Cricket Batting Average — Formula, What's Good, and Its Limits
Batting average is runs divided by dismissals. Learn how it's calculated, why Don Bradman's 99.94 is untouchable, and why not-outs distort T20 averages.
A batting average tells you how many runs a batter scores, on average, each time they are dismissed. It is the oldest and most widely cited batting statistic in cricket — a single number that compresses an entire career into one figure. It is the primary benchmark for comparing batters across eras.
The formula
Example: a batter scores 450 runs over 10 innings, but is not out twice. They were dismissed 8 times. Their average is 450 ÷ 8 = 56.25.
Why not-outs matter
Not-out innings do not divide into the average — they count the runs but not a dismissal. This is fair in Tests, where a batter stranded at the end of an innings had no way to bat on. It becomes a significant distortion in T20 cricket, where lower-order batters finish innings unbeaten frequently. A T20 finisher who scores 30* in most of their innings will accumulate a high 'average' that doesn't reflect a true dismissal rate — they were never challenged to dig in over time.
What is a good batting average?
| Format | Good | Elite |
|---|---|---|
| Test | 40+ | 50+ (considered the gold standard) |
| ODI | 35+ | 50+ |
| T20 International | 25+ | 35+ (treat with caution due to not-outs) |
In Test cricket, an average above 50 has historically placed a batter in the conversation for the best in the world. An average above 55 across a significant career is elite by any era's standard. The T20 average threshold is lower partly because innings are shorter and partly because the not-out inflation effect is more pronounced.
Don Bradman's 99.94
Sir Donald Bradman finished his Test career with an average of 99.94 across 80 innings — almost exactly double the next-best figures of his era and roughly double what elite modern batters achieve. He needed just 4 runs in his final innings at The Oval in 1948 to average 100, but was dismissed second ball for 0. No other batter in the history of the game has come close to sustaining a 99+ average over a significant Test career. The nearest in recent eras — typically in the low-to-mid 60s — is still more than 35 runs per dismissal behind Bradman.
Limits of the batting average
Batting average doesn't capture scoring rate, which is crucial in limited-overs cricket. A batter averaging 45 at a strike rate of 75 is far less valuable in T20 than one averaging 30 at a strike rate of 145. For a fuller picture of a T20 batter, look at average multiplied by strike rate — sometimes called 'batting impact' — or compare averages alongside boundary counts and dot-ball percentages.
Frequently asked questions
How is batting average calculated in cricket?
Batting Average = Total Runs ÷ Number of Dismissals. Not-out innings contribute runs to the numerator but not a dismissal to the denominator.
What was Don Bradman's Test batting average?
Sir Donald Bradman's Test batting average was 99.94 across 52 Test matches and 80 innings (29 not outs). He scored 6,996 runs and was dismissed 52 times.
What batting average is considered good in Test cricket?
An average above 40 is solid; above 50 is elite. Most of the best Test batters in history average between 50 and 65. Only Bradman has sustained above 90.
Why do T20 batting averages seem inflated?
Because not-out innings are common — T20 batters who finish close to unbeaten frequently accumulate runs without being dismissed, pushing their average up. The stat is less reliable as a head-to-head comparison in T20 than in Test cricket.