3 players to have played 100 matches in each format of international cricket ft. David Warner
Since his retirement from the Tests and ODI cricket, David Warner featured in his first international assignment when he came up against the West Indies in the first T20I in Hobart on Friday, February 9.
He made his return in an explosive way, mustering a match-winning 70 off just 36 balls in the first innings. He stitched up an opening stand of 93 runs with Josh Inglis and led Australia to 213/7 in 20 overs, which the hosts managed to defend and seal the game by 11 runs.
Warner was in aggressive mode right from the word go, striking his half-century in only 22 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and a six in total. It was indeed a memorable game for Warner, who joined Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell as the troika of players to play over 100 T20 internationals for Australia.
Apart from this, Warner also earned himself the terrific milestone of becoming only the third-ever player to complete 100 matches across all formats of the game. Reaching 100 games in three different formats stands as a testament to extraordinary longevity, adaptability, and skill.
Here is the list of the only three individuals to achieve this laudable feat.
#3 Ross Taylor - New Zealand
Former New Zealand legend Ross Taylor was the very first cricketer to stand on the summit of the truly remarkable mountain, representing his country over 100 times across all formats.
Taylor, known for his calm demeanor and exquisite timing, held the fort for New Zealand for over 16 years before retiring from the game in 2022.
After making his international debut in an ODI game against the West Indies in 2006, Taylor went on to pile up 8,602 runs in 236 games in the 50-over format. His 100th ODI appearance came during the 2011 ODI World Cup against Kenya in Chennai.
Despite not being considered a gun T20 player, Taylor went on to represent New Zealand across 102 T20 internationals and made 1909 runs in those games. In fact, he became the first Kiwi player to complete 100 T20I matches, with his 100th appearance in the format coming against India in February 2020.
Three weeks after his memorable T20I game, Taylor played his 100th Test match, which came in Wellington, his home ground. Taylor's 7,683 runs in Test cricket are the second-most by any New Zealand player. The 39-year-old racked up 40 international centuries during his career.
#2 Virat Kohli - India
Virat Kohli, who possesses countless records to his name, is the only Indian player to compete in at least 100 matches across all three formats. The former Indian skipper is truly an all-format player, having dominated each and every opposition he has faced so far.
Kohli's journey began in 2008, when he was a young lad filled with promise. He quickly carved his space in all formats, with his elegant strokeplay and fierce competitiveness captivating audiences worldwide.
He has conquered one-day cricket, having notched up as many as 50 centuries in the format. Kohli has played 292 ODIs, racking up 13,848 runs, including 72 fifties as well. His 100th ODI game came against the Caribbean outfit during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England.
In T20Is, Kohli is the all-time highest run-getter with 4,037 runs after 117 matches. The league game between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the 2022 Asia Cup was Kohli's hundredth T20I match.
Kohli, who has also played 113 Test matches for India, has scored 8,488 runs in red-ball cricket. In March 2022, against Sri Lanka, Kohli became only the 12th Indian to play 100 Test matches.
With as many as 80 international centuries and a batting average close to 50 in all three formats (58.68 in ODIs), Kohli is unquestionably one of the best players to have ever graced a cricket field.
#1 David Warner - Australia
The latest entrant to the list is Australia's pocket-sized dynamo David Warner. From being a dominating player in Tests, to the calculated aggressor in ODIs, and the boundary-smashing maestro in T20s, Warner is probably the best opening batter of his generation.
As mentioned earlier, his 100th T20I appearance came against the West Indies in Hobart. He has accumulated 2,964 runs in the format, and will soon surpass Aaron Finch's 3,120 runs to become Australia's highest T20I run-getter.
Warner played his maiden ODI in 2009 before retiring from the format with two ODI World Cup titles. He represented Australia 161 times in the format, amassing 6,932 runs at an average above 45. His 100th ODI match came against India in Bengaluru in 2017.
In Tests, Warner's aggressive intent established himself as the rock at the top of the Australian order, plummeting 8,786 runs across 112 matches. His iconic 100th Test match was against South Africa in Melbourne, where he notched up a magnificent 200.
In fact, Warner is the only player to make a double century in his 100th Test, a century in his 100th ODI and a fifty in his 100th T20I. Remarkably, he won the Player of the Match in all those encounters.