Top 5 Current ODI Batsmen With The Highest Combined Average and Strike Rate

Andre Russell has the highest strike rate for any ODI batsmanThe ability of a batsman to score runs consistently is a much-valued asset to his team, and there are quite a few batsmen across the world, who can pull this off. And then there are batsmen who score runs rapidly, and prove to be equally invaluable to their teams in the death overs.Again, there are many batsmen who specialise in death-batting. But it is the intersection of these two talents – the ability to score consistently while maintaining a high average, that has far fewer specialists in the field. Here’s a look at the Top 5 Current ODI Batsmen With The Highest Combined Average and Strike Rate:

#5 Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson has had an incredible streak of form and has made the most of it, plundering away at bowling attacks

A prodigal batsman that has critics abuzz with excitement every time he walks out to bat, Kane Williamson has already been touted by many as the most talented New Zealand batsman of all time.

Walking in at the top of the order, Williamson has provided starts for the Kiwis since his ODI debut against India in 2010, which have not just been consistent, but quick as well. The most important part is that Williamson has the numbers to back his immense talent:

Matches: 85

Runs: 3362

Average: 48.02

Strike Rate: 84.19

#4 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has saved the Indian innings multiple times with fearless displays of batting

A typical modern-day batsman, Virat Kohli never fails to show his aggression in his batting, and perpetually wears his heart on his sleeve. His calculated risk-taking and a vast array of shots straight from the batsman’s handbook have made him an idol for the cricketing youth of this generation.

Although his hot-headedness on the field has been received with displeasure by many, few can speak ill of Kohli’s statistics, which speak for themselves, and underline the colossal potential that the 26-year-old possesses:

Matches: 166

Runs: 6831

Average: 50.60

Strike Rate: 89.50

#3 MS Dhoni

M.S. Dhoni has come a long way from his humble beginnings, to become one of the most effective batsmen in world cricket

Captain Cool, the Iceman; these are but a few terms used to describe Indias most successful captainand a phenomenal batsman in his own right.

Although Dhoni may not possess the technicality or the orthodox shots that, say Sachinhad, he has proved to be one of the most effective batsmen in the world, with his strong wrists and exceptional running between the wickets.

He has steered India out of trouble, followingmany a top-order collapse and continues to do so in the shorter formats of the game, making him invaluable to the Men in Blue. Again, his statistics only highlight his worth to the Indian side:

Matches: 270

Runs: 8832

Average: 52.26

Strike Rate: 89.10

#2 Hashim Amla

Amla has frustrated sevreal bowling attacks with his monk-like patience and classy shot selection

A masterful strokeplayer lucky enough to have the temperament to utilize his potential to the fullest, Hashim Amla is without a doubt among the best ODI batsmen of this generation.

Playing with a flowing batstroke and picking his gaps to perfection have allowed Amla to rise to the top very quickly, despite his relatively late entry into international cricket. He is the fastest man to reach 20 ODI centuries, having achieved the feat in a mere 108 innings, a full 25 innings less than the previous record holder Virat Kohli, who needed 133 innings.

Amla’s statistics describe the extent of his achievements with great accuracy:

Matches: 126

Runs: 6008

Average: 52.70

Strike Rate: 89.36

#1 AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers is the only batsman in cricketing history to have crossed 2000 runs with a strike rate of 100+

In recent times, the word Superman has been used more to describe this South African batsman than the fictional hero himself. Such is the mastery of AB de Villiers over the willow.

With seeming impossible shots all around the ground, and a knack for driving bowlers insane with his seemingly invulnerable batting, the South African has broken records, as well as the morale of several oppositions with equal ease.

For years, bowlers have tried to find a chink in his armour, a proverbial Achilles heel, but to no avail. Even more astounding, is the rate at which de Villiers gets his runs, with all his centuries coming at greater than a run a ball. Here are the mind-boggling statistics:

Matches: 195

Runs: 8403

Average: 54.21

Strike Rate: 100.28