India has been one of the most dominant teams in the 50-over format. The prime reason for that is the batting strength of the Indian team. Over the years, India has produced many batting greats in this game. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and others dominated the world in the previous era.
However, now the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are carrying that legacy forward. There are many records set by Indians in ODI cricket. One of the biggest records is the number of centuries. Sachin and Virat are at the top of the tree when it comes to century scoring in the 50-over format.
Most Centuries in ODI by India
| Batter | Span | Mts | 100s | Runs | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1989-2012 | 463 | 49 | 18426 | 96 |
| Virat Kohli | 2008-2023* | 277 | 49 | 13626 | 70 |
| Rohit Sharma | 2007-2023* | 236 | 29 | 9537 | 47 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 1992-2007 | 308 | 22 | 11221 | 71 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 2010-2022 | 167 | 17 | 6793 | 39 |
| Virender Sehwag | 1999-2013 | 241 | 15 | 7995 | 37 |
| Yuvraj Singh | 2000-2017 | 301 | 14 | 8609 | 52 |
| Rahul Dravid | 1996-2011 | 340 | 12 | 10768 | 82 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 2003-2013 | 147 | 11 | 5238 | 34 |
| MS Dhoni | 2004-2019 | 347 | 9 | 10599 | 73 |
In addition, we will go over the list of Indian batters with the most hundreds in ODI.
5. Shikhar Dhawan – 17 Centuries in 167 games
Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan is ranked fifth on this list. The left-hander has always been India’s go-through man in ICC events, and his numbers are excellent in ODIs. Dhawan has played 167 ODIs in his career and scored 6793 runs at an average of 44.11. He has also scored 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries in his 50-over career. Dhawan is at the end of his career, but he is still going strong.
4. Sourav Ganguly – 22 Centuries in 308 games
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was the one that changed the approach of the Indian cricket, when he became the captain. Team India started to win overseas under his captaincy because he was a great leader and also a good performer with the bat. Ganguly played 308 ODIs in his career and scored 11221 runs at 40.95. He also scored 22 centuries and 71 half-centuries in the 50-over format for India.
3. Rohit Sharma – 29 Centuries in 236 games
When it comes to scoring centuries and big centuries, only Rohit Sharma comes to mind. The man who has scored three double centuries in ODI and also five centuries in an ODI World Cup is third on the list. Rohit has been India’s top performer over the years and also the fourth overall in century scoring list. He has played 236 games in his career and scored 9537 runs with 29 centuries and 47 half-centuries.
2. Virat Kohli – 49 ODI centuries in 277 games
If there is anyone in the game who can break Sachin Tendulkar’s record, it is former Indian captain Virat Kohli. Virat has been the best ODI batter in the last decade, whether he is setting the target or chasing it. His numbers are staggering. Virat has already scored 49 ODI centuries in 277 games and needs a few more to break Sachin’s record. He has made 13000+ runs with 64 half-centuries in 266 games.
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 49 Centuries in 463 games
Many fans will think that Virat’s numbers are better than Sachin’s when it comes to ODI cricket. Virat has 45 centuries in 260-plus games, and Sachin has 49 in 463 games. But for those, we will tell you that both eras were totally different. Sachin batted against the likes of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Shane Bond, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, and many more big names. Thus, Sachin deservedly tops the chart. Virat can break his record, but for additional information, Sachin was out 18 times in 90s while Virat has only six dismissals in 90s. Master Blaster has scored 49 ODI centuries and 96 fifties in 463 games for a total of 18426 runs.