Opening the batting across formats have different challenges. In Test match cricket, openers’ job is to see off the new ball and ensure that the middle-order doesn’t face the first new ball. In ODIs, with the advent of new tactics, they not only need to provide good starts but also play spin well. In the shortest format, which is the T20I, they need to make the most of the powerplay overs.
All of the above mentioned job profiles of an opening batter is not for everyone. This is why opening the batting is a specialised position. Meanwhile, in this listicle, we will discuss the top 10 best openers across formats in modern day cricket.
Top 10 Best Openers in World Cricket
10. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
The Afghanistan international has played decent enough white-ball cricket and has done well. His national side doesn’t play much Test-match cricket which is why his Test numbers cannot be discussed. Meanwhile, Gurbaz is the only player who has featured in this list and has played international cricket despite being born in 2001. The right-hander’s stroke making and his ability to win games for the team has catched the imagination. He was the pillar of the batting when Afghanistan made it to the semis of the T20 World Cup.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 48 | 1778 | 8 | 6 |
| T20I | 60 | 1585 | 1 | 4 |
9. Rachin Ravindra
The right-handed batter from Pakistan hasn’t played enough at the highest level. He has played a fOne of the biggest talents, Ravindra has shown why he can be an all-format great in the future. Blessed with a correct batting technique, he knows how to adjust his game plan as per the format. The left-hander was the highest run getter for New Zealand during the ODI World cUP 2023. Even though he has a young career, the left-hander has immense potential. He hasn’t opened the batting in Tests though.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 14 | 526 | 2 | 1 |
| T20I | 8 | 126 | 0 | 1 |
8. Pathum Nissanka
In his initial 3-4 years in international cricket, Nissanka has shown why Mickey Arthur was keen on taking him for the T20 World Cup 2021. The former Sri Lanka head coach has said that the right-hander has great potential even though his domestic numbers didn’t suggest the same at the time. However, Nissanka became the only Sri Lankan with a double hundred in ODI cricket. He and Mendis have carried the Sri Lankan batting and would hope that they get a good middle order to support them.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 69 | 2548 | 6 | 16 |
| T20I | 65 | 1854 | 0 | 14 |
| Tests | 18 | 1305 | 4 | 7 |
Read Also:- Top 10 Fastest 50 in T20 World Cup History
7. Yashasvi Jaiswal
The T20 World Cup 2024 winner has opened the batting for India across formats. However, he has gotten limited opportunities in ODIs and has gotten the most in Tests and T20Is. He was good enough to make it to the T20 World Cup’s 15-member team that won the title last year. Meanwhile, Jaiswal’s numbers in Tests are great and aren’t bad in the T20Is either.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 23 | 723 | 1 | 5 |
| Tests | 24 | 2091 | 5 | 12 |
6. Ben Duckett
England opening batter across formats has been a great success in Test and ODI format. He hasn’t gotten enough opportunities in the shortest format. However, he began to rise at the highest level after getting the opportunity to open the batting regularly in 2022 in Tests.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 14 | 781 | 2 | 5 |
| T20I | 9 | 221 | 0 | 2 |
| Tests | 35 | 2742 | 6 | 14 |
5. Shai Hope
The wicketkeeper-batter from the West Indies has been one of the best players in the side in recent years. He may not be the world beater but has done a decent job for the two-time T20 World Cup winners. However, he does face the criticism of not having much of an impact in terms of taking the team through. He does have a decent strike rate though.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 21 | 578 | 1 | 3 |
| T20I | 50 | 2509 | 7 | 14 |
| Tests | 17 | 874 | 2 | 4 |
4. Shubman Gill
The newly-appointed Test captain of India has opened the batting across all formats of the game. He isn’t a certainty in the T20I format but is a first-choice opener in the ODIs. The 2025 Champions Trophy winner is currently batting in the middle-order against England. Meanwhile, he has decent numbers as opener in one format and fantastic in others.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 21 | 578 | 1 | 3 |
| T20I | 50 | 2509 | 7 | 14 |
| Tests | 17 | 874 | 2 | 4 |
3. Mitchell Marsh
The newly-anointed Australia’s T20I opening batter did the same job for the Lucknow SuperGiants in the IPL 2025 due to team combination. He did a great job with more than 600 runs in the season. In the ongoing T20I series in the West Indies, the two-time ODI World Cup winner is doing the same job. The T20I captain is expected to do this job at least till the T20 World Cup 2026.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 7 | 616 | 1 | 2 |
| T20I | 6 | 98 | 0 | 0 |
2. Travis Head
The 2023 World Cup winner opens the batting in white-ball cricket for Australia. Currently, he has been rested for the ongoing series against the West Indies. Meanwhile, in the last few years, Head has shown that if he bats for at least half an innings in both white-ball formats, he can win the matches for Australia. He has opened for the Yellow Brigade in 40 ODIs and has scored 1867 runs while amassing 774 runs in 22 T20Is.
Head’s numbers as opening batter.
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 40 | 1867 | 30 | 45 |
| T20I | 22 | 774 | 5 | 27 |
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1. Rohit Sharma
The T20 World Cup 2024 winning captain has retired from Tests and T20I. Even though he doesn’t have great numbers in the red-ball format, the right-hander had a great impact in the limited overs cricket after the 2022 debacle. After having faced the humiliation of leading a team that lost by 10 wickets in a semifinal, Sharma took it upon himself to lead the change the way India approaches white-ball cricket.
He led India to the final of the 2023 while winning the 2024 T20 WC and 2025 Champions Trophy. Talking about his ODI and T20I numbers as opener, the two-time T20 World Cup winner has played 184 ODIs and 124 T20Is. The former Test and T20I captain has amassed 9138 ODI runs and 3750 T20I runs.
Sharma’s ODI and T20I numbers as opener
| Format | Matches | Runs | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 184 | 9138 | 30 | 45 |
| T20I | 124 | 3750 | 5 | 27 |
