Sachin Tendulkar (L), Virat Kohli (C), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (R) (Source: AFP)
The former India batting great, Sachin Tendulkar, holds numerous ODI records he set during his 23-year career. Hitting 96 half-centuries in ODIs is one of Sachin’s rarest batting records, which he made during his glorious career.
The record is still untouched even after more than 13 years of his retirement from the ODIs. However, some of the currently active batters seem to have the potential to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most half-centuries in ODIs. Here’s a look at 5 players who can surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s 96 half-centuries in ODIs.
5 Players who can break Sachin Tendulkar’s 96 ODI half-centuries record
Virat Kohli - India
The modern-day batting, Virat Kohli, has redefined the twilight with his sensational run of form with the bat in the ODIs. He has been in stunning touch, defying the fact that he is 37.
In the last nine ODI innings, he has scored 616 runs with an astonishing average of 88.00, hitting three centuries and three half-centuries. Speaking of his overall ODI career, Kohli has 77 half-centuries to his name, just 19 half-centuries away from equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s record and 20 from surpassing the latter.
As he is expected to play for India in ODIs until the World Cup 2027, Kohli could surpass Sachin’s record given his current form and fitness.
Yashasvi Jaiswal - India
The young India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to take over the opening duties as the former skipper and veteran opener, Rohit Sharma, could hang up his boots after the ODI World Cup 2027. He has a knack for converting quick starts into milestones like fifties or centuries. across all formats.
Apart from 4 ODI appearances, Jaiswal has played 39 List-A games, scoring 1,746 runs in 39 innings, including six centuries and seven half-centuries.
He is also one of the top candidates to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most ODI half-centuries, owing to the young age and almost a decade of cricket left in him.
Shubman Gill - India
India skipper and star opener, Shubman Gill, is one of the promising talents for his side in the ODIs. He has amazed everyone with his outstanding batting performances in the 50-over format at the highest level of the game. Gill has represented India in 61 ODIs, scoring 2,953 runs at an average of 55.71, including eight centuries, 17 half-centuries, and an ODI double ton.
Gill has played just 61 games in ODIs so far and is expected to play more in this format for the next eight to ten years. This factor is likely to give him an edge in becoming the player with the most half-centuries in ODIs, surpassing the former India legend, Sachin Tendulkar.
Harry Brook - England
England’s aggressive middle-order batter, Harry Brook, is known for attacking from the first ball. He has played 38 ODIs, scoring 1,354 runs at an average of 39.82, with three centuries and six half-centuries.
Brook made his ODI debut for England in 2023 and has an ODI career of just three years. His current form and batting in the top middle order might give him enough chances to equal or surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most half-centuries in ODIs.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius
South Africa’s teenage batting prodigy, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, impressed everyone with a half-century on his ODI debut. His fifty on debut was followed by the knocks of 46 and 39 runs, respectively, in the two succeeding ODIs.
In his short but impressive List-A career, the 19-year-old has scored 863 runs in 19 innings at an average of 47.94, with three centuries and four half-centuries.
Considering his age of just 19 and the chance to play for almost the next 15 years, he has a proper chance to end up as the batter with the most ODI half-centuries.
