Most of the batters who have made their mark in the ODI format of the game
By Play Dynamics 08-07-2026 7
Centuries in ODI cricket are among the greatest accolades for a batsman. It takes patience, shot selection, fitness, shot rotation and speed in the right moments. Today, the name of Virat Kohli is the first one that springs to mind when people think about most centuries in ODI. Indian batter has crossed Sachin Tendulkar's ODI 100 record and is now considered as the best century maker in ODI cricket.
According to ODI batting records page, Virat Kohli is the leading scorer of hundreds in ODI cricket followed by Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. In 2026, Kohli's ODI career came into spotlight again after Reuters reported that he had 14,797 runs from 311 matches, which is the second-best figure in the ODI format after Sachin Tendulkar.
Virat Kohli is the King of ODI Centuries
Virat Kohli has revolutionized the way an ODI batsman is looked at. Unlike many batters who championed just slow build-up of an innings, Kohli showed how to chase targets, rotate the strike and build a hundred from a start. He was one of the most dangerous and consistent ODI batters of the world in his run chases.
Kohli's ODI record of a hundred is unique as he has hit his century in a hurry. Sachin Tendulkar had to play 463 ODI games to register 49 ODI hundreds, while Kohli managed to achieve the milestone in much lesser number of games. “If Kohli could bring any value to the team, he will keep the 2027 ODI World Cup in his mind as part of the rationale for his retirement from T20 cricket and Test cricket,” Reuters reported.
Sachin Tendulkar: ODI Master of the game
Virat Kohli is not the only player to be considered as the undisputed king of ODI hundreds after him, Sachin Tendulkar was the king of ODI hundreds. Tendulkar hit 49 centuries in ODIS since 1989 till 2012. For an extended number of years, this record seemed to be unbreakable.
Sachin was a time when ODI cricket was different. Batting power plays, umpiring restrictions, larger bats and aggressive scoring were not as highly developed as they are now. There was also a little more left to the bowlers in certain areas of the game. However, Tendulkar was able to stay the king for over 20 years.
He had played World cup Cricket, Sharjah classics, desert storm innings and many match winning performances for India in his ODI career. Sachin's legacy continues to be unmatched, despite his lack in the top for ODI centuries, as he was instrumental in changing how opening batsmen bat in the format.
Rohit Sharma: The Century Machine for India
Rohit is another Big name in the list of most ODI centuries. On the ODI records page ESPNcricinfo has ranked Rohit among the top three ODI century makers in the world, ahead of Virat and Sachin.
Rohit’s record is unique because of his ability to score daddy hundreds. He is the only batsman to hit three ODI double centuries of which the brilliant 264 off the Sri Lanka bowlers is the highest ODI individual score in the history of ODI cricket. Kohli is known for chasing and consistency while Rohit is known for hitting hundreds in one-goal.
Other Top ODI Century Makers
Ricky Ponting is also one of the best ODI batsman in the history. The former Australia captain had 30 ODI centuries to his name and was a key contributor to Australia's dominant era in the 1990s and 2000s. His aggressive bat and performances in huge matches ensured that he was one of the more successful ODI players ever.
Important players in ODI century records are also Sanath Jayasuriya, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara, Chris Gayle and David Warner. All of them had a different twist to the concept. Jayasuriya revolutionised the powerplay batting, Amala was the elegant and consistent batsman, AB de Villiers was an innovator and Gayle was the explosive hitter.
The real reason behind ODI Centuries?
An ODI 100 is not the same as a T20 50 or a Test 100. A batsman in ODIs should be at a balance between risk and patience. There are only 50 overs in an innings and if a batsman bats too slowly, he cannot be caught. Meanwhile, losing wickets early can have a negative effect on the team.
That is the reason why ODI centuries are valuable. They tend to be the bases for a large sum or a successful purses. It can be a match for a player's career, a century in a pressure match, particularly a World Cup or knockout game.
Final Thoughts
Sachin Tendulkar is now the top scorer in ODI cricket history followed by Rohit Sharma and currently led by Virat Kohli. Kohli has become the benchmark for ODI batting in the modern era and Tendulkar was the original hero who set the standard. Rohit Sharma's big 100s further cement India's dominance in batting records of ODIs.
These are not just numbers for the record of the most ODIs centuries. It demonstrates consistency, fitness and temperament and ability under pressure. This is why the names at the top of this list are considered to be some of the best cricket batters of all time.
Tags : sports most centuries in odi
