Sachin Tendulkar (L) and Virat Kohli (R) (Source: AFP)
India’s journey in ODI cricket has mostly been a story of batting dominance. The dominance is built on volume, longevity, and an unending hunger for runs among the batters.
From the times when TV coverage was limited and ‘not much-paced’ pitches to modern-day HD viewing experience and high-scoring games, India’s batting greats completely reshaped the dynamics of ODI cricket.
That said, here’s a look at the top 10 Indian batters with the most ODI runs till January 19, 2026.
Top 10 Indian batters with most ODI runs till January 19, 2026
Sachin Tendulkar (1989-2012) - 18,426 ODI runs
Sachin Tendulkar, the all-time batting legend, proved his mettle across all formats that were played in his era. Apart from being the leading run-scorer of all time in Tests, he is also the leading run-scorer of all time in ODIs.
In the 55-year history of ODI cricket, Sachin retired as an all-time batting great in the format, with numerous records to his name. The batting maestro played for India in ODIs for more than 22 years from 1989 to 2012, the longest ever career in the history of ODIs.
He scored 18,426 runs in 452 innings of the 463 ODIs he played; the Master Blaster scored these runs with a brilliant batting average of 44.83, hitting 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries.
Virat Kohli (2008-Present) - 14,797 ODI runs
The The modern-day batting great and one of the all-time batting greats, Virat Kohli, has been in a sensational run of form in the ODIs. He has redefined the batting dynamics in the age when most cricketers hang up their boots in limited-overs cricket.
Kohli is the second leading run-scorer of all time in ODIs, alongside being at the same spot in the list of leading run-scorers of all time in ODIs for India. He has scored 14,797 runs in 299 innings of the 311 games he has played.
The 37-year-old has scored these runs at an average of 58.71, hitting 54 centuries and 77 half-centuries. He is also the batter with the most ODI centuries of all time.
Besides his batting prowess, Kohli captained India in 95 ODIs, winning 65 and losing just 27, including a tied game and two games without any result.
Rohit Sharma (2007-Present) - 11,577 ODI runs
The The batting stalwart and the former skipper, Rohit Sharma, has established himself as one of the all-time batting greats to play ODIs for India.is the only batter in ODI history to smash three double centuries in this format. Besides that, he is the third leading run-scorer of all time in ODIs for India.
Rohit has scored 11,577 runs in 274 innings of 282 ODIs he has played so far. The veteran opener has scored these runs at an average of 48.84, hitting 33 centuries and 61 half-centuries. He is also ninth in the list of leading run-scorers of all time in ODIs.
Sourav Ganguly (1992-2007) - 11,221 ODI runs
The former skipper and one of the top-performing top-order batters in his era, Sourav Ganguly served the Indian cricket team in ODIs for 15 years from 1992 to 2007. Ganguly played 308 ODIs for India, scoring 11,221 runs in 297 innings, at an average of 40.95, including 22 centuries and 71 half-centuries.
He ranks fourth in the list of the top 10 Indian batters with the most ODI runs. Apart from his batting contributions to Indian cricket, Ganguly also led the Men in Blue in 147 ODIs, winning 76 and losing 66, including 5 no-result games. He ended his captaincy term as one of the most successful ODI captains of India.
Rahul Dravid (1996-2011) - 10,768 ODI runs
India’s ‘wall’ in Tests, Rahul Dravid, was also a core element in the ODI setup during his 15-year-long ODI career. He played 308 ODIs for India, excluding three for ICC World XI and one game for Asia XI.
In the 314 innings for India, Dravid scored 10,768 runs, at an average of 39.15, hitting 12 centuries and 82 half-centuries. He ranks fifth in the list of top 10 batters with the most ODI runs for India.
He also captained Team India in 79 ODIs, winning 42, losing 33, and having four games end without a result.
MS Dhoni (2004-2019) - 10,599 ODI runs
The most successful ODI captain to lead India, MS Dhoni, also dominated the cricketing world with his batting excellence in the format. He played a total of 350 ODIs in his 15-year career, including 347 for India and three for Asia XI in 2007.
For India, MS Dhoni scored 10,599 runs in 294 innings at a commendable batting average of 50.23, hitting nine centuries and 73 half-centuries. He is sixth in the list of leading run-scorers in ODIs for India.
Dhoni also guided India to win three ICC titles, including the T20 World Cup 2007, the ODI World Cup 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He captained the side in 200 ODIs, winning 110 and losing 74, including five tied matches and 11 no-result fixtures.
Mohammad Azharuddin (1985-2000) - 9,378 ODI runs
The former India skipper, Mohammad Azharuddin, was the only captain to lead India in three World Cup editions from 1992 to 1999. Besides that, he also proved his worth with the bat, scoring 9,378 runs in 308 innings, with seven centuries and 58 half-centuries.
Azharuddin ranks seventh among the top 10 Indian batters with the most ODI runs. He also led India in 175 ODIs, winning 90, losing 77, and recording two ties and six no-results.
Yuvraj Singh (2000-2017) - 8,609 ODI runs
The former World Champion all-rounder, Yuvraj Singh, was one of the biggest match-winners for India during his 17-year-long ODI career. He played a total of 304 ODIs in his career, including 301 for India and three for Asia XI.
In the 304 ODIs for India, he scored 8,609 runs in 275 innings, at an average of 36.47, hitting 14 centuries and 52 half-centuries. He ranks eighth in the list of top 10 batters with the most runs in ODIs for India.
Virender Sehwag (1999-2013) - 7,995 ODI runs
The former blistering opener, Virender Sehwag, featured in 251 ODIs during his 14-year-long career from 1999 to 2013. Out of these 251 ODIs, he played 241 for India, alongside playing seven for Asia XI and three for ICC World XI.
For India, Sehwag scored 7,995 runs in 235 innings with an average of 35.37, hitting 15 centuries and 37 half-centuries. He is also one of the only few Indian batters to smash an ODI double century, alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shubman Gill.
Sehwag is placed at the ninth spot among the top 10 Indian batters in ODIs, alongside being one of the most impactful openers in his era.
Shikhar Dhawan (2010-2022) - 6,793 ODI runs
Shikhar Dhawan, another former opener, impressed everyone with his power-hitting in the ODIs. He represented India in ODIs for more than a decade from 2010 to 2022, playing 167 ODIs. In these appearances, he batted in 164 innings, scoring 6,793 runs, averaging 44.11, with 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries.
Dhawan, alongside former skipper Rohit Sharma, was India’s stable opening choice for a period of almost nine years from 2013 to 2022. He ranks 10th among the top 10 Indian batters with the most ODI runs.
