Openers in One Day Internationals
Did you know? KL Rahul is the only Indian player to score a century in his debut innings in ODIs. Co-incidentally, in Tests also he scored a century in his first innings as an opener. Take our quiz on openers in ODIs and see how you fare.
Whose neck injury paved the way for Sachin Tendulkar to be promoted as an opener for the first time in ODIs on the tour of New Zealand in 1994?
Before this match, Sachin Tendulkar had played 69 ODIs mostly batting at numbers 4 and 5.
Sunil Gavaskar scored his only ODI century against New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup. For what other reason the match is fondly remembered too?
India had already qualified for the semi-finals. Chetan Sharma took a hat-trick, the first for India. The hat-trick was also the first by a bowler in World Cup history.
Who was the first Indian opener to score a century in ODIs?
Ravi Shastri scored a 102 against Australia in Indore in 1984. Interestingly Kepler Wessels was playing for Australia at that time.
There have been 43 instances where both openers have scored a century in an innings in ODIs. Which pair achieved this feat first?
Geoff Marsh and David Boon both scored centuries against India in Jaipur in 1986. Interestingly, this match also saw the first century for Kris Srikkanth in ODIs.
Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman score a 200 in ODIs in 2010. In that match a South African played his last innings in ODIs, who was it?
Herschelle Gibbs played his last ODI innings in that match. His last match was the 3rd ODI in 2010, but he didn’t bat in that game.
Dennis Amiss was the first opener to score a century in his debut match in ODIs. Who was the last opener to score a century on his debut innings?
Abid Ali was the recent opener to score a century in his debut match against Australia in Dubai in 2019. He is the only men’s cricketer to score a ton on both his Test and ODI debuts.
Which India opener scored a 50 on his ODI debut and has never played again?
Faiz Fazal, the Vidarbha batsman made his ODI debut on the tour of Zimbabwe in 2016. He has not played any international match since then.
Before Rohit Sharma recorded the highest ODI score of 264, who held the record for highest score as an opener?
Denis Amiss scored a century on his debut ODI and in his last ODI. Only one other batsman has achieved that feat. Who is the other?
Desmond Haynes scored 148 on his debut in 1978 and 115 in his last ODI in 1994 against Australia and England respectively.
As an opener Sachin Tendulkar has got out on 99 thrice, which is the most. Only one other opener has been dismissed on 99 multiple times. Who is the other opener?
Sanath Jayasuriya has been dismissed twice on 99. In 2001 against India in Colombo (RPS) and in 2003 against England in Adelaide.