Sachin Tendulkar Vs Rohit Sharma – Who Is The Better Opening Batsman In ODI

Mar 29, 2020 at 2:21 PM

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Sachin Tendulkar Vs Rohit Sharma – Who Is The Better Opening Batsman In ODI

While the present limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma is one of the most successful openers in the present time, the legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar achieved huge success as an ODI opener. But now the question is who is the better ODI opener among them.

Sachin Tendulkar was one of the greatest cricketers. Even Tendulkar retired from the international cricket in November 2013, but he is still the most run-scorer in international cricket as well as Test and ODI formats. No other batsmen are even close to his run tally in the international career.

In his international career, Tendulkar was a strong performer with the bat in many top-order/upper middle-order batting positions. But in ODI cricket, the right-handed batsman was especially strong as an opener.

Tendulkar first time opened in international cricket on 27th March 1994 during the Auckland ODI against the hosts New Zealand where he scored the match-winning 82 runs off just 49 balls (15 fours and 2 sixes). As he performed confidently as an opener, Tendulkar got regular chances, and he utilised it in a significant way.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, ODI opener
Sachin Tendulkar (Image Credit: Getty Images)

In his ODI career, Tendulkar played as an opener in more than 75% innings. The right-handed batsman scored 15,310 runs in 340 ODI innings with an average of 48.29 and strike-rate of 88.05. As an ODI opener, he hit 45 centuries and 75 half-centuries as his innings/century was 7.6. Tendulkar was the first batsman to scored an ODI double-century, and that came as an opener.

On the other hand, Rohit Sharma has also played a long international career. Though he has also achieved some success in various batting positions, he has taken himself to the extraordinary level as an opener in every format.

After batting in 138 innings as an ODI opener, Rohit has scored 7,148 runs with an average of 58.11 and strike-rate of 92.26. The ODI opener Rohit has hit 27 centuries and 31 half-centuries as he has scored a century in almost every five innings (5.1).

Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, ODI opener
Rohit Sharma (Image Credit: Twitter)

Rohit is the only batsman to hit more than one ODI double-century as the right-handed batsman has hit it for thrice. All those three ODI double-centuries came as the opening batsman.

Sachin Tendulkar vs Rohit Sharma: as the ODI openers

Stats Sachin Tendulkar Rohit Sharma
Matches 344 140
Innings 340 138
Runs 15,310 7,148
Highest Score 200* 264
Average 48.29 58.11
Strike Rate 88.05 92.26
100s/50s 45/75 27/31
Inns/100 7.6 5.1

Though the present stats are supporting Rohit Sharma’s dominance as an ODI opener than Sachin Tendulkar, both are the special opening batsmen in the different generations. ODI cricket is hugely different between the era of Tendulkar and Rohit. So, it will be better to not compare them, rather than just enjoy the batting magic.

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