Cricket Batting Average Explained: Formula, Records & Common Myths

When someone asks “how good is this batter?” — the first number that comes up is the batting average. It’s the most widely quoted statistic in cricket, appearing on scorecards, commentary, and player profile pages. But what does it actually measure, and is it always reliable?

The Batting Average Formula

The formula is deceptively simple:

Notice: it’s times dismissed, not innings played. This is a crucial distinction. If a batter has played 50 innings and been dismissed 40 times (10 not-outs), the average is calculated using 40 as the denominator, not 50.

What Counts as a Dismissal?

All forms of getting “out” count as dismissals:

• Bowled, Caught, LBW, Stumped, Run out, Hit wicket
• Handled the ball, Obstructing the field, Hit the ball twice, Timed out

A batter is not out when their innings ends without being dismissed — typically when the team’s innings closes (all-out, declared, or overs completed) while they’re still batting. Retired hurt is treated as not out unless the batter returns to bat.

What is a Good Batting Average?

This varies dramatically by format:

Test Cricket

• 50+ — World-class (Bradman: 99.94, Smith: 59.55, Sangakkara: 57.40)
• 40-50 — Very good (most top-order internationals)
• 30-40 — Solid contributor
• Under 30 — Below expectations for a specialist batter

ODI Cricket

• 45+ — Elite (Kohli: 58.18, Babar: 56.68)
• 35-45 — Very strong
• 25-35 — Good, depending on role (openers vs. finishers)

T20 International Cricket

• 35+ — Exceptional (Kohli: 52.73, Babar: 41.00)
• 28-35 — Very good
• 20-28 — Solid
• Under 20 — Needs improvement

Club / Local Cricket

Averages are generally lower. An average above 30 is strong in club cricket, and above 20 is respectable. Conditions vary widely — averaging 25 on a difficult pitch may be more impressive than 40 on a batting-friendly one.

The Not-Out Problem

The biggest criticism of batting average is the not-out inflation. Because not-outs reduce the denominator without reducing the numerator, batters who frequently remain not out — finishers, lower-order batters, and batters in T20s where innings are often incomplete — can have inflated averages.

For example, consider two batters:

• Batter A: 1000 runs in 30 innings, 5 not-outs. Average = 1000/(30-5) = 40.00
• Batter B: 1000 runs in 30 innings, 15 not-outs. Average = 1000/(30-15) = 66.67

Same runs, same innings — but batter B’s average is 67% higher purely due to not-outs. This doesn’t necessarily mean B is a better batter. Some analysts prefer Runs Per Innings (RPI) — which in both cases would be 33.33 — as a fairer comparison.

Batting Average vs Strike Rate

In modern limited-overs cricket, batting average alone doesn’t tell the full story. A batter averaging 40 at a strike rate of 90 is very different from one averaging 35 at a strike rate of 150.

Analysts increasingly use average × strike rate / 100 as a combined metric. This rewards both consistency (high average) and scoring speed (high strike rate).

Calculate Your Batting Average

Use our free Batting Average Calculator to compute your average, runs per innings, and see how you compare to international benchmarks across all formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is batting average calculated in cricket?

Batting average is calculated as total runs scored divided by the number of times a batter has been dismissed. Importantly, the denominator is the number of dismissals, not the number of innings played, so a batter with 50 innings and 40 dismissals (10 not outs) has their average calculated using 40, not 50.

Why does being not out affect a batter’s average?

Because a not-out innings doesn’t add to the dismissal count, it reduces the denominator in the average formula without reducing the runs scored, which inflates the average. For example, a batter with 1000 runs in 30 innings and 5 not outs averages 40.00, while a batter with the same runs and innings but 15 not outs averages 66.67 — a 67% higher average despite scoring identically.

What counts as a dismissal when calculating batting average?

Any way of getting out counts as a dismissal, including bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, run out, hit wicket, handled the ball, obstructing the field, hit the ball twice, and timed out. A batter is considered not out when their innings ends without being dismissed, such as when the team is all out, declares, or completes its overs while that batter is still at the crease; retired hurt is also treated as not out unless the batter returns to bat.

What is a good batting average in Test cricket, ODIs, and T20s?

In Test cricket, 50+ is considered world-class, 40-50 is very good, 30-40 is a solid contributor, and under 30 is below expectations for a specialist batter. In ODIs, 45+ is elite and 35-45 is very strong, while in T20 internationals 35+ is exceptional and 28-35 is very good. In club or local cricket, an average above 30 is strong and above 20 is respectable, though this varies with pitch conditions.

Should you compare batters using average or strike rate?

Neither number alone tells the full story in limited-overs cricket — a batter averaging 40 at a strike rate of 90 plays a very different role than one averaging 35 at a strike rate of 150. Analysts increasingly use a combined metric of average multiplied by strike rate, divided by 100, which rewards both consistency and scoring speed.

What is Runs Per Innings and how is it different from batting average?

Runs Per Innings (RPI) divides total runs by the number of innings played, rather than by the number of dismissals, so it isn’t affected by how many times a batter finished not out. Some analysts prefer RPI as a fairer comparison between batters, since two players with identical runs and innings but different not-out counts can have very different batting averages but the same RPI.