Cricket Batting Average: How It Is Calculated and Why It Matters

Batting average — runs scored divided by times dismissed — has been cricket's primary measure of batting quality for over a century. A higher batting average means the batter scores more runs per dismissal and is therefore a more reliable contributor to the team's total. The statistic is deceptively simple but contains nuances — particularly around not outs — that make comparing averages across eras and formats complex.

The Calculation

Batting average = total runs ÷ number of dismissals. Not-out innings are excluded from the dismissal count. So a batter who scores 500 runs across 12 innings with 2 not outs has an average of 500 ÷ 10 = 50.00. A batter who scores the same 500 runs in 12 innings with no not outs averages 500 ÷ 12 = 41.67. Not outs can significantly inflate an average, particularly for lower-order batters who often finish not out.

Why Not Outs Are Contentious

Lower-order batters — numbers 8-11 — frequently finish innings not out because they are at the crease when a declaration is made or the innings closes. Their averages can be inflated beyond what their actual batting quality warrants. Some analysts use a modified average that counts all innings (including not outs) to assess lower-order batters more accurately. For top-order batters, not outs are rare enough that the standard calculation is a reliable indicator.

What Constitutes a Good Batting Average

In Test cricket, a career average above 40 is generally considered strong for a top-order batter; above 50 marks an elite Test batter. In ODI cricket, averages above 40 are similarly considered outstanding for opening batters. In T20 internationals, batting averages are inherently lower because batters take more risks — an average above 30 in T20Is is strong. Format context is essential when comparing averages across different types of cricket.