5 batsmen who held the No.1 ODI rank for most consecutive days

2. Michael Bevan: 1259, From 22 Jan 1999 to 3 July 2002

Before MS Dhoni took over the image of a finisher, Michael Bevan was the original finisher. Not only was he a finisher, but he was also the best batsman of that time. For most of the analysts, it is Bevan who is the best batsman in the ODI format. Well, for him, it was all about calculation.

Bevan was a part of the Australian team that managed to win the World Cup in 1999 and 2003. He had an incredible amount of self-confidence, which fueled his dominance over the bowlers. Bevan was a phenomenal figure in the sport, and his mental toughness made life more difficult for the bowlers. During Waugh’s era, he was the go-to man in times of crisis, and during Ponting’s time too, he played the same role.

In 232 ODIs, Bevan scored 6912 runs with a healthy average of 53.17. With a healthy strike rate of 74.16, he managed to rotate the strike and play according to the situation. Bevan’s contribution to Australian cricket can be measured by the fact that he scored 46 half-centuries. Because of his sheer skills, Bevan was the number one batsman in ODIs for 1259 days.