Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag faced the challenging task of selecting the top five ODI batters in history on Monday. His list included two Indian players, and in a notable comparison between his idol Sachin Tendulkar and former Indian captain Virat Kohli, he designated Kohli as the top choice.

During his discussion on Cricbuzz, Sehwag promptly identified West Indies great Chris Gayle as his fifth selection. Gayle amassed 10,480 runs in 304 matches from 1999 to 2019.

“Chris Gayle was an exceptional batsman and opener. I recall the series when India toured the West Indies in 2002-03, during which Gayle scored three centuries in a six-match series. He was the first player I observed at the international level who could hit sixes off the back foot against fast bowlers,” he remarked.

The former Indian opener subsequently placed South African icon AB de Villiers at fourth and former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq at third. De Villiers accumulated 9,577 runs in 228 ODIs, while Inzamam, Pakistan's leading ODI run-scorer, totaled 11,739 runs in 350 innings.

“AB de Villiers is my No. 4. I admired his playing style; he is the only batsman capable of hitting sixes while off-balance. At No. 3, I have Inzamam-ul-Haq, who is among the finest ODI players from Asia. Inzamam typically batted at No. 4 and had the ability to control the match. I learned from him how to guide a game to its conclusion and manage the pace of play. During that era, chasing seven or eight runs per over was quite challenging, yet Inzamam approached it with ease, calculating when and whom to target for sixes,” Sehwag elaborated.

Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar

Sehwag has frequently acknowledged Sachin Tendulkar as his role model. However, in a recent discussion, he ranked Tendulkar as the second-best ODI batter, designating Virat Kohli as the top player in the format, despite the significant disparity in their respective run totals.

“Sachin Tendulkar, everyone’s favorite and my role model. Walking onto the field with him feels like entering the jungle alongside a lion. All eyes are on the lion, while I quietly accumulate my runs,” Sehwag remarked.

During the 2023 World Cup, Kohli surpassed Sachin's record for the most centuries in ODIs, yet he remains over 4,000 runs behind in the all-time rankings. At 36 years old, Kohli has amassed 12,963 runs in 297 matches, placing him third overall, behind Kumar Sangakkara, who has 14,234 runs, while Sachin retains the top position with 18,426 runs. Sehwag justified his choice of Kohli as the number-one batter due to his remarkable consistency throughout the years.

“Virat Kohli is number one. A player like Virat Kohli, who has earned the title of 'Chasemaster,' may not be seen again in the future. Initially, he was not the Virat Kohli we know today; he took time to develop and learn. Since 2011-12, he has undergone significant transformation in both fitness and consistency, delivering outstanding performances,” Sehwag concluded.

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