Who is the largest/ the biggest opening batsman ever?
It is human nature to know the best of a kind. Let it be food, clothes, games, etc. Similarly, we have such feelings for our ideal cricketers too. There is a big list when it comes to choosing the best cricketer but has someone thought who is the best and the largest opening batsman of all times? Many of us have got some hint, right? Cricket pits the batting force of two nations against one another on several occasions these days. As a result, it has become more important to rack up massive amounts of money to beat the opposition out of the game. The role of the opener, too, has changed with a changing mind. Whereas they had previously been charged with seeing the new ball started, the openers are now entrusted with having a roller start to set the foundation for a big score. Over the years, some of ODI's finest cricketers have been fighting at the top of the list. Also today, the pattern has not changed, and the teams are seeking to ensure that their best batsmen face the new ball. Thus, with openers now taking more liability, it is warranted that we take a look at who the best openers in the world are today. Some of the best and largest opening batsmen are listed below.
Sachin Tendulkar, India
It's a familiar face, as Sachin Tendulkar takes his spot at the top of the list, having scored a total of over 15,000 ODI runs in the opening positions. He holds almost every record in batsmen's ODI cricket, including the first-ever double-century in type, made against South Africa in 2010. Mohammad Azharuddin's decision to make Sachin Tendulkar open in ODIs-because Navjot Sidhu, the usual opener, had a stiff neck-proved a turning point in Tendulkar's career, and India's ODI history. Tendulkar scored 82 out of 49 balls in his first opening match in Auckland. In 344 matches as an opener, he made 15,310 runs at 48.29 (and 45 of his 49 ODI hundreds) compared to 3116 at 33 out of 119 games in which he beat down.
Rohit Sharma, India
Since his debut, there have been question marks about Rohit's performance, but in his golden streak, with a host of splendid innings, he has put those fears to rest. At this juncture, he's the only batsman in cricket in the world to boast 3 ODI double-hundreds, with his highest score of 264 against Sri Lanka's head and shoulders above everyone else's best score.
Shikhar Dhawan, India
Dhawan averages an impressive 44.95 in ODIs with a strike rate of 93.99 rendering him a lethal batsman at the start of the innings. Moreover, he's almost as skilled at playing seam and spin, rendering him a challenging batsman to keep quiet. The left-hander is a beauty personified as he plays off-side and has shots all over the park to place bowlers under the pump.
Jonny Bairstow, England
Bairstow capitalized on the ability that Morgan had brought him to the top, and has not looked down since then. While Bairstow hasn't played as many games as the others on this list, an average of 48.02 in 50 innings isn't anything to be scoffed at. In comparison, his strike rate of 104.56 makes him as terrifying a batsman as any on the globe. In its present form, Bairstow is clearly one of the finest openers and has been England's mainstay in the last few years. However, the fact that Bairstow played just 54 ODIs and did not compete in a number of conditions puts him only below the top ranking. The wicket-keeper, however, is entirely capable of scaling the top to be the best opener. And don't be shocked if he sets his marker at the 2019 World Cup and ends the opener issue once and for all.
Hashim Amla, South Africa
The right-hander came onto the scene as a proficient test batsman over the years, molding his game to be ever-present in both Tests and ODIs. Amla averages an incredible 50.34 in the fifty over format and rarely lets his team down. The right-handed batsman is still very good at keeping things running and hitting at a pace of 89.31 per 100 balls. Moreover, more often than not, he transforms his strong beginnings and has recently been the fastest man to 27 ODI hundred. While he attracted a lot of flak because of the intensity of his record-breaking speech, the slackness was just an aberration, and definitely not the norm.
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