Batting Average vs Strike Rate: What They Mean and When Each Matters

Updated: 31 October 2026 · Author: Cricket Match Scorecard Editorial

Two numbers appear beside almost every batter's name: average and strike rate. Average tells you how many runs a batter scores before getting out. Strike rate tells you how quickly those runs arrive. To judge a batter, you need both, and how much each matters depends on the format.

Batting average

Batting average = total runs ÷ number of times dismissed

Note the bottom of that sum: it uses dismissals, not innings. Innings in which a batter remained not out add runs but no dismissal.

Worked example

A batter plays 10 innings and scores 400 runs, and is not out twice. They were dismissed 8 times, so the average is 400 ÷ 8 = 50.00. Divide by innings and you would wrongly get 40.00.

The most famous average in cricket is Sir Donald Bradman's Test figure of 99.94, far above any other leading batter. Over a long career in Test cricket, an average above 50 is generally considered excellent.

Batting strike rate

Strike rate = runs ÷ balls faced × 100

It tells you how many runs a batter would score per 100 balls. A batter with 60 runs from 40 balls has a strike rate of 60 ÷ 40 × 100 = 150.00.

Why you need to look at both

C is clearly the weakest, but A versus B is a real debate. A scores more but uses up a lot of balls. B gets out more often but scores much faster. In a T20, the balls A uses at 125 could have been used by another batter going much faster, so B may be more valuable, especially lower in the order.

What matters in each format

Test cricket

Average matters most. There is no over limit, so time is the main constraint, and a slow innings that blocks out a day can be the most valuable contribution in a match. Strike rate matters, though, when a team is chasing quick runs before declaring.

ODI cricket

Both matter. A strong ODI batter builds an innings and then accelerates, so a combination of a high average and a good strike rate has become the mark of the best players.

T20 cricket

Strike rate is usually the main measure, with its value depending on role. A finisher who faces 12 balls at the end needs a far higher strike rate than an opener who is meant to bat through. An average of 25 at a strike rate of 170 can be worth more than an average of 40 at 120.

The not-out problem

Not-outs can flatter averages. A lower-order finisher who is often not out with a quick 15 may have an average that looks better than their contributions. So check the number of innings and not-outs before making a comparison. Small samples can also mislead: a batter who has played just five innings might have an extraordinary average that means little.

Use a real scorecard

Take this example from the recent New Zealand–India T20I series. Glenn Phillips scored 276 runs in four innings at a strike rate of about 189, with one not-out. Abhishek Sharma scored 196 at about 228, all from fewer balls. Which was better is a good argument, and exactly the sort of comparison these two numbers are built for. Read the series preview for the figures.

You can see a batter's match strike rate in any scorecard. Our scorecard guide shows you where, and this guide covers the bowling equivalents.