3 Players who scored most international runs without opening

In the rich history of cricket, the run-scoring charts have often been dominated by opening batters, since they get the most overs to bat. There have been several legendary openers who’ve left an indelible mark on the game with their magnificent performances.

However, there have also been a few players who’ve gone on a run-scoring spree and climbed in the list of leading run scorers with their remarkable performances, despite never opening in their careers. Here are the top three batters with the most runs in international cricket without ever opening in international cricket:

1. Steve Waugh (18,496 runs)

Legendary Australia captain Steve Waugh tops the list with a staggering 18,496 runs in international cricket in 548 innings. Waugh is touted as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game due to his stellar contributions both as a batter and captain.

He built his reputation as a dependable middle-order player across Tests and ODIs. His ability to absorb pressure and score runs at crucial moments for Australia helped him earn the legendary status.

2. Ross Taylor (18,244 runs)

New Zealand legend Ross Taylor is second on the list, having amassed 18,244 runs in 513 innings across international cricket. Taylor was an integral part of the Kiwi batting line-up for almost 15 years. His exploits across all three formats were remarkable as he guided his team to several memorable victories through his willow.

3. Mohammad Yousuf (17,300 runs)

Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf takes the third spot with 17,300 international runs in 432 innings. Yousuf is known to be one of the greatest batters ever to emerge from Pakistan, renowned for his elegant strokeplay and exceptional timing. He was one of the finest middle-order batters of his era.

He scored 7530 runs from 90 Tests, 9720 runs from 288 ODIs and also represented Pakistan in three T20Is, scoring 50 runs in total. He also broke the record for most runs in a calendar year in Test cricket in 2006, scoring 1788 runs from 19 innings at an average of 99.33.