Best Opener in the World – A Complete Analysis

In cricket, the opener has the toughest job: they have to face the weight of expectations from the crowd and team, new bowlers and a brand new ball. When an opener gets the team off to a good start, it sets up a long innings and totals that can win the game. Here’s a closer look at the top 5 openers in cricket history, with stats and what made them so good. This list includes The Little Master Sunil Gavaskar to Queen of World Cricket Smriti Mandhana 

Best Opener in the World

Rank	Name	International Matches as Opener	Runs as Opener	Country
1	Sachin Tendulkar	340	15,310	India
2	Sanath Jayasuriya	383	12,740	Sri Lanka
3	Alastair Cook	278	11,845	England
4	Chris Gayle	274	10,179	West Indies
5	Sunil Gavaskar	203	9,607	India
6	Adam Gilchrist	259	9,200	Australia
7	Sourav Ganguly	236	9,146	India
8	Graeme Smith	196	9,030	South Africa
9	David Warner	202	8,747	Australia
10	Matthew Hayden	184	8,626	Australia

1. Sunil Gavaskar (India)

Gavaskar scored 10,122 runs in 125 Tests, averaging 51.12, and made 34 centuries. He was the first to score over 10,000 Test runs. He could bat for hours against fast bowlers and that made him a legend. Gavaskar’s way was by the book—he hit the ball late and close to his body which helped him handle swing and movement off the seam. He was mentally tough and could read bowlers, which gave him an edge.

Sunil Gavaskar Career:

Format	Mat	Runs	HS	Avg	SR	4s	6s	50s	100s	200s
Test	125	10,122	236	51.12	66.05	1016	26	45	34	4
ODI	108	3,092	103	35.14	62.27	234	21	27	1	0

2. Matthew Hayden (Australia)

Hayden scored 8,625 runs in 103 Tests, averaging 50.73 with 30 centuries. In One Day Internationals he scored 6,133 runs in 161 matches and had a strike rate of 86.9. Hayden was both powerful and good at defending which let him take charge against new ball bowling. He moved his feet quickly which helped him deal with short balls and be aggressive early on.

Matthew Hayden Career:

Format	Mat	Runs	HS	Avg	Sr	4s	6s	50s	100s	200s
Test	103	8,625	380	50.74	60.11	1049	82	29	30	2
ODI	161	6,133	181	43.81	78.97	636	87	36	10	0
T20I	9	308	73	51.33	143.93	37	13	4	0	0
IPL	32	1,107	93	36.90	137.52	121	44	8	0	0

3. Alastair Cook (England)

Cook retired as England’s top Test run-scorer with 12,472 runs in 161 Tests. He averaged 45.35 and made 33 centuries. He could stay at the crease for a long time which was a big reason England won a lot of games. Cook was calm and could adjust to any situation. He was great in tough conditions away from home and used mental tricks like imagining success to stay focused when things got tough.

Alastair Cook Career:

Format	Mat	Runs	HS	Avg	SR	4s	6s	50s	100s	200s
Test	161	12,472	294	45.35	46.96	1441	11	57	33	5
ODI	92	3,204	137	36.41	77.14	363	10	19	5	0
T20I	4	61	26	15.25	112.97	10	0	0	0	0

4. Graeme Smith (South Africa)

Graeme Smith scored 9,265 runs in 117 Tests, averaging 48.25, with 27 centuries. He was an opener and captain for a long time and was known for his aggressive batting. Smith wasn’t afraid of anything which helped him get the better of some of the best bowlers ever. He would practice in situations that felt like real pressure which made him better at performing when the stakes were high.

Graeme Smith Career:

Format	Mat	Runs	HS	Avg	SR	4s	6s	50s	100s	200s
Test	117	9,265	277	47.76	59.68	1165	24	38	27	5
ODI	197	6,989	141	37.78	80.82	789	44	47	10	0
T20I	33	982	89	31.68	127.54	123	26	5	0	0
IPL	29	739	91	28.42	110.63	94	9	4	0	0

5. Smriti Mandhana (India)

Smriti Mandhana is a key player in women’s cricket. As of 2025 she has scored over 4500 in 105+ ODIs. She averages about 46 with a strike rate near 87 and has 11 ODI centuries. In T20Is she averages above 30 with really impactful innings and has over 3800 runs including 31 half-centuries and 1 century. Smriti’s consistency across formats have made her a force to reckon with. Her batting has that touch of elegance along with Consistency which separates her from other players in women’s cricket 

Smriti Mandhana Career:

Format	Mat	Runs	HS	Avg	SR	4s	6s	50s	100s	200s
Test	7	629	149	57.18	63.73	108	3	3	2	0
ODI	105	4,588	136	46.34	87.83	555	54	31	11	0
T20I	153	3,982	112	29.94	123.98	540	76	31	1	0