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Who would be your openers in all-time ODI XI?

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SLcric123

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Two names, who really set apart everyone and would be your pick in ODI formats of the game.

Below is a link sorted in terms of runs scored as an opener along with their batting average.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...ed;orderby=runs;template=results;type=batting

Sachin is an obvious pick but it comes down to whom you pick as second opener-Jayasuriya, Gilchrist, Gayle, Ganguly, Anwar, Amla, Mark Waugh etc.

Jayasuriya and Gilchrist add extra options to batting as well. I will have SRT and Jayasuriya. What would be your pick for openers in all-time XI?
 
Tendulkar & Gilchrist for me.

While Tendulkar is known for playing long innings, I will have him pair with Gilchrist, who was known for giving aggressive start early on.

One Asian and one non-Asian batsmen opening the batting balances up the conditions as well. This is where I would pick a Gilly over Jayasuriya or Anwar or Rohit.

Gilly will be my wicket-keeper as well and I will have Dhoni as captain and finisher at 6.
 
Jayasuriya and kaluwitharana.

Probably the most devastating openers.

Both are average batsman. But they could fit together like a lock and key and made a killer combination.
 
Amla and Tendulker. The perfect ODI openers for any era and for all opponents and situations.
 
Sachin and Gilchrist will be my openers. This gives left-right combination as well.
 
Tendulkar-Jayasuriya today; Tendulkar-Rohit in two years.
 
For Asia/Non-Asia balance, gotta go with Tendulkar-Gilchrist.
 
Only going by batting - Tendulkar and Greenidge

But if I were to add balance to my XI - Tendulkar and Jayasuriya
 
Tendulkar and Gilchrist if I am factoring in team balance because if Gilly's keeping.

But as pure opening batsmen I'd go with Tendulkar and Rohit.
 
Openers in ODIs (Qualification Min 5000 runs)

openers.jpg
 
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Mohammed Hafeez and Salem Elahi - would pay to watch these two open the batting together against a bowling attack of McGrath, Lillee, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall — these two gentlemen would make getting out look like a fine art against this bowling attack, with such variety of creative dismissals. :)
 
Itachi said:
Jayasuriya and kaluwitharana.

Probably the most devastating openers.

Both are average batsman. But they could fit together like a lock and key and made a killer combination.
Click to expand...
And I can bet my house on the fact that you are a SL supporter :D
 
QalandarFan said:
Gordon Greenidge was great but not a lot of people talk about his partner who was also a very devastating opener Desmond Haynes, really enjoy watching videos of Haynes bat especially that hook shoot he was soo good at.
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Desmond Haynes was amazing but Greenidge was always the more popular batsman in that partnership. He was the Sehwag of his era. Huge player in that famous West Indian team.
 
Bilal7 said:
Amla and Tendulker. The perfect ODI openers for any era and for all opponents and situations.
Click to expand...

I think they would have made a great pair. Tendulkar was a talker and loved batting with people who had some intellect. Tendulkar would bring Amla’s absolute best.
 
Gilly's ODI record is a mirror image of Sehwag. Both of them destructive but not consistent enough to merit a place as openers in an ATG XI.

Sachin and Rohit for me.
 
Rohit if wants to become ATG will have to score 10k runs as opener at 55-60 avg. Around 35 centuries and one great worldcup knock would surely do it for him. Atm It's Tendulkar & Gilly for me.
 
Sam99 said:
Rohit if wants to become ATG will have to score 10k runs as opener at 55-60 avg. Around 35 centuries and one great worldcup knock would surely do it for him. Atm It's Tendulkar & Gilly for me.
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Kohli's dream run has inflated your expectations. 55-60 average is no joke. Anything in the 45 range with contribution in important matches is valuable.
 
freelance_cricketer said:
Kohli's dream run has inflated your expectations. 55-60 average is no joke. Anything in the 45 range with contribution in important matches is valuable.
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Rohit has scored almost 5500 runs in 108 innings at avg of 58 so why can't he maintain avg of 55 as opener till end of his career? This is his peak and his avg will increase more for next 2 years.
 
In subcontinent ,
Jayasuriya and Scahin.Extra spinner and Dhoni as wK and finisher.
Outside Gilchrist and Sachin.
 
Saeed Anwar and Rohit Sharma!!!!
Or Jayasuria and Rohit Sharma
 
Sam99 said:
Rohit has scored almost 5500 runs in 108 innings at avg of 58 so why can't he maintain avg of 55 as opener till end of his career? This is his peak and his avg will increase more for next 2 years.
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He's also going through a dream run. If he continues it for a few years he will not merely be an ATG but arguably the best ever only behind Tendulkar maybe. Having said that decline is part of the game. Eventually if an opener can retire with 45+ average with 10k plus runs he is surely a great. 55-60 career average is no joke.
 
I doubt if even Kohli could retire with 55+ ODI average. Staggering achievement for a number 3 batsman.
 
freelance_cricketer said:
He's also going through a dream run. If he continues it for a few years he will not merely be an ATG but arguably the best ever only behind Tendulkar maybe. Having said that decline is part of the game. Eventually if an opener can retire with 45+ average with 10k plus runs he is surely a great. 55-60 career average is no joke.
Click to expand...

I reckon Kohli will decline harder than Rohit. Kohli is already at his peak now, and he seems to have lost his ability to go full aggressive like in the past (50 ball hundred for example). Kohli looks tired while batting these days, even though scorecard doesn't show it, he's clearly overworked. Rohit on the other hand is only getting better every match. He can surpass Kohli to become the no.1 ODI batsman in near future.
 
Joseph Gomes said:
I reckon Kohli will decline harder than Rohit. Kohli is already at his peak now, and he seems to have lost his ability to go full aggressive like in the past (50 ball hundred for example). Kohli looks tired while batting these days, even though scorecard doesn't show it, he's clearly overworked. Rohit on the other hand is only getting better every match. He can surpass Kohli to become the no.1 ODI batsman in near future.
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He showed glimpses of his old aggression in 1st ODI where he was more attacking than Sharma.

Sharma is definitely chasing Kohli for the top spot right now. Indian fans are blessed to have one of the most dangerous top 3 ever in LOIs. Dhawan is also right up there especially in big tournaments.
 
I will go with Sachin and Gilchrist.

Sachin's average and S/R for that era, if put in consideration today, would be 55@95 in my opinion which is higher than Rohit's 48@89.
 
Majid Khan said:
Mohammed Hafeez and Salem Elahi - would pay to watch these two open the batting together against a bowling attack of McGrath, Lillee, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall — these two gentlemen would make getting out look like a fine art against this bowling attack, with such variety of creative dismissals. :)
Click to expand...

The bowlers would be shivering at the sight of such a combo , they would send the balls outside earth orbit :)))
 
Tendulkar and Rohit.

If it was for ICC tournaments alone, I'd swap Rohit for Dhawan.
 
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Once in a lifetime combo:

Shahid Afridi+Gautam Gambhir

#JashneIshqa
 
Seriously though:

Herschelle Gibbs+ Sanath Jayasuriya

*50 Cent and The Game ‘how we do’ music entrance.
 
Tendulkar and Gilchrist.

Was pretty tempted by Gayle though.
 
Sachin and Lara for me. Lefty and righty combo. Great technical skills and attacking batsmen. Not sure why Lara didn't continue as an opener after early 90s.
 
Sachin Tendulkar - Brian Lara

Followed by
Viv, Kohli, ABDV,
Dhoni,
Kapil, Hadlee
Akram, Saqlain and Garner
 
Tendulkar
GilChrist
Viv Richards
Dean Jones
Javed Miandad
M. Bevan
Lance Klusner
Wasim Akram
Shane warne
Saqlain Mushtaq
Joel Garner

This team will beat the best of the teams on any surface
 
Justcrazy said:
Tendulkar
GilChrist
Viv Richards
Dean Jones
Javed Miandad
M. Bevan
Lance Klusner
Wasim Akram
Shane warne
Saqlain Mushtaq
Joel Garner

This team will beat the best of the teams on any surface
Click to expand...

Miandad and Jones above Kohli and AB?
2 spinners?
 
Honestly. All time XIs don't even make sense anymore. The game has changed so much and I think it's advanced drastically even to what it was 10 years ago. Batsmen technique is improved meticulously with technology
Modern day openers are just so good.
Nostalgia aside, a Rohit of today would beat Sachin for an opening slot. There's a very strong case of modern day ODI greats being much better than the greats of yesteryear.
 
TheNightWatchman said:
Honestly. All time XIs don't even make sense anymore. The game has changed so much and I think it's advanced drastically even to what it was 10 years ago. Batsmen technique is improved meticulously with technology
Modern day openers are just so good.
Nostalgia aside, a Rohit of today would beat Sachin for an opening slot. There's a very strong case of modern day ODI greats being much better than the greats of yesteryear.
Click to expand...

Now discount that technology advantage.
 
Procter said:
Now discount that technology advantage.
Click to expand...

You can't discount anything. You can only compare batsmen with others in the same generation. The rest is speculation on "How would Sachin fare in current ODIs" or "How would Rohit do against Mcgrath and warne". The truth is we don't know
 
I replied as it is a fun thought exercise but in reality it is true that comparisons across eras is futile. A player can only be compared to his contemporaries. The game changes too much, rendering comparisons useless.
 
1695121947061.png
How will you rate this opening pair from England? Is this pair the most destructive pair in ODI?
what do you say?
 
BouncerGuy said:
View attachment 136553
How will you rate this opening pair from England? Is this pair the most destructive pair in ODI?
what do you say?
Click to expand...
Between 2017-2019, they were a phenomenal player and came in clutch during the 2019 World Cup especially when England were in a difficult situation.

Post 2019 World Cup Roy’s form dipped dramatically.

At an individual level, Bairstow is one of the best ODI openers ever and certainly the best England have produced to date.

His numbers and performances in this format are staggering.
 
I saw many picked Sachin and Gilchrist that is a pretty good choice but I would go with Sachin and Gayle.
 
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