Who is the Run Machine in Cricket?

In the game of cricket, every batsman enjoys getting runs. But some batters are more reliable and productive than others, scoring more runs overall. The term “run machine in cricket” is frequently used to describe them. Every batter’s goal is to be labelled a run machine because the phrase is well-known in the world of cricket. Only a few numbers, though, truly merit the label. Who, however, deserves it?

Who is known as the run machine?

The first name that comes to mind when we hear the term “run machine” is Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli, and the second name that comes to mind is Pakistani batting superstar Baber Azam. While there is no official authority to assign nicknames, fans can tag their favourite players as per their opinions. It is the moniker that both right-handed batters have acquired over the past five years as a result of their constant run production in all formats.

Why is Virat Kohli known as the run machine in Indian team?

Virat Kohli is a specialist in the T20 format in addition to the Test, ODI, and ODI formats. The Indian batting prodigy consistently scores runs in all formats. Virat has scored nearly 8000 runs at an average of 49.53 in 102 Test matches as of this writing, including seven double-hundreds. Given that he has finally regained his form, he will be eager to raise his Test average back above 50.

Virat Kohli is a specialist in Test cricket, ODI cricket, T20 cricket, and other formats. The Indian batting sensation has the same propensity for scoring runs in all formats. As of this writing, Virat has scored over 8000 runs in 102 Test matches at an average of 49.53, including seven double-hundreds. He is presently in form and will be anxious to raise his Test average back beyond 50.

He outperforms everyone in his preferred one-day format, having amassed 12344 runs in 262 ODIs at an astounding average of 57.68, including 43 hundreds. Only Sachin Tendulkar, who played 462 ODIs in his career and has 49 ODI centuries, is ahead of him on the list of players with the most ODI centuries.

Virat Kohli is as reliable in T20I cricket, having amassed 4008 runs at an astounding average of 52.74 over the course of 115 games. Regarding the IPL, he has scored 6624 runs—including 4 centuries—in 223 games. The batter with the most IPL runs in a single season is Virat Kohli (973).

His efforts with the bat are undoubtedly superhuman, and when it comes to scoring runs, he is a machine. Every batter experiences a form slump at some point in their careers, and Virat Kohli experienced one of the worst from 2020 to 2022. However, because of his extremely high standards, even when he was out of form, he continued to frequently score fifties, with only centuries failing to leave his bat.

Why is Baber Azam known as the run machine in Pakistanis team?

The Pakistani captain has established himself as a run machine and has the opportunity to hold the top spot in each of the game’s three formats. Azam, who is only 28 years old, is a youthful player who tops the charts in both ODI and T20 competitions. Only M. Labuschagne, K. Williamson, S. Smith, and J. Root are ranked ahead of him in Test cricket. In addition to his excellent 59.41 in ODI cricket, Babar Azam averages 48.63 in Test cricket. He is capable of changing his strategy to meet the needs of the game. His strike rate of over 127 in the game’s shortest format serves as the ideal illustration of this.

Although he was on his own, we were there to encourage him every step of the way, according to Kamran Akmal. Prior to being called up to the national team in 2015 and making his debut during the home ODI series against Zimbabwe, Azam had the distinction of consistently leading the scoring in age-group domestic cricket, a rarity given that Azam’s rise coincided with Pakistan’s exclusion as an international venue due to security concerns.

Azam had the chance to secure his position when Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq’s careers came to an end as a result of his hat-trick of ODI hundreds against the West Indies.

That was a chance he would seize with both hands. Azam rose to prominence as Pakistan’s most well-known cricketer, one of the top batsmen in the world, and by far the best batsman in the country over the years that followed. Even though he still has a lot of his career ahead of him, he is one of Pakistan’s all-time best batsmen.

He was the second-fastest player to score 2000 runs in ODIs and 1000 runs in T20Is. Only two other Pakistani batsmen have amassed more ODI hundreds than he does, and his World Cup century against New Zealand in a crucial match will go down as one of Pakistan’s greatest ODI individual performances.

Although the early years of Test cricket didn’t have the same immediate success as white-ball cricket, year over year improvements have allowed him to rank among the top Test batsmen from the beginning of 2018 as well.

Who are the other contenders for the title of the run machine?

The most reliable batter in every country is often referred to as the run machine by their country’s supporters. Due to his propensity for scoring runs in Test cricket, English supporters sometimes referred to Joe Root as the run machine, while Sri Lankan fans formerly referred to Kumar Sangakkara as the run machine.

Australians refer to Steven Smith as the run machine in modern cricket because of his dependability in red-ball cricket. Another New Zealand contender is Kane Williamson, and Australia’s Labuschagne is also on the list.

Conclusion:

There may be a number of candidates, but they are all primarily effective in a single format, unlike Virat Kohli and Baber Azam, who are both experts in all three. Only Virat Kohli and Baber Azam are deserving candidates for the title of run machine among batsmen.