Sixes are an integral part of ODI cricket, and their importance in the modern game has grown only further. It acts not only as an opportunity for a batsman to accumulate runs quickly but also has a strong impact on the opposition bowlers, both physically and mentally.
Batsmen who can consistently clear the boundary with sixes coupled with their ability to play long innings are considered valuable assets to their teams, as they can dictate the course of the match and help achieve success in the format. With the way the game is progressing nowadays, the attack has become the best form of defence. India consistently looks to transform their game according to demand, and their batters have been successful in doing so.
So here we will look at the top 10 batters with the most number of sixes in the ODI format.
Most Sixes for India in ODIs
| Player | Innings | 6s |
|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 257 | 331 |
| Mahendra Singh Dhoni | 294 | 222 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 452 | 195 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 297 | 189 |
| Yuvraj Singh | 275 | 153 |
| Virat Kohli | 283 | 151 |
| Virender Sehwag | 235 | 131 |
| Suresh Raina | 194 | 120 |
| Ajay Jadeja | 179 | 85 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 164 | 79 |
Key insights from the above stats
2: The number of batters from India to have hit 200 or more sixes in ODI cricket, and 3 other Indians have crossed the 150-sixes mark. Overall, 8 batters have hit 100 or more sixes for India in the ODI format.
300: As expected, the current Indian skipper Rohit Sharma leads the pack of most sixes ever by an Indian cricketer in ODI cricket with more than 300 maximums. He is known for his ability to churn out sixes at will and is currently among the top 3 on the all-time list of six-hitters in the 50-over format. What is more threatening for the opposition is that Rohit, once set, plays a long innings, as evident from his centuries and double centuries for India. He has also hit the most sixes for India across all formats of the game.
200: MS Dhoni is the second batter who has hit more than 200 sixes for India in ODI format. Known as one of the best finishers in the history of the game, Dhoni was a powerful hitter of the ball, especially in his younger days. He used to hit maximums at will in ODIs when he started, and it became slowly subdued as his career went by, sending 222 balls out of the fence.
195: Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of sixes in ODI cricket. The champion batter was known as one of the most technically sound players ever, but he had this ability to clear the ropes at an opportune time. He is the highest run-scorer in the history of ODIs and has dominated the bowling attacks with his big hits from time to time. The batting maestro ended his ODI career with just 5 sixes shy of the 200 mark.
Also Read | Top 10: Most Runs for India in ODI
189: The number of ODI sixes smashed by Sachin Tendulkar’s long-time opening partner, Sourav Ganguly, in ODI cricket. As a left-handed batter, Ganguly’s drives and other boundary shots were so pleasing to the eye, but at the same time, he was known as someone who could dominate the spin attacks of the teams with his six-hitting range.
150: Often celebrated as one of India’s biggest match-winners at the highest stage, Yuvraj Singh had the ability to clear the boundary with ease owing to his impeccable timing and tremendous hand-eye coordination. He had a variety of shots at his disposal, and with all these characteristics, Yuvi, as he is called, had hit 153 sixes for India in ODI cricket.
Not necessarily known for his big shots or power-hitting, Virat Kohli is known for his impeccable placement and timing while playing textbook cricket shots. But as his career grew, he developed a range of shots and has the ability to hit sixes when he wants to accelerate the scoring rate during any stage of an ODI innings. He is close to the 150-sixes mark in ODIs.
131: Total number of ODI sixes hit by the former Indian swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag in 235 innings in this format. The right-hander was known as a fearsome batter and had the ability to decimate any bowling attack on his day.
120: The last player on this list who has hit over 100 sixes for India in ODIs is Suresh Raina, and the left-hander, like MS Dhoni and Yuvraj, come in the middle order. He was quite severe on spinners and had the ability to take the game away from the opposition, especially in the shorter formats.
