Batting runs in One Day International (ODI) cricket has provided some of the most unbelievable innings in cricket history. Many of the renowned batters of the modern era also have made records that might remain unbeaten for ages, from Sachin Tendulkar’s tremendous persistency to Virat Kohli’s consistency on one side.
Whenever fans look for most runs in ODI cricket, the name that always lingers on top of it is Sachin Tendulkar. But the distance between Tendulkar and those below him is a curious element of the contemporary era of cricket, especially with Virat Kohli continuing to build on his phenomenal ODI stats.
Who Has Scored the Most Runs in ODI Cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar scored 18,426 runs in 463 matches and 452 innings. He played in ODIs from 1989 to 2012 and ended with nearly a century in ODI centuries, amassing 49 in total along with 96 fifties.
In ODIs, his career was filled with memorable performances — for instance, he became the first male cricketer to score a double century in ODIs scoring (not coincide) an unbeaten 200 off220 balls against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010.
The glorious blend of longevity, consistency and match-winning excellence made Tendulkar the gold standard for ODI batting. He is also at the top of the all-time ODI career run charts according to The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians.
Top 10 Players With Most Runs in ODI Cricket
| Rank | Player | Runs | Matches |
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | 18,426 | 463 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | 14,941 | 314 |
| 3 | Kumar Sangakkara | 14,234 | 404 |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting | 13,704 | 375 |
| 5 | Sanath Jayasuriya | 13,430 | 445 |
| 6 | Mahela Jayawardene | 12,650 | 448 |
| 7 | Rohit Sharma | 11,895 | 288 |
| 8 | Inzamam-ul-Haq | 11,739 | 378 |
| 9 | Jacques Kallis | 11,579 | 328 |
| 10 | Rahul Dravid | 10,889 | 344 |
Tendulkar continues to lead in career statistics over Kohli, who has moved well ahead into second. Kohli ranks 12th among all-time ODI run-scorers, but is also nudging the Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) in the books of leading one-day-run getters, according to research by The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians.
All statistics are subject to change as current players play ongoing ODIs.
Sachin Tendulkar – 18,426 Runs
Sachin Tendulkar: On this all time great batsman. He scored 18,426 runs over a career spanning over two decades in ODIs.
He served another 463 ODIs and ended his career with a batting average of 44.83. The 49 ODI hundreds he amassed was a world record for years, and his tally of 96 fifties indicates just how regularly he transformed starts into significant scores.
Tendulkar was also the first men’s batter to score 200 in an ODI. His unbeaten 200 against South Africa still is one of the greatest innings in ODIs.
Virat Kohli – 14,941 Runs
Virat Kohli has managed to become one of the greatest ODI batters in modern history. Since October 2026, he also has the second most runs in ODIs all-time with 14,941.
Perhaps the greatest asset to Kohli is his consistency – especially while chasing targets. He has become known as one of the best chase masters in cricket, with his ability to rotate the strike while finding boundaries and build innings under pressure.
In terms of ODI centuries, Kohli also has an amazing total. Its question however has been the ability of anyone to threaten the ODI run record that Tendulkar set at his peak throughout his illustrious career against cricket enthusiasts.
Kumar Sangakkara – 14,234 Runs
Former Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara ranks third with 14,234 ODI runs. In his ODI career, he played a total of 404 matches where he scored 25 centuries and added 93 fifties.
Sangakkara was at the top of Sri Lankan order where he has played an important role in successfully leading the country through most part of 2000s and a few years into the 10s.
It was his classic stroke play and capability to put together lengthy innings that made him era’s best left-hand batters.
Ricky Ponting – 13,704 Runs
Australian batting great Ricky Ponting ended his ODI career with 13,704 runs in 375 matches. He was one of the icons of Australia’s era of such overwhelming dominance.
He married good solid technique with an aggressive method of stroke play. In his career, he had amassed 30 ODI hundreds and 82 half-centuries.
His impact on ODI cricket extends beyond his own numbers, as he captained Australia to two major World Cup successes.
Sanath Jayasuriya – 13,430 Runs
The approach to opening batting in ODIs changed with Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya. In 445 matches, he amassed 13,430 runs.
One of the revolutionary aspects in cricket when Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996 was Jaya’s form during the first few overs. He complemented his formidable batting with handy left-arm spin, turning into one of the most valuable ODI all-rounders in history.
Rohit Sharma and Other Great ODI Run-Scorers
Rohit Sharma in India is also another big name on the list. Current career stats – 11,895 ODI runs
Rohit is also known for his unique talent of scoring hordes of hundreds. He had three ODI double centuries to his name, the most by any men’s ODI batter in history. Though, he scored 264 against Sri Lanka then, which stayed as the highest individual score in men’s ODI cricket history.
A few other big names in the top ODI run-scorers include Mahela Jayawardene, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid. These players span multiple generations of ODI batting greatness.
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Why is it so hard to score 10,000 ODI runs?
ODI cricket then 10,000 runs is not something that can be delivered by putting the big hit once in a while. In short, to be a player of great longevity and consistency, fitness and suitability to various bowling attacks and conditions is required by the batsman.
For this landmark, a player needs to play closer to an international career lasting over a decade at least, if not more. A 10,000-run ODI career is not something just anyone can pull off.
That makes the achievement even more remarkable since players have to compete across eras, pitches, rules and styles of cricket.
Most Runs in ODI Cricket: Tendulkar vs Kohli
One of the most debated topics among cricket lovers, Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli.
Tendulkar ended ODI run-scoring with 18,426 runs, while Kohli has reached 14,941.
Kohli’s average is particularly impressive. These numbers are a whole generation apart and show that he has made a much bigger mark as an ODI batsman than Tendulkar even if his overall average is higher.
Where Tendulkar benefits is in sheer volume – runs, runs, everywhere, and longevity – while Kohli has the average to back up an astonishing rate of scoring over the majority of his career.
Kohli also became the fastest player to score 28,000 International runs in January 2026 surpassing Tendulkar’s previous legendary record.
Final Thoughts
The most runs record in ODI cricket is much more than just a statistical record. This is the result of years of international cricket, hard work, flexibility and the ability to perform under pressure.
Sachin Tendulkar is still the all-time highest ODI run-scorer at 18,426 runs and Virat Kohli remains the nearest modern-era threat on 14,941 runs.
A very interesting question among cricket fans is whether Kohli can fill that last gap. No matter what happens next, Tendulkar’s 18,426 ODI runs are one of the most incredible batting feats imaginable from an international batsman.
These figures outline generations of batting prowess, and the tussle between old and new eras makes it an addition that much more fascinating for anyone seeking most runs in ODI cricket.
