Cricket Batting Average: How It Works and What It Means
Batting average is the most widely cited measure of a batter's quality — learn how it is calculated, what numbers are elite, and why it tells only part of the story.
What Is Batting Average?
A cricket batting average is the total number of runs scored by a batter divided by the number of times they were dismissed. It answers one key question: on average, how many runs does this batter contribute before losing their wicket?
The Formula
Batting Average = Total Runs ÷ Number of Dismissals. Importantly, not-out innings do not count as dismissals. A batter who scores 50, 30 not out, and 70 has scored 150 runs in two dismissals — their average is 75, not 50.
What Averages Are Considered Elite?
| Format | Good Average | Excellent Average | Elite Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test cricket | 35–45 | 45–55 | 55+ |
| ODI cricket | 30–40 | 40–50 | 50+ |
| T20 International | 20–30 | 30–40 | 40+ |
Historical Benchmarks
- Sir Donald Bradman holds the highest Test batting average in history at 99.94 — a statistical outlier no other batter has come close to
- A Test average above 50 places a batter among all-time greats — Sachin Tendulkar (53.78), Steve Smith (59.23+), Virat Kohli (48+)
- In T20Is, an average above 40 with a strike rate above 130 defines the elite tier
Limitations of Batting Average
Batting average does not capture the rate of scoring. A batter averaging 45 in Tests may score very slowly; another with the same average might score at a brisk pace. Similarly, it does not account for pitch conditions, opposition bowling strength, or match context.
Advanced metrics like Strike Rate, Impact Score, and runs above average attempt to supplement the basic batting average with context. In T20 cricket particularly, a high average paired with a low strike rate can actually hurt the team more than it helps.
Combined Metrics
Analysts often multiply batting average by strike rate to create a composite score. A batter with average 35 and strike rate 145 scores 35 × 1.45 = 50.75 in this metric — higher than a batter averaging 40 at strike rate 120 (score: 48). This rewards aggressive, high-quality batters appropriately.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't a not-out innings count as a dismissal?
Because the batter was never actually out — they still had runs left to score when the innings ended. Counting it as a dismissal would unfairly penalise a batter who contributed throughout without being dismissed.
What is a career average vs a series average?
Career average covers all matches a player has appeared in across their entire international or domestic career. Series average covers only the matches in a specific series or tournament.
Can a batting average exceed 100?
Theoretically yes — if a batter scores a century in every innings and finishes not out in some. Bradman's 99.94 is the closest any prolific Test batter has come in a full career.