Indian legend Sunil Gabascal chooses the most destructive opening batter in ODI cricket
ODI Cricket has undergone major changes and is less obvious than the role of opening the batter. In the early days, openers were expected to play carefully, see new balls and lay the foundation for the middle order.
Evolution of ODI opening batting: From attention to aggression
Favorite player Sunil Gavaskar and Jeff Boycott It often focused on wicket preservation rather than accelerating scoring rates. However, as limited over cricket became popular, the team began to realize the importance of taking advantage of fielding restrictions in the first 15 overs.
The turning point came in the mid-1990s in Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kalwitarana He shattered traditional wisdom by attacking bowlers from Ball One, a strategy that played a key role in the 1996 World Cup victory. Their offensive mindset forced the team to rethink their approach, paving the way for a new kind of opener that prioritized quickstarts over mere survival.
By the early 2000s, Adam Gilchrist It took this philosophy to another level, offering Australia a fiery start to major tournaments, including the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. Virender Sehwag Following the lawsuit against India, it shows that fearless approaches can lead to consistent success. Brendon McCallum It further pushed the boundaries of the 2015 World Cup, dismantling the bowling attack within the first 10 overs, making early aggression a critical feature of modern ODI batting.
Modern Opener: The Art of Controlled Attack
The first wave of offensive openers focused solely on full-scale attacks, but Hyundai witnessed the fusion of power hits and calculation shot selection. Favorite player Rohit Sharma, David Warner and Johnny Bairstow He has mastered the skills to build innings while maintaining a high strike rate. Unlike early offensive openers, which relied on purely explosive starts, these batsmen combine aggression and consistency, making them dominant forces in ODI cricket. In particular, Rohit redefines the role of the opener with his ability to translate the obvious start of the third century record centuries in ODI into a mammoth score.
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Sunil Gavaskar reveals his choice for the most destructive ODI opening batter
Former Indian cricketer Gabascal welcomed Rohit as the most destructive opener in world cricket after a century of winning his match England In Cuttack’s second ODI. Faced with great pressure for the lean patch, Rohit responded with style, destroying a breathtaking 119 from just 90 balls to lead India to a comfortable victory, chasing 305 tough targets . As a strong statement before ICC Champions TrophyIt is scheduled to start on February 19th.
In his column Sports StarGavaskar pointed out that Rohit’s ability to convert significantly to a start will become one of the most feared batsmen in ODI.
“Rohit is perhaps the most devastating opening batter in a one-day game, and his impressive form is a key factor if India wants to regain the trophy they won in 2013. This form, and Rohit is one of those rare hitters.” Gabasker wrote.