3 Players with most ODI hundreds before turning 30

The late 20s and early 30s are generally considered a batter's prime. It's a time in his career when he is understood to be at the peak of his powers. It is so because he goes through multiple phases in his playing career and develops a fair amount of understanding of his game by the time he reaches that age.

The ODI format has seen some phenomenally brilliant batters who have drawn large crowds every time they have crossed the white line. But three batters in particular have dominated the format like no other. They have left their mark on 50-over cricket and scored more hundreds than any other player before even turning 30. Let's rank the top three batters with the most ODI centuries before they celebrated their 30th birthday:

#3 Babar Azam (19 centuries)

Babar Azam is a household name in Pakistan. The classy right-hander has developed a liking for one-day cricket, and his record speaks for itself. Babar racked up 19 hundreds in 114 innings he played and amassed 57.29 runs at an average of 56.72 before turning 30 on October 15, 2024. He is the backbone of Pakistan's batting order and has designed his game according to the demands of 50-over cricket.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar (34 centuries)

Sachin Tendulkar has surreal numbers in one-day internationals. There was a time in Indian cricket in the 90s when Tendulkar shouldered the entire load of the batting order and hardly flinched.

Having begun as early as the age of 16, Tendulkar played 305 innings before celebrating his 30th birthday on April 24, 2003. The former India captain amassed 12219 runs at an average of 44.43 and recorded 34 hundreds by the age of 30.

#1 Virat Kohli (38 centuries)

The Master Blaster finds himself at No. 2 because of someone who is considered the greatest ODI batter of all time. Virat Kohli was just 19 years old when he debuted for India in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on August 18, 2008. He was billed as the torchbearer of India's batting in the modern era, and it's fair to say Virat lived up to the billing.

He stacked up 38 hundreds in 208 innings, aggregating 10232 runs at an astounding average of 59.83 before turning 30.