Everyone loves when a batsman hits those glorious boundaries from the middle of the bat. It is one of the great joys of cricket seeing a batsman hit a four. Cricket has changed once ODI matches started to roll out. The crowds got to see the rise of batsmen hitting more fours because of one-day internationals. Batsmen took more risks in an attempt to hit the deliveries to the fence for four. The powerplays also unfolded subsequently and the batting maestros became more aggressive due to the fielding restrictions.
This meant the spectators got their well-earned money’s worth as they were entertained during the match. Who doesn’t likes to see the bowlers being hit for fours and sixes everywhere? But have you ever wondered who are those destructive batsmen that have hit the most fours?
Here are the top 5 Batsmen with most fours in ODIs:
5. Adam Gilchrist
First up on this list is the swashbuckling opening batsman of Australia, Adam Gilchrist. The southpaw completely changed the perception of everyone regarding wicket-keeper batsmen. He always believed in taking on the bowlers on from ball one. Gilchrist never feared any bowler and his game was all about hitting boundaries. In the first 15 overs, he made sure that he got the team so far ahead in the match that the opposition never came back.
Gilchrist overall played 287 ODI matches in his legendary career. He scored 9,619 runs and helped Aussies win three consecutive world cups. In his ODI career, he struck 1162 fours which are the fifth most in ODI history. Those who saw him bat will know that when he batted he entertained everyone because of his ability to hit fours at will.
4. Ricky Ponting
Another Aussie is up next, the great Ricky Ponting is in the fourth place with most fours in ODIs. An absolute genius with the bat in hand Ponting was an ideal number 3 batsman. Ponting in his prime was such a free-flowing stroke player that found the fence at regular intervals. The third highest run-scorer in ODIs, the former Australian captain is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.
One of the reasons why he was such a complete player is because he scored runs against every bowling attack. Bowlers who liked bowling short did not bowl to him at that length. This is because he hit boundaries of short balls better than anyone else. He played 375 ODI matches in his span from 1995-2011. The precise number of fours that he hit was 1231, which is the most for any Australian.
3. Kumar Sangakkara
The elegant run machine of Sri Lanka, Kumar Sangakkara will never be far away from any list of batsmen. Arguably the greatest left-hander to ever play the game, Sangakkara was in a league of his own. He adapted to every condition in his ODI career and his textbook technique allowed him to hit so many fours. The current MCC chairman was not a power hitter but a batsman that relied on finding the gaps in the field.
The former Sri Lanka captain represented his nation in 404 ODI matches in his career. He notched up 14234 runs, which is the second most of all time in ODI history. Sangakkara struck exactly 1385 fours in his 15-year storied career. The master craftsman had the capability of hitting even the best deliveries of the bowlers to the boundary fence.
2. Sanath Jayasuriya
If you watched cricket in the 1990s, you would know how devastating a batsman Sanath Jayasuriya was. In many ways, he revolutionised batting in the first powerplay in ODI cricket. His only motive was to find the boundary rope with great regularity to put Sri Lanka in the driving seat. It didn’t matter to him what was the situation of the match if the ball was in his half it ultimately was hit for a four.
He played 445 ODI matches which are the second most in ODI cricket history. Even when it came to hitting fours he is placed in the second place with exactly 1500 fours. Jayasuriya, on his day, could dominate any bowler and dictate where he was going to score a boundary in the next ball.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Well, he has to be at number one, after all, he is the most successful batsman of all time. The little master Sachin Tendulkar is at the pinnacle for a batsman with most ODI boundaries. Tendulkar had a career span of 24 years from 1989 – 2012. He has the most runs, centuries in ODI cricket and he even tops the list of most fours in the format.
Tendulkar had the best batting technique that allowed him to hit a mountain of boundaries. In his 50 over career, he took the field in 463 in which he scored 2016 fours. He is the only batsman that has hit over 2000 boundaries in ODIs. The difference between him and the next place Jayasuriya is more than 5000 fours. Tendulkar almost is at number 1 in every batting list and it’s not a surprise that he is at the numero uno position in the list of batsmen with most fours in ODI.