Cricket.com.au takes a closer look at the best one-day players of the 2010s and puts together our best XI
White-ball wizards: Our ODI team of the decade
1) Rohit Sharma (India)
M: 180 | Runs: 8249 | Ave: 53.56 | SR: 90.63 | HS: 264 | 100s: 28 | 50s: 39
Image Id: 91BFD92F73B44C20A9194C0DDBEDD8E3India’s star opener has rewritten the history books on more than one occasion this decade and seems to be getting better with age. A staggering three ODI double centuries have been the high points and his best of 264 is 27 more runs than any man has managed in the history of the 50-over game. Near unstoppable at home, the powerful right-hander is just as damaging abroad; 18 of his 28 centuries this decade have been scored outside of India, five of which came during a dominant 2019 World Cup campaign.
Honourable mention: It says a lot about the imposing records of the openers in this team that David Warner didn’t make the final cut. By his own admission, the left-hander struggled early in his career to find the right tempo in the 50-over game, but he’s been an unstoppable force ever since he cracked the code. Seventeen centuries and a strike rate of more than 96 puts him in the top handful of players this decade, but it wasn’t quite enough to win an opening spot.
2) Hashim Amla (South Africa)
M: 159 | Runs: 7265 | Ave: 49.76 | SR: 89.11 | HS: 159 | 100s: 26 | 50s: 33
Image Id: 1610292D478D4B479F7904B02447E8A8South Africa’s master craftsman may well be one of the most underrated one-day players of the modern era, purely because many may not realise just how impressive his ODI record is. For most of the past decade, Amla scored runs at a faster rate than Virat Kohli, reaching each 1000-run milestone from 2000 runs to 7000 runs in fewer games than anyone in history. His 26 hundreds this decade puts him third of all batsmen, behind Kohli and Rohit, and despite a relative inability to clear the rope – at least in comparison to others in this side – Amla scored his mountain of runs at a strike rate approaching 90.
Honourable mention: The other half of India’s destructive opening duo, Shikhar Dhawan has built an imposing record since he debuted in 2010. His 17 ODI hundreds this decade puts him equal fifth amongst all players and his career strike rate of 94 is elite as well.
3) Virat Kohli (India)
M: 227 | Runs: 11125 | Ave: 60.79 | SR: 94.11 | HS: 183 | 100s: 42 | 50s: 52
Image Id: 7F693F286D38465C8911A4BECAF9C13EVirat Kohli has been the best one-day batsman of the past decade and will probably end his career as the greatest one-day run-scorer in history. The Indian star posted three figures on 42 occasions in the past 10 years and only two players – Rohit and Amla – have scored more than half that amount since 2010. Sachin Tendulkar’s mark of 18,426 runs and 49 centuries was once deemed untouchable, but the incomparable Kohli – who is still just 31 years old - should surpass the Little Master with ease.
Honourable mention: Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara retired way back in 2015, but still finished the decade as the sixth-highest run scorer in one-day cricket. Having started his career as a wicketkeeper-batsman, the left-hander flourished as a top-order player as he got older and said farewell in style with four consecutive hundreds at the 2015 World Cup.
4) AB de Villiers (South Africa)
M: 135 | Runs: 6485 | Ave: 64.20 | SR: 109.76 | HS: 176 | 100s: 21 | 50s: 33
Image Id: E577DCD516384C54BAF24803ADD685EBOf the 24 men to have scored more than 4000 ODI runs since 2010, only one has done so at better than a run-a-ball. But the strike rate of AB de Villiers this decade – an eye-watering figure of 109.76 – only goes part of the way to explaining his genius. The right-hander’s zenith came across two innings in early 2015 against the hapless West Indies when he set new records for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI history. His devastating power and ability to find the boundary in all parts of the ground made him one of the hardest batsmen to bowl to in the game’s history.
Honourable mention: Much like Amla, Ross Taylor has quietly built an imposing ODI record in the past decade. The fifth-highest run-scorer since 2010, Taylor has scored his runs at an average of 54 and recently became the most prolific Kiwi run-scorer in history.
5) Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
M: 131 | Runs: 4276 | Ave: 38.87 | SR: 86.07 | HS: 124* | 100s: 5 | 50s: 35 | Wkts: 177 | Ave: 30.15 | Econ: 4.72 | SR: 38.2 | 5wi: 2 | BB: 5-29
Image Id: 211D3E5F5B324BCE9953D86A051D6415The second-highest wicket-taker in one-day cricket this decade, Bangladesh’s star player – who was sadly embroiled in a corruption scandal earlier this year – is a genuine allrounder of the highest quality. He may not possess the strike power of other batsmen in this side, but he’s been a consistent performer with the bat in a Bangladesh team that has offered him precious little support at times over the past decade. Throw in his potent left-arm spin and he’s a hard man to overlook.
Honourable mention: The man who led a revolution in English cricket that culminated in World Cup glory, Eoin Morgan has been a consistent performer over the past decade. The left-hander was a shining light in England’s middle order even before they re-shaped their one-day team following the 2015 World Cup, and he’s gone to another level since then.
6) Jos Buttler (England)
M: 142 | Runs: 3843 | Ave: 40.88 | SR: 119.83 | HS: 150 | 100s: 9 | 50s: 20
Image Id: 9F656CB8E42A4981861A239E5D4CE1ABThe likes of Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow have been pivotal in England’s ODI revolution, but arguably no man has made a bigger impact than Jos Buttler. The right-hander has shown remarkable consistency given his breathtakingly high-risk style of play, averaging more than 40 to go with a strike rate approaching 120. He doesn’t take the gloves in this side, but the fact he’s more than accomplished behind the stumps as well makes him the ultimate two-in-one player.
Honourable mention: Of the 70 top ODI run scorers in the past decade, no one has scored their runs at a fastest rate than Glenn Maxwell. The right-hander’s career strike rate of 123.37 underlines his damaging and often reckless style of play, and his quest to find and clear the boundary has often been at his own detriment. But his match-winning ability with the bat, as well as his work with the ball and in the field, cannot be underestimated when he’s in full flight.
7) MS Dhoni (India) (c & wk)
M: 196 | Runs: 5640 | Ave: 50.35 | SR: 85.79 | HS: 139no | 100s: 4 | 50s: 39 | Ct: 170 | St: 72
Image Id: A3607C348AA44D179638FF70AFBB632FThe input of MS Dhoni with the bat did tail off during the latter part of the decade, but he was a dominant force in a golden period for India’s one-day side. Having assured his greatness by guiding his nation to World Cup glory on home soil in 2011, the right-hander became India’s ultimate finisher with the bat. Dhoni’s average of more than 50 is undoubtedly boosted by the fact 49 of his innings were unbeaten. But on the 28 occasions he has been not out in a run chase this decade, India have lost only three times. And his work behind the stumps has rarely let him or his bowlers down.
Honourable mention: Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim is probably batting a little low in this side, but his impressive record as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the middle order is worth acknowledging. Averaging more than 40 with the bat, the former skipper has been a reliable performer in a side that has shown significant improvement over the past decade.
8) Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
M: 71 | Wkts: 133 | Ave: 18.54 | Econ: 4.16 | SR: 26.70 | 5wi: 4 | BB: 7-18
Image Id: F293F3B54ED247C6A156F128700C4455It’s true that the majority of Rashid Khan’s 133 ODI wickets have come against supposedly weaker nations, which means his extraordinary career record does come with somewhat of an asterisk. But it’s also true that against the world’s leading teams – Afghanistan’s nine opponents at this year’s World Cup – the leg-spinner has 37 wickets at an average of just 25, proving that he’s more than just a bully of Associate nations. Rashid has been part of a leg-spin revolution in recent years and the fact he reached the 100-wicket milestone in eight fewer matches than anyone else underlines his potency.
Honourable mention: Given Saeed Ajmal hasn’t played for Pakistan since April 2015, it’s easy to forget just what a dangerous bowler he was in his pomp, despite constant questions about the legality of his bowling action. The off-spinner finished the decade as the eight-highest wicket-taker, with his 157 dismissals coming at an average of just 21.90 and an economy rate of 4.24, the third-best among the 36 men to take more than 100 wickets since 2010.
9) Mitchell Starc (Australia)
M: 85 | Wkts: 172 | Ave: 20.99 | Econ: 5.02 | SR: 25.00 | 5wi: 7 | BB: 6-28
Image Id: D54BCEF350C94DE9BAABD82E54EEB858The first bowler picked in our team of the decade, Starc has been a near unstoppable force with both the new ball and late in an innings. The second fastest man behind Rashid Khan to reach 100 career wickets, the left-armer has saved his best performances for no less a stage than the World Cup. Across two tournaments, Starc has taken 49 wickets at an average of just 14.81 and was pivotal in Australia taking home the 2015 title.
Honourable mention: The other left-arm weapon in Australia’s World Cup win in 2015, Mitchell Johnson was a consistent source of wickets over the course of his career and remained a threat right to the end. His wicket-taking ability has never been disputed, but he was one of the most frugal fast bowlers in the past decade as well, with his economy rate of 4.71 the second-best amongst the leading fast bowlers.
10) Trent Boult (New Zealand)
M: 89 | Wkts: 164 | Ave: 25.06 | Econ: 5.05 | SR: 29.70 | 5wi: 5 | BB: 7-34
Image Id: 9398E25DD19748848288924EC49E2155In the course of just 89 matches, Trent Boult has built an imposing one-day record and has been a key figure in a New Zealand side that has reached consecutive World Cup finals. The left-armer is a regular match-winner and has taken four wickets or more on 12 occasions, behind only Starc and Lasith Malinga by that measurement. And at just 30 years of age, he’s far from done with yet.
Honourable mention: Along with Morne Morkel, legendary speedster Dale Steyn formed one half of a prolific pace pairing for South Africa over the past decade. Exceptionally quick and particularly lethal with the new ball, Steyn was a joy to watch for the Proteas, even though he was unable to lead them to the ultimate glory of a World Cup win.
11) Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
M: 162 | Wkts: 248 | Ave: 28.74 | Econ: 5.46 | SR: 31.5 | 5wi: 8 | BB: 6-38
Image Id: 9354788AF6E84A5493ECC3B8CBFD1644With his searing pace, deadly accuracy and late swing, Lasith Malinga was born for one-day cricket. And over the course of the past decade, the right-armer has taken 71 more wickets than any other bowler in ODIs, underlying his durability and versatility as his age has risen and his pace has dropped. With eight five-wicket hauls to his name since 2010, he will be remembered as one of the game’s greatest white-ball bowlers.
Honourable mention: From a small sample size of just 58 matches, Jasprit Bumrah has quickly established himself as one of the best one-day bowlers in the world and is equally effective with the new ball as he is late in an innings. Despite bowling plenty of overs at the death, Bumrah has finished the decade with an economy rate of just 4.49, the best of all fast bowlers to have taken more than 100 wickets since 2010.