Ruturaj Gaikwad added another remarkable achievement to his growing resume after registering a historic milestone in List A cricket. The Maharashtra batter has now claimed the record for the highest batting average by an Indian in the format, among players with a minimum of 50 innings, overtaking former India captain Virat Kohli in the process.
Gaikwad reached the landmark during Maharashtra's Vijay Hazare Trophy league encounter against Mumbai on Saturday. Batting at number three, he played a fluent knock of 66 from just 52 deliveries, striking at an impressive rate of 126.92. His innings featured seven boundaries and helped Maharashtra post a commanding total of 366 for 4, putting the opposition under immediate pressure.
With this performance,
Gaikwad's List A batting average climbed to 57.69, narrowly edging past Kohli's mark of 57.67. The record underlines Gaikwad's consistency in the domestic one-day format, where he has been a reliable run-scorer since making his debut for Maharashtra in the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Notably, he announced his arrival with a century against Himachal Pradesh in his very first List A season.
Gaikwad's international journey has had its share of ups and downs. He made his ODI debut against South Africa in October 2022 but found himself out of India's 50-over plans for nearly two years, from December 2023 to November 2025. His return, however, was emphatic. Back in the ODI squad for the home series against South Africa, Gaikwad struck a century in the second match, reaffirming his credentials at the highest level.
In the current setup, Gaikwad replaced Shubman Gill in the ODI side and was slotted at number four due to Shreyas Iyer's absence. With both Gill and Iyer expected to return, questions remain over team combination, but Gaikwad is widely tipped to retain his spot on the back of his form and numbers.
On the global stage, Australia's Michael Bevan still leads the all-time List A average chart with 57.86, followed closely by England's Sam Hain at 57.76. Gaikwad now sits third overall, ahead of Kohli, who could reclaim the Indian record when he turns out for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on January 6.
Interestingly, Cheteshwar Pujara also features in the elite top five, a testament to his consistency despite being known primarily as a Test specialist.
