Cricket has witnessed some of the finest batting performances from some of the legendary opening batters. Openers play a big role in laying the foundation for a big score. The advent of T20 cricket and more batter-friendly wickets has definitely helped the batters to score heavily.
Fans have cherished the domination of the batters due to this and have enjoyed some big opening partnerships. Teams have discussed workload management, where some batters only play one format in white ball cricket to avoid injury concerns.
Scoring big centuries is definitely a big challenge for the openers, especially while facing superior bowling line-ups on wickets aiding pacers.
It also becomes a big challenge for the openers when the ball is new, as it swings a lot initially. In this piece, we discuss batters who have scored the most centuries as an opener in International cricket.
The list comprises past legends and modern-day batters who have scored centuries as openers, batting under pressure with a strong temperament, solid technique, and the ability to adjust to conditions and wickets.
Some batters mentioned in the list have batted in different positions, such as the middle order, which showcases their adaptability in various roles. They have showcased tremendous longevity as openers across all formats.
We discuss openers who have consistently scored centuries in International cricket, performing impressively in demanding situations.
1. David Warner (Australia, 49 centuries)
The former Australian opener scored 49 centuries across all formats with his aggressive batting.
The former left-hander destroyed the best bowling line-ups on his day and enjoyed batting on bouncy wickets. The 38-year-old scored 22 ODI centuries as an opener, 26 centuries as an opener in tests, and 1 century as an opener in T20Is.
2. Sachin Tendulkar (India, 45 centuries)
Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was amongst the most consistent run-getters for India as an opener. The former legend was a nightmare for the bowlers and scored a lot of runs as an opener.
The former right-hander scored 45 centuries in ODI cricket as an opener. Although Tendulkar didn’t score a century in tests as an opener. He also batted in the middle order in some matches. Tendulkar showcased longevity due to his fitness, which enabled him to score big hundreds as an opener.
3. Rohit Sharma (India, 44 centuries)
Rohit Sharma showcased tremendous adaptability in all three formats, scoring runs consistently as an opener.
The former India skipper possessed the technique and temperament to survive in demanding conditions in all three formats. The 38-year-old scored 30 centuries as an opener in ODIs, 9 centuries as an opener in tests, and 5 centuries in T20Is.
4. Chris Gayle (West Indies, 42 centuries)
“The Universal Boss,” as he was fondly called, was destructive with his brutal hitting abilities. The former West Indian opener showcased a fearless attitude, smashing the best bowling line-ups with his aggressive style of play.
Gayle hit the ball cleanly, and his strong bottom did the job for him. Gayle played his natural game in all three formats and adapted to conditions and wickets quickly, which enabled him to score centuries in all three formats as an opener. He scored 25 centuries as an opener in ODIs, 15 centuries as an opener in tests, and 2 in T20Is.
5. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka, 41 centuries)
Arguably, amongst the most dangerous batters in world cricket, Jayasuriya changed the concept of batting in the limited-overs format. The former Sri Lanka opener and skipper cracked apart the best bowling line-ups with his attacking style of play. Jayasuriya terrorized the best bowlers in world cricket.
His ability to accelerate and build small partnerships enabled him to score centuries while opening the innings. The former left-hander scored 28 centuries as an opener in ODIs and 13 centuries as an opener in tests.
6. Matthew Hayden (Australia, 40 centuries)
The former Australian opener batted with an aggressive mindset, attacking the bowlers and putting the pressure on the opposition. Hayden had this tendency to build big partnerships, and his ability to play all around the wickets made him the most consistent centurion for Australia in International cricket as an opener.
The former left-hander scored 10 centuries as an opener in ODIs and 30 centuries as an opener in tests. Hayden had this ability to absorb the pressure from one end that enabled him to play long innings.
7. Graeme Smith (South Africa, 37 centuries)
The former South African skipper and opener was considered among the best captains and openers in South African cricket.
The former left-hander adjusted well in all kinds of conditions and wickets, changing his technique cleverly. Smith showcased solid temperament as an opener, scoring 10 centuries as an opener in ODIs and 27 centuries as an opener in tests.
8. Alistair Cook (England, 36 centuries)
The former England captain, an opener, would be considered amongst the best openers in English cricket. The former left-hander batted with a committed resolve and always looked to stay on the crease for a longer period.
Cook showcased stubborn defense while his technique allowed him to score centuries as an opener even in sub-continent conditions. Cook’s ability to build his innings under pressure made him reliable as an opener. He scored 5 centuries as an opener in ODIs and 31 centuries as an opener in tests.
9. Virender Sehwag (India, 36 centuries)
“The Nawab of Najafgarh,” as he was fondly called, destroyed the best bowling line-ups with his destructive batting style. Sehwag was a natural stroke player, which enabled him to score centuries as an opener on all types of wickets.
The former Indian opener and right-hander wasn’t afraid to hit the ball out of the park, which helped him score big centuries. He scored 14 centuries as an opener in ODIs and 22 centuries in tests.
10. Desmond Haynes (West Indies, 35 centuries)
The former West Indian great showcased dominance with his elegant stroke play and his ability to bat for longer durations.
The former right-hander changed his technique and stroke play depending on the strengths of the opposition bowlers and wickets. He could judge the length quickly, which enabled him to score heavily. He scored 17 centuries in ODIs as an opener and 18 centuries as an opener in tests.