Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Subramaniam Badrinath has put together his personal list of the five greatest ODI cricketers of all time, and the name that stands out by its absence is Virat Kohli.Despite Kohli’s enormous standing in the modern game, Badrinath did not find room for him among his chosen five.
Badrinath’s list, shared on his Instagram handle, places Sachin Tendulkar at number one. Tendulkar remains the highest run-getter in ODI cricket history, a distinction that makes him a near-universal first choice on any such list. Ricky Ponting comes in at number two. The Australian was a two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain, lifting the trophy in 2003 and 2007, and his record across formats made him one of the most complete batters the game has produced.
Michael Bevan occupies the third spot. Widely regarded as one of the finest finishers the game has ever seen, Bevan scored 6,912 runs across 232 ODIs at an average of 53.58, with 6 hundreds and 46 fifties to his name. Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara is placed fourth on Badrinath’s list. Sangakkara accumulated 14,234 runs in 404 ODIs, averaging 41.98, with 25 hundreds and 93 fifties across his career.
Rounding off the five is Pakistan’s Wasim Akram, who holds the record for the most wickets by a pacer in ODI cricket and ranks second overall among all ODI wicket-takers. Akram’s ability to swing the ball both ways and his effectiveness in the death overs made him a transformative figure in the format.
Why does Kohli’s omission from Badrinath’s list stand out?
Virat Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008 and has since built one of the most celebrated batting records in the format’s history. His omission from Badrinath’s list is notable given the volume of runs he has accumulated and the consistency he has shown across conditions and opposition over nearly two decades of international cricket.
The debate around Kohli’s place among the all-time greats in ODI cricket is ongoing, and Badrinath’s decision to leave him out in favour of players such as Bevan and Sangakkara reflects a particular view that values finishing ability, longevity and all-round impact across different eras of the format.
How has Kohli been performing in ODIs recently?
Meanwhile, Kohli has shown he remains a force in the format. In the first ODI against New Zealand, he scored 74 off 51 balls, showing his appetite for big innings at the top level hasn’t diminished.
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His recent form will keep the conversation about his all-time standing alive, even as former players like Badrinath continue to make cases for cricketers from earlier generations when compiling their personal rankings.
