5 fastest Indians to reach 2000 runs in ODIs ft. KL Rahul
Records and Indian batters go hand-in-hand, with the nation producing many of the most accomplished wielders of the willow in the history of cricket. The 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most ODI runs (18,426) and centuries (49).
Other Indian greats like Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and MS Dhoni have scored over 10,000 ODI runs. Current skipper Rohit Sharma is just 22 runs short of entering that elite company.
Almost every match involving Team India witnesses a batting record or two broken, irrespective of the result, showcasing the rich talent across the country.
The ongoing game between India and Pakistan was no different, with Rohit entering the contest needing another 78 runs to reach 10,000 ODI runs. While the Indian skipper fell just short of the landmark, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul became the 26th Indian batter to cross the 2000-run mark in 50-over cricket.
However, where exactly does he rank among the plethora of Indian greats in the list of fastest to 2,000 runs? For the uninitiated, South African great Hashim Amla holds the record for the fastest to 2,000 ODI runs, achieving the landmark in just 40 innings.
With that in mind, here is a list of the five fastest Indians to reach 2,000 runs in ODIs.
# 5 KL Rahul
Coming in at No.5 is the newest entrant to the 2000 ODI runs club, KL Rahul. He is among the most versatile batters to have worn the Indian jersey.
Rahul has been a mainstay of the Indian middle order over the past few years after starting his white-ball career as an opening batter. The 31-year-old remains the only Indian batter to have scored an ODI century on debut - against Zimbabwe in 2016.
The elegant batter reached the 2,000-run milestone in just his 53rd ODI innings, at an impressive average of over 45 and a strike rate of 86.26. Rahul's ability to keep wickets and bat anywhere from opening to No.5 has made him arguably the most flexible batter in Team India's ODI setup.
He returned to competitive cricket in the ongoing game against Pakistan following a thigh injury that kept him out of action since midway through the IPL 2023.
#4 Virat Kohli
It is never a surprise when former India skipper Virat Kohli is part of an elite list for ODI numbers. The champion batter brought up his 2000th ODI run in his 53rd innings, much like KL Rahul.
However, King Kohli's career has catapulted into stratospherically improbable heights ever since. The batter still holds the record for the fastest to 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, and 12,000 ODI runs.
The 34-year-old boasts staggering batting numbers in the 50-over format, with 12,910 runs at an average of 57.12 and a 93.55 strike rate. Kohli has scored the second most ODI centuries (46) - behind only Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, with 49.
With potentially several years still ahead of him, it would not be a surprise to see Virat Kohli finish with most of the counting records in ODI cricket.
#3 Navjot Singh Sidhu
Most Indian fans remember Navjot Singh Sidhu for his catchy one-liners and colourful commentary stints. However, the right-hander was a prominent name in the Indian ranks in the late 1980s through to the mid and late 1990s.
Regarded as one of the best players of spin, Sidhu scaled 2,000 ODI runs in just 52 innings. He averaged 37.08 in his 136-match ODI career at a strike rate touching 70, with six centuries and 33 half-centuries.
Until an inexplicable drop-off in his final three years from 1996 to 1998, the stylish batter averaged 40+ in seven of his previous nine years.
An interesting stat perhaps unspoken about Sidhu is his incredible average in the Asia Cup and World Cup. He averaged 66.25 in 14 Asia Cup games and over 45 in 12 World Cup matches for India.
#2 Sourav Ganguly
Another former skipper, Sourav Ganguly, is the joint-second fastest Indian batter to 2,000 ODI runs, reaching the milestone in 52 innings just like Navjot Sidhu.
Ganguly, popularly referred to as Dada, remains one of the most accomplished ODI batters in the history of the game.
With over 11,000 runs at an average of 41, the 51-year-old is the third leading run-scorer for India in ODIs. The southpaw was also the fastest to several of the 1,000-run landmarks before being overtaken by other batters in the following years.
Ganguly also boasts of 22 ODI centuries, fourth among Indian batters, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. He is fondly remembered for his incredible back-to-back centuries in the semifinal and the final of the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
The out-of-favor Shikhar Dhawan is still the fastest Indian batter to 2,000 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in just 48 innings. Although not in the squad currently, the 37-year-old has been among India's greatest servants in the 50-over format.
Dhawan has scored 6,893 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of over 91, with 17 centuries. The southpaw is also in the top 10 all-time in world cricket for reaching 2,000 to 6,000 ODI runs.
Renowned for his ability to perform in the ICC events, Dhawan has a stunning average of 53.70 in 50-over World Cups and 77.88 in Champions Trophies. He also has a combined six centuries from 20 games in these events.
The attacking batter has also performed admirably in Asia Cups, with an average of almost 60 and a 90+ strike rate in nine games.
There has been an outpouring of protest regarding Dhawan's exclusion from the Indian World Cup squad. Numbers like these will only increase the decibel levels for one of India's most underrated white-ball batters.