7. Gary Kirsten – ODIs: 185, Runs: 6,798, Avg: 40.95, S/R: 72.04
When someone talks about Gary Kirsten, we get an image of a technically solid and temperamentally sound batsman. When Kirsten retired, he was the most successful Test batsman until Jacques Kallis emerged and conquered almost all Test batting records for South Africa.
But Gary was a fairly decent One-day player too and still holds the record of highest individual score of 188* runs by a South African batsman. Kirsten wasn’t the most pleasing on the eyes still his efficiency and consistency made him a must for Proteas in ODIs. He often laid solid platforms for others to prosper. Notably, former Protean opener averaged 43 in away ODIs, much better than his home average of 36.93. He boasted a great record in Asian conditions, often the litmus test for non-Asian batsmen.
