There has been a lot of talk about the future of ODI cricket of late. Some legends of the gentlemen’s game, such as Wasim Akram and Usman Khawaja have said that the 50-overs format is ‘dying’ a slow death. Ravichandran Ashwin also recently stated that he switches off his TV, after a point, while watching ODI cricket, insisting that the format needs to find its relevance.
While there may be some raising concerns about the format, then there are others who are trying their best to keep the fans entertained. It’s no surprise that everybody loves to see big-hits and high-octane cricket, whatever the format might be.
That being said, we decided to compile a list of the top five players who have scored the most centuries in ODI cricket since 2018. The list features Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Pakistani skipper Babar Azam, who has been in the form of his life of late, also finds a place in the top five.
#5 Aaron Finch and Jonny Bairstow – 9 centuries
Jonny Bairstow has been one of England’s most consistent run-scorers of late
Both Jonny Bairstow and Aaron Finch are level at 9 centuries in the 50-overs format since 2018. That’s why we have a tie at number five.
Finch has recorded 9 centuries since 2018 in ODI cricket. He breached the three-figure mark three times in 2018, and all the centuries came against arch-rivals England.
2019 was even better for Finch as he scored four centuries including two 150-plus scores against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The remaining two tons were recorded against Pakistan, and England again. The current limited overs captain of Australia scored his last two centuries in ODI cricket against India in 2020, and since then he hasn’t breached the three-figure mark.
Talking about the swashbuckling Englishman, 2018 was his year as he scored three back-to-back tons in ODIs, two against New Zealand in March, followed by another one against Scotland in June.
Bairstow celebrated another century against Australia that year but had to wait until May 2019 to raise his bat in jubilation again. He’d continue his good run with the bat, and smacked two more tons later that year, against New Zealand and India. In the years 2020 and 2021 Bairstow could muster up just one century each, and since then, he has not breached the three-figure mark in ODI cricket.
#4 Babar Azam – 10 centuries
The talented Pakistani batsman has struck 17 centuries in his relatively short ODI career, which began back in 2015. Looking at Babar Azam’s statistics, one thing has to be said, that he’s ageing like fine wine, becoming better and better with each passing year.
In the year 2018, his one and only ton in ODI cricket came against Zimbabwe. In 2019, Babar notched three centuries, one each against England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
The year 2020, once again saw the right-handed run machine from Lahore score just a solitary hundred against Zimbabwe. Next year, he crossed the three-figure mark twice, as South Africa and England were on the receiving end.
And in 2022 so far, Babar has already recorded three centuries, two back-to-back tons against Australia and his most recent one came against West Indies.
#3 Virat Kohli – 11 centuries
Virat Kohli’s last ODI ton came against West Indies in August 2019
The fact that Virat Kohli stands at number 3 on this list, despite not having breached the three-figure mark since 2019, speaks volumes about just how consistent he was back then.
Kohli’s last two centuries in ODI cricket came in back-to-back games in August 2019, against West Indies. Earlier in March 2019, the talismanic batsman had notched two consecutive centuries versus Australia, and this came after another ton against Australia in January.
The former Indian captain recorded six centuries in 2018, including three consecutive centuries against West Indies in October. The remaining three tons came against South Africa against a world-class bowling attack that included the likes of Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, and Tabraiz Shamsi.
#2 Shai Hope – 12 centuries
Playing the 100th ODI of his career on Sunday against India, Shai Hope scored the 13th ton of his career in the 50-overs format. Of those, 12 have come since 2018 itself, despite the fact that he made his debut in 2016.
Having struck the first ODI ton of his career in his second match itself in 2016, Hope had to wait for two long years to cross the three-figure mark again, which he eventually did against India in 2018. Two more centuries followed against Bangladesh later that year.
2019 was the best year for the Caribbean cricketer in terms of achievements. He recorded four tons followed by one each in 2020 and 2021. Before his most recent effort against India, Hope had earlier scored 119* against the Netherlands and 127 against Pakistan in 2022.
#1 Rohit Sharma – 13 centuries
No other batsman has scored more centuries in ODIs since 2018, than Rohit Sharma
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma leads the charts in terms of most centuries in ODI cricket since 2018, with a staggering 13 tons to his name. However the last time Rohit crossed the three-figure mark in the 50-overs format, it came way back in 2020, against Australia.
The year 2019 was a very special one indeed for the ‘Hitman’. He began the new year with a century against Australia in January and would go on to smash five tons during the ICC ODI World Cup, one each against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. While Rohit led the charge for India, after the World Cup heartbreak, he finished the year on a high with another hundred against West Indies.
This, after having recorded five ODI centuries in 2018, including two against the Windies, and one each while facing off versus Pakistan, England, and South Africa.