award.

5. Kane Williamson

Needless to say, Kane Williamson is one of the best top-order batsmen in 2021. He currently captains the New Zealand Cricket team. Besides, he also plays for the Northern Districts in domestic cricket.

And since 2015, he has become an integral part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. This talented cricketer previously played for several other county clubs like Gloucestershire and Yorkshire.

Kane Williamson recently helped the Kiwi team to secure second place in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Besides, he also received the player of the tournament award on that occasion.

Moreover, he also captained the side at the 2016 ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup. Recently in June 2019, he signed a contract with the 2019 Global T20 Canada franchise Edmonton Royals.

4. Ross Taylor

The former captain of the Kiwis, Ross Taylor, currently plays for the New Zealand cricket team. He plays domestic cricket for Central Districts. Moreover, he also plays for the Middlesex.

He previously played for several other Indian Premier League franchises such as Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, and Pune Warriors India. Moreover, he previously played county cricket for Nottinghamshire and Sussex.

Ross Taylor recently participated as a part of the Kiwi team at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Besides, he also helped the team to secure second place in the tournament. ICC and Cricinfo both named him among the World ODI XI in 2018.

Recently in 2017, he became the first batsman from New Zealand to score a century against each test-playing nation. And now, he received his place among the greatest Kiwi athletes of all time.

3. Faf du Plessis

One of the best top-order batsmen in ODI, Francois du Plessis, currently plays for the South African national cricket team. Besides, he also plays for the Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings.

Moreover, he also recently signed to play for Kent in county cricket. He previously also played for several other clubs such as Chennai Super Kings, Melbourne Renegades, and Rising Pune Supergiants.

Francois du Plessis currently captains the South African team in both the Test and ODI formats. Since 2012, he became the fourth batsmen from South Africa to score a Test century on debut.

South African cricket board recently won the Men's Cricketer of the Year award in August 2019. Recently in March 2019, he crossed the 5000-run benchmark in ODI cricket.

2. Babar Azam

One of the greatest batsmen of current cricket, Babar Azam, currently plays for the Pakistan national cricket team. He is the current vice-captain of the ODI team and the captain of the Twenty20 international team.

Besides his national side, he also plays for Central Punjab in domestic cricket. Moreover, he also plays for the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League. He recently signed for the county club Somerset in 2019.

Babar Azam earned his place in the ICC World ODI XI in 2017. He also won the ODI Player of the year by the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2017. Besides, he also achieved the PCB T20I Player of the year in 2018.

He recently scored 474 runs in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. And by doing that, he became the best Pakistan batsman to score the most runs in a single Cricket World Cup.

1. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli, one of the greatest cricketers of all time, currently captains the Indian national cricket team. Besides, he also plays for the Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He currently plays domestic cricket for the Delhi state. Recently in 2019, he created a world record for having the best ICC batsman’s rating in all three cricket formats, Test, ODI, and Twenty20 international.

Virat Kohli won the CEAT International Cricketer of the Year three times till now. Besides, he also achieved the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World three times. He received the Polly Umrigar Award for International Cricketer of the Year five times till 2019.

Besides, he became the ICC ODI Player of the Year award three times and ICC Test Player of the Year in 2018. Moreover, he won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy twice till now.

Conclusion

So, here goes our exclusive list of the best top-order batsmen in ODI cricket right now. We hope you liked this list. And, don’t forget to send us your valuable opinion about this list in the comment box below.

Best Top-Order Batsmen | 2021 Infographics

FAQs Regarding Best Top-Order Batsmen

Q. Who is No 1 ODI batsman now?

Virat Kohli is the best batsman in the world and the greatest ODI cricketer. As the captain of India, he is currently ranked in the top spot in the ICC ODI player rankings for 2021. In addition to his best performances, he also has a huge fan following across the globe as a cricketer.

Q. Who is the No 1 batsman in 2021?

Following his fifth-place ranking in the latest ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, Rohit Sharma on Wednesday overtook his skipper Virat Kohli as the top-ranked Indian batsman. He is one of the best cricketers in India and in history as well.

Q. Who is No 1 Test batsman?

In the latest ICC Test rankings, Rohit Sharma is the top-ranked Indian batsman. In the latest ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, England's Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot for batsmen.

Q. Who is better, batsman Kohli or Rohit?

Virat Kohli has played 90 T20Is and scored 3159 runs, with a batting average of 52.65 and a strike rate of 139.04. Despite not having a century to his name, Kohli leads Rohit in half-centuries (28). So far, Virat Koli has hit 285 boundaries and 42 sixes in T20I cricket.