 "Sehwag to Shaw Top five openers with highest strike rate in IPL history")
The strike rate has been the talk of the town ever since Virat Kohli smashed his eighth Indian Premier League century, which turned out to be the slowest in the league's history. With Rohit Sharma and Kohli clashing in IPL 2024 at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, April 11, the strike rate debate continues to dominate the Indian cricketing landscape.
Given that Kohli and Rohit are ageing openers, their effectiveness in striking the ball is of even greater significance. Their selection for the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2024 remains a contentious issue among fans and selectors.
Since Rohit has been announced as the captain for the T20 mega event in the United States and West Indies in June 2024, it is Kohli who is under greater scrutiny compared to his successor as the leader of the Indian team in all formats.
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Here is the list of the top five batsmen with the highest strike rates as opening batsmen in IPL's history.
Here is the list of the top five batsmen with the highest strike rates as opening batsmen in IPL's history.
Virender Sehwag
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In his 104 IPL matches since 2008, Sehwag, while representing Delhi Daredevils and Punjab Kings, scored 2,728 runs at a strike rate of 155.44 and an average of 27.55.
Chris Gayle
Second on the list is the Jamaican powerhouse Chris Gayle. In his 142 league appearances for Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings, Gayle amassed 4,965 runs at a strike rate of 149.96 and an average of 39.77.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
India's promising opening star, Yashasvi Jaiswal, ranks third on the list of IPL openers with the highest strike rates. In his 42 matches for Rajasthan Royals, the left-handed batsman has scored 1,235 runs at a strike rate of 148.08 and an average of 30.12.
Jos Buttler
Buttler, Jaiswal's teammate at Rajasthan Royals, is fourth with a strike rate of 147.5. In his 101 matches, the England international has tallied 3,366 runs at an average of 37.82.
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ALSO READ: IPL 2024 MI vs RCB LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Toss at 7 pm in Mumbai
Prithvi Shaw
ALSO READ: IPL 2024 MI vs RCB LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Toss at 7 pm in Mumbai
Prithvi Shaw
Often compared to Sehwag, Prithvi Shaw has demonstrated his striking ability in the IPL as well. Playing for Delhi Capitals, Shaw has managed a strike rate of 146.68, scoring 1,813 runs in 74 matches at an average of 25.50.
Top five openers with highest strike rates in IPL history
Top five openers with highest strike rates in IPL history
| Player | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s |
| Virender Sehwag | 104 | 104 | 5 | 2728 | 122 | 27.55 | 1755 | 155.44 | 2 | 16 | 334 | 106 |
| Chris Gayle | 142 | 141 | 16 | 4965 | 175* | 39.72 | 3333 | 148.96 | 6 | 31 | 405 | 357 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 42 | 42 | 1 | 1235 | 124 | 30.12 | 834 | 148.08 | 1 | 8 | 155 | 49 |
| Jos Buttler | 101 | 100 | 11 | 3366 | 124 | 37.82 | 2282 | 147.5 | 6 | 19 | 332 | 153 |
| Prithvi Shaw | 74 | 74 | 0 | 1813 | 99 | 24.5 | 1236 | 146.68 | 0 | 14 | 222 | 61 |
Note: The list includes only those batsmen who have consistently opened the innings and scored at least 1,000 runs in that position.
Virat Kohli's Strike Rate as an Opener in IPL
Kohli, who leads this season's run-scorers with 316 runs in five innings, including a hundred and two fifties, has a strike rate of 146. Across his IPL career, in 103 innings as an opener for RCB, Kohli has struck at 136.16, averaging 45.66 for his 3,927 runs.
Virat Kohli's performance batting position wise in IPL
Virat Kohli's performance batting position wise in IPL
| Batting Position | Inns | NO | 100s | 50s | 0s | HS | Runs | Avg | S/R |
| Opening | 103 | 17 | 8 | 28 | 4 | 113* | 3927 | 45.66 | 136.26 |
| No. 3 | 93 | 13 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 99 | 2815 | 35.19 | 123.79 |
| No. 4 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 73 | 376 | 34.18 | 131.47 |
| No. 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 173 | 24.71 | 111.61 |
| No. 6 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 58 | 237 | 21.55 | 144.51 |
| No. 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 51 | 17 | 124.39 |
| Overall | 234 | 36 | 8 | 52 | 10 | 113* | 7579 | 38.28 | 130.63 |
Rohit Sharma's Strike Rate as an Opener in IPL
Rohit, though not in top form this season, is striving for improvement. In four matches, the former Mumbai captain has scored 118 runs, but his strike rate has been an impressive 171. Overall in the IPL, Rohit, having played 92 innings as an opener since 2008, has a strike rate of 130.40, amassing 2,449 runs. This is close to his career strike rate of 130.63.
Rohit Sharma's performance batting position wise in IPL
Rohit Sharma's performance batting position wise in IPL
| Batting Position | Inns | NO | 100s | 50s | 0s | HS | Runs | Avg | S/R |
| Opening | 92 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 98* | 2449 | 28.15 | 130.4 |
| No. 3 | 41 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 109* | 920 | 24.86 | 130.5 |
| No. 4 | 86 | 13 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 94 | 2392 | 32.77 | 128.67 |
| No. 5 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 66 | 563 | 33.12 | 143.62 |
| No. 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5* | 5 | 45.45 | |
| Overall | 242 | 28 | 1 | 42 | 17 | 109* | 6329 | 29.57 | 130.63 |
