Ranking top 5 current explosive batsmen in International cricket

Back in the day, when cricket started to be played, a skill which a batsman required the most was patience. But, with time things have changed and the requirement of the game is also different. With the evolution of 50 overs cricket, power-hitting and scoring runs quickly came to existence. However, it was the introduction of the T20 format which completely changed the dynamics of batting.

Scoring quickly has become a skill which is much required along with scoring consistently. Some batsmen of this generation have perfected the art of scoring runs quickly and have also shown the world what explosive batting is. There was a time this term was used for batsmen such as Viv Richards or Kapil Dev and later on Adam Gilchrist and Sanath Jayasuriya.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 current explosive batsmen in International cricket:

5. Jos Buttler

Since the retirement of Alec Stewart, England struggled to find one good wicket-keeper in the limited-overs format. There were a few who play more matches than others but no one could solidify there position. And then came Jos Buttler. Since his debut, Buttler has been one batsman from the English squad whom bowlers fear a lot as he can change the course of the match at any given point in time.

In ODIs, the wicket-keeper batsman has an average of 41 and a strike rate of 120. He has played 142 matches, hence that is some serious record. Buttler has scored all centuries, except one, with a strike rate in excess of 120. In T20Is as well, he has a strike rate of 140.

There is no doubt that with a match is in line and the team needs to score quickly, Buttler is one of the batsmen you would look at. His consistency and power-hitting skills make him an explosive batsman. His record is just too good to be ignored.

4. Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan made his international debut for Ireland in 2006. When he switched to England, Morgan was relatively known as someone who could score runs easily and quickly. However, over the years, Morgan has become one of the most explosive batsmen in the English cricket team.

In 2019, Morgan’s strike rate in ODIs was around 113, one of the highest among any player in international cricket. His career strike rate is also around 92. In fact, during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Morgan broke the record for the most number of sixes in an ODI match. He hit 17 sixes against Afghanistan making a new world record.

In T2OIs, Morgan’s strike rate is around 140. Morgan started out as a quiet little finisher but has transformed his game into a powerful hitter. With those stats and his ability to change the match, Morgan is surely one of the most explosive batsmen of this era.

3. Glenn Maxwell

Every time Glenn Maxwell come to bat, you know something is about to happen. He is known as the “Big show” and boy, he can put up a spectacle of his own. The Australian middle-order batsman is often criticised for his inconsistency but his ability to score freely doesn’t change.

Maxwell has played 110 ODI matches for Australia and his strike rate 123.37. When it comes to T20Is, Maxwell has a strike rate of 160, which quite higher in comparison to other players of this era. Maxwell has three T20I centuries as well with his highest being the unbeaten 145 against Sri Lanka.

With those stats, it is really difficult to leave out Maxwell as one of the most explosive batsmen. Interestingly, Maxwell also holds the record for the second-fastest century in the history of World Cups. His 51-ball century against Sri Lanka in Sydney in 2015 World Cup is still rated as one of the best innings ever played in a World Cup match.

2. David Warner

In 2009, David Warner became the first Australian cricketer to play international cricket without playing a single first-class match. In his first match against South Africa at the MCG, he smashed 89 runs off just 43 balls. Warner had arrived at the international cricket, but it took some years for him to become consistent.

Like Sharma, Warner also opens the innings for Australia, hence he doesn’t always get to his explosive mood. But, when he is in form, there are only a few bowlers in the world who can stop him. Warner has a strike rate of 95 in ODIs and 140 in T20Is. But where he stands out from others is with his strike rate in Tests. His strike rate is 73, which way higher than a lot of players one would see.

Warner is one of the batsmen against whom bowlers don’t enjoy bowling. He can bat with consistency and score runs easily while he can also bat at the strike of 200 or more. Without a doubt, the left-handed batsman is one of the most charismatic batsmen of this era.

1. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma is one of the best white-ball batsmen of this generation. His ability to score consistently makes him one of the most feared batsmen. But, the reason why he is feared is because of the explosive nature of batting. Sharma has a strike rate of 89 in ODIs. On the surface, it might not seem a lot but it sort of doesn’t judge the explosiveness of someone’s batting.

Sharma opens the innings for India and more often than not, he tries to guide them to a good score. He starts slowly but he catches up quite quickly with the net run rate. Rohit has three double centuries in ODIs. In each of those occasions, he had a slight slowish start but in the death overs, he took the attack on the opposition.

In T20Is, his strike rate is around 139, but when he is in the form that can easily go up to 200. Interestingly, he shares the record for the fastest T20I century with David Miller. He got a hundred in Indore against Sri Lanka off just 35 balls in 2017.