Top 5 Batsmen with most first ball boundaries in ODIs

Top 5 Batsmen with most first ball boundaries in ODIs: Opening batsmen usually try to negotiate the new ball by taking some time to settle in, leaving the balls away or going into defensive block. Some players are uncertain, end up getting edges, while a few try to attack straight away. But only a hand full of players have been able to hit a boundary on the first ball of the team’s innings. Out of them, very few players had instincts to send the ball to the fence on regular basis. Here we look at the Top 5 Batsmen with most first ball boundaries in ODIs: [Note: Ball by ball tracking system came into existence only from June, 2001. Hence in this article the stats before June, 2001 aren’t included.] 5. Chris Gayle – 5 Times: Chris Gayle. (Photo Source: Gallo Images) Chris Gayle, the beast from Jamaica, has started the West Indies’ innings’ on 5 occasions by sending the ball to the fence. However, Gayle hitting a boundary on first ball of the team’s innings only 5 times was quite less given his reputation and having faced the first ball of the innings on 250+ occasions, the most by any player in the calculated period. Also Read – Top 10 Longest sixes in international Cricket 4. Tamim Iqbal – 6 Times: Tamim Iqbal. (Photo Source: AFP) Bangladesh’s attacking opener Tamim Iqbal has struck boundary on first ball of team’s innings on 6 occasions. Tamim, is known for playing his strokes early on. In his comparatively young career he has faced the first of the team innings on 150+ occasions. Taking an overall view we realize Tamim has made a place for himself in the list where legends have occupied the other spots. 3. Adam Gilchrist – 8 Times: Adam Gilchrist. (Photo Souce: Getty Images ) Adam Gilchrist, one of the greatest wicket keeper batsmen of all time. Gilly is also regarded as one of the most attacking openers, he had the simple rule of just thrashing the ball if it had even the slightest width on offer. He started off the Australian innings 8 times in ODIs. He faced first ball of his team’s innings on 162 occasions. 2. Shane Watson – 8 Times: Shane Watson. (© Getty Images) Shane Watson had a good time while opening in ODIs as he started off his team’s innings by striking a boundary on 8 occasions. The all-rounder loves to play his shots and has the licence to go for the kill right from the start. Waston has got a chance to face first ball of his team’s innings on 77 occasions and has hit a boundary on every 10th innings. 1. Virender Sehwag – 20 Times: Virender Sehwag. (© Getty Images) India’s dashing opener Virender Sehwag has started off the Indian innings by sending the ball to the fence on 20 occasions, that is the most by any batsman. The second best in the list has even failed to score half the number of boundaries that he has. Sehwag faced first ball of his side’s innings on 124 occasions and struck boundary every 6th time. Out of the 20 times he struck a boundary on first ball of team’s innings, one of it fetched him a 6, the only batsmen in calculated period to hit a six on first ball of team’s innings in ODI Cricket. (Stats Updated Till 6th September 2018)