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It’s a nickname that’s quite common in the game and I’ve even heard it in club cricket circles. To be called a Run Machine is quite an honour, but who deserves the nickname more than most?
Who is Known as the Run Machine in Cricket?
There may be differences of opinion but the majority suggest that the man with the best claim to the nickname ‘Run Machine’ is India’s Virat Kohli. It’s a title that he earned by scoring heavily both for the national team and in domestic cricket.
He may be looking for a return to his best form in 2022 but consistently high run scoring throughout his career is behind the reasons for this highly respected nickname.
Why is Virat Kohli considered to be the Run Machine?
While he has endured dips in form like all batters, Virat Kohli has been a consistent run scorer over the course of his career. At the time of writing, he still holds the record for most runs in an IPL season after scoring no fewer than 973 of them in 2016.
At international level, Kohli started 2022 looking to end a long run without a century. It’s potentially a worrying time and, while we all expect him to get back to his best, this stretch of bad form continued for a while. Happily he finally landed that overdue ton in September 2022 with a T2o international hundred against Afghanistan.
At the end of the 2024 Indian Premier League, Virat Kohli’s statistics speak for themselves and prove why he has been called the Run Machine of cricket throughout his career.
In 113 test matches up to and including the game against South Africa in January 2024, Kohli had scored over 8,800 runs with no fewer than 29 centuries. His best of 254 came in a test match against South Africa in 2019 and, at that time, it was his seventh double ton in first class cricket.
His average in tests at that point was a shade under 50 and he’ll be looking to get back above that particular figure in the months and years ahead.
In One Day Internationals, Virat Kohli had scored an incredible 50 hundreds in his first 294 games for India. He finally overtook the great Sachin Tendulkar for centuries in ODIs and it should be remembered that Sachin’s 49 tons came from 463 games.
That’s another reason why many think that the title of cricket Run Machine is justified when it comes to Virat Kohli.
In all T20 matches across international and domestic cricket, Kohli has made nine centuries and has a best of 122 not out. He has been an effective player for India in this format, but he tends to save his best performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.
Other Contenders for the Title Run Machine
In all probability, every test playing country in the world has a player who they think should be called the Run Machine. In England, it’s a name that’s certainly been linked to Alastair Cook who is the country’s leading run scorer in test matches.
Australia would suggest that Steve Smith is their cricket run machine and English supporters would probably agree after his incredible performances in the 2015 Ashes series. Kane Williamson of New Zealand and Babar Azam of Pakistan would be other contenders.
What Constitutes a Run Machine?
The Run Machine is not an official title: It’s more a term of affection for batters who score heavily in all forms of the game. To qualify, their average should be close to the 50 mark and they should make many daddy hundreds along the way.
They are always the most reliable players in their teams. Fans know that they are more likely to make vital innings on a regular basis. These are the qualities that a player needs in order to be called a cricket run machine.
Young Run Machines in World Cricket
The players mentioned in this preview are all established stars, but what about up and coming batters? Are there any youngsters in the international ranks who could develop to become worthy run machines?
In England, Harry Brook has enjoyed a great start to his test career. Following the conclusion of his team’s test series with the West Indies in 2024, Yorkshire’s Brook had an average close to 60 from 24 innings with five centuries.
England had recently come into contact with another potential run machine. India’s Yashavi Jaiswal made 712 runs in just nine innings with an incredible average of 89.00.
Other batters who we may consider as run machines in the future include Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan.
Final Thoughts
The nickname Run Machine of cricket appears to have some flexibility. After Joe Root scored his second century of the series against New Zealand in 2022, this term was also used against his name.
In conclusion, there are a lot of contenders for this title and each one will feel it’s them that should be the run machine, but Virat Kohli’s claim is as good as any.
