Ruturaj Gaikwad overtook Virat Kohli on Saturday, recording the highest List A average for an Indian player.
Ruturaj Gaikwad breaks into top three for highest List A averages
Captaining Maharashtra against Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Saturday, Gaikwad won the toss and elected to bat. He came to the crease in 24th over after a 140-run stand between Prithvi Shaw and Arshin Kulkarni.
Gaikwad and Kulkarni then put on 108 for the second wicket, in 15 overs. The partnership ended with Kulkarni's dismissal for a run-a-ball 114. During the course of that stand, the skipper got to a half-century off 43 balls, the 38th time in 93 List A innings that he had reached the mark. He was eventually bowled by Shams Mulani for 66 off 52, his 19th half-century to go with 19 centuries.
A late blitz from all-rounder Ramakrishna Ghosh (64* off 27) lifted Maharashtra to 366-4.
Match 91, Maharashtra vs Mumbai
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The innings boosted Gaikwad's batting average in List A cricket from 57.59 to 57.69, allowing him to overtake Virat Kohli (57.67) and break into the top three for highest batting averages in the format (min. 50 innings). Ahead of Gaikwad are Australian Michael Bevan (57.86) and Englishman Sam Hain (57.76).
Read more: No Ruturaj Gaikwad? India’s best T20I XI not selected for the 2026 World Cup
Only eight of Gaikwad's List A innings have come in international cricket. He averages 28.5 from those matches, but impressed for India in October with his maiden ODI century against South Africa. He is also expected to retain his place in the ODI side at No.4 while Shreyas Iyer continues to recover from injury.
Highest List A batting averages, full list
Player | Career | Inns | Runs | Avg | 50s | 100s | HS |
Michael Bevan | 1989-2006 | 385 | 15103 | 57.86 | 116 | 13 | 157* |
Sam Hain | 2013-2023 | 62 | 3004 | 57.76 | 17 | 10 | 161* |
Ruturaj Gaikwad | 2017-2025 | 93 | 4904 | 57.69 | 19 | 19 | 220* |
Virat Kohli | 2006-2025 | 331 | 16207 | 57.67 | 85 | 58 | 183 |
Cheteshwar Pujara | 2006-2023 | 127 | 5759 | 57.01 | 34 | 16 | 174 |
Prithvi Shaw | 2017-2025 | 69 | 3589 | 55.22 | 16 | 10 | 244 |
Babar Azam | 2010-2025 | 204 | 9647 | 53.59 | 56 | 31 | 158 |
Khurram Manzoor | 2002-2022 | 165 | 7922 | 53.52 | 39 | 27 | 190* |
AB de Villiers | 2003-2018 | 252 | 11123 | 53.47 | 63 | 29 | 176 |
James Taylor | 2008-2016 | 131 | 5365 | 53.11 | 30 | 15 | 146* |
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