Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in men’s One Day International cricket, finishing with 18,426 runs for India. Virat Kohli follows in second place with 15,080 runs as of 27 September 2026, while Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara ranks third with 14,234. The list reflects more than scoring power: it rewards long careers, regular selection and the ability to adapt to ODI cricket across changing eras.
The top 10 ODI run-scorers
The following table covers men’s ODI career records and is updated through the matches of 27 September 2026. The figures show why the leading names are remembered not merely for individual hundreds but for producing runs over hundreds of international innings.
Rank | Player | Team | ODI span | Runs | Centuries | Fifties |
1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1989–2012 | 18,426 | 49 | 96 |
2 | Virat Kohli | India | 2008–present | 15,080 | 55 | 79 |
3 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 2000–2015 | 14,234 | 25 | 93 |
4 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 1995–2012 | 13,704 | 30 | 82 |
5 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 1989–2011 | 13,430 | 28 | 68 |
6 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 1998–2015 | 12,650 | 19 | 77 |
7 | Rohit Sharma | India | 2007–present | 11,927 | 34 | 62 |
8 | Inzamam-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 1991–2007 | 11,739 | 10 | 83 |
9 | Yuvraj Singh | India | 2000–2017 | 11,778 | 17 | 71 |
10 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 1996–2014 | 11,579 | 17 | 86 |
The order in such a list can change for active players, particularly Kohli and Rohit Sharma. However, Tendulkar’s lead remains substantial. According to the ODI record table on Wikipedia, Tendulkar scored his 18,426 runs in 452 innings at an average of 44.83, alongside 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries.
Sachin Tendulkar’s enduring benchmark
Tendulkar’s total is built on both scale and consistency. His ODI career extended from 1989 to 2012, a period in which the format changed considerably in tempo, fielding standards and batting approaches. He was especially productive as an opener: the ODI batting-position records credit him with 15,310 runs in 340 innings at the top of the order.
His tally of 96 ODI fifties remains the highest in the format’s record listings. It demonstrates why career-run records cannot be judged by centuries alone. A batter who repeatedly turns starts into scores of 50 or more gives a side a reliable platform, even when a hundred does not follow.
Tendulkar also featured in an important ODI milestone. His unbeaten 200 against South Africa in February 2010 was listed as the first men’s ODI double-century. Later high individual scores changed the record again, but that innings remains part of the broader story of how ODI batting expanded during his career.
Kohli’s pursuit is built on exceptional conversion
Virat Kohli entered the top two through an unusually high combination of average and century-making. As of 27 September 2026, he had 15,080 ODI runs in 303 innings at an average of 59.13. His 55 hundreds put him ahead of Tendulkar for the most ODI centuries, even though Tendulkar retains the lead for total runs.
Kohli reached 15,000 ODI runs in 303 innings on 27 September 2026, according to the record listings. That pace underlines the difference between accumulating runs over a long career and scoring them at a rapid rate. He remains 3,346 runs behind Tendulkar’s final mark, so closing the overall gap would require both continued selection and sustained output.
For readers comparing form, career totals and possible match scenarios, a well-structured dream11 prediction should be considered alongside the batting role, opposition and recent match context rather than relying on a player’s historical rank alone. A career leaderboard is an indicator of stature, not a guarantee of a particular score in one game.
Sri Lanka’s remarkable presence
Sri Lanka have three players in the top 10: Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene. Their combined presence shows the value of a stable generation of batters appearing regularly in bilateral series and global tournaments over many years.
Sangakkara is third with 14,234 runs. His 93 fifties are second only to Tendulkar’s 96 among the leading ODI fifty-makers listed in the available records. That figure captures his ability to build innings repeatedly, while his 25 centuries provided the larger match-defining scores.
Jayasuriya’s 13,430 runs came across an ODI span from 1989 to 2011. His career was especially notable for the range of responsibilities he carried as an all-round cricketer, but his place on this list rests solely on his batting output. Jayawardene, with 12,650 runs, further illustrates Sri Lanka’s depth in this period.
Different routes to a large ODI total
The players in the top 10 did not all score runs in the same manner. Tendulkar’s leading total owed much to his long run as an opener. Kohli’s record includes extraordinary output at number three: the batting-position table lists 12,959 runs in 248 innings at that position, with an average of 62.00.
Others were adaptable middle-order players. Ricky Ponting accumulated 13,704 runs between 1995 and 2012, while Jacques Kallis combined his batting career with major bowling responsibilities for South Africa. Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 11,739 runs and 83 fifties show another model of ODI achievement: frequent substantial contributions rather than a century-heavy record.
Rohit Sharma’s position is distinctive because of his 34 centuries and a highest ODI score of 264. The record list identifies that 264, against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in November 2014, as the highest individual score in a men’s ODI. Yet a single extraordinary innings is only one part of a career aggregate; sustained scores across seasons are what place a batter among the all-time leaders.
Why longevity remains central
ODIs have been played since 1971, but the frequency of fixtures increased over subsequent decades. That naturally benefits players who combine international longevity with a high number of matches. The format consists of one innings per team and is now generally played with a 50-over limit, although earlier ODIs could have 55 or 60 overs per innings.
Career-run tables therefore favour batters who stay effective through changing team plans and conditions. They must handle new-ball bowling, middle-over fields, run chases and the pressure of major tournaments. The top 10 is not simply a ranking of peak talent; it is a record of repeated availability and repeatable performance.
Conclusion
The men’s ODI runs record remains Sachin Tendulkar’s, with 18,426 runs setting a formidable standard for longevity. Virat Kohli’s century record and high average make his second-place position equally notable, while Sri Lanka’s strong representation highlights a memorable batting era. Together, the top 10 show that ODI greatness is measured through years of dependable run-making as much as through landmark innings.
