Most century by a batsman in one day internationals (ODI career)

List of most century in tests shows lot closer race than similar one in one day internationals (ODI or one day matches). Sachin Tendulkar is leader in both the lists and finished one short of 50 hundreds whereas no other batsman internationally had even gone past 30 mark, until another Indian run-machine came along in Virat Kohli.

Ricky Ponting of Australia remained second and threatened Tendulkar's record for a few years too but his one day form dipped before he retired from all formats. Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya, the man with 28 centuries, was in his prime during nineties and early 2000s.

Sourav Ganguly was another prolific century maker in the format but he quit after 22 while Herschelle Gibbs holds the record most centuries in one day matches for South Africa.

Interesting is the presence of Chris Gayle, man with maximum tons by a West Indies batsman (going past 18 by Brian Lara). Gayle may have had chances of challenging Tendulkar's record in five years time but he's lost in some battle with WICB.

Desmond Haynes once held the record before Tendulkar broke it, and owns it since then.

Can Virat Kohli break Tendulkar's record? that's the question we all will be wondering for a few years to come. Kohli is now only 17 centuries behind Tendulkar. Do take note of Hashim Amla too, who is quietly climbing up the ladder, although AB de Villiers seems to have lost steam in the recent past with injury issues.

Nathan Astle and Ross Taylor hold New Zealand record with 16 hundreds while Marcus Trescothick has most ODI hundreds by an England batsman = 12, although Joe Root is sure to breach that mark.

Most century by a batsman in one day cricket career.
Batsman (Country)	100s	ODIs	50s	NO	Best	0s
Sachin Tendulkar (India)	49	463	96	41	200*	20
Virat Kohli (India)	32	202	45	25	183	10
Ricky Ponting (Australia)	30	375	82	39	164	20
Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)	28	445	68	18	189	34
Hashim Amla (South Africa)	26	158	34	11	159	3
AB de Villiers (South Africa)	25	225	53	39	176	7
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)	25	404	93	38	169	15
Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri lanka)	22	327	47	41	160*	11
Sourav Ganguly (India)	22	311	72	23	183	16
Chris Gayle (West Indies)	22	273	48	17	215	23
Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa)	21	248	37	16	175	22
Saeed Anwar (Pakistan)	20	247	43	19	194	15
Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)	19	448	77	39	144	28
Brian Lara (West Indies)	19	299	63	32	169	16
Mark Waugh (Australia)	18	244	50	20	173	16
Ross Taylor (New Zealand)	17	193	38	29	131*	9
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)	17	328	86	53	139	17
Desmond Haynes (West Indies)	17	238	57	28	152*	13
Nathan Astle (New Zealand)	16	223	41	14	145*	19
Adam Gilchrist (Australia)	16	287	55	11	172	19
Rohit Sharma	15	171	34	25	264	11
Virender Sehwag (India)	15	251	38	1	219	14
Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan)	15	288	64	40	141*	15
Upul Tharanga (Sri lanka)	15	215	35	16	174*	16
David Warner (Australia)	14	101	17	4	179	2
Yuvraj Singh (India)	14	295	51	39	139	18
Quinton de Kock (South Africa)	13	88	15	5	178	2
Gary Kirsten (South Africa)	13	185	45	19	188*	11
Martin Guptill (New Zealand)	12	149	32	16	237*	12
Marcus Trescothick (England)	12	123	21	6	137	13
Rahul Dravid (India)	12	344	83	40	153	13

Upcoming batsmen

Who haven't retired and may rise up the ladder to join above list are..

11 centuries = Shikhar Dhawan & Gautam Gambhir of India, Eoin Morgan of England (+Ireland), and Md Hafeez of Pakistan.

10 centuries = Joe Root (England), MS Dhoni (India), and Marlon Samuels (WI).

9 centuries = Shoaib Malik (Pak), Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), and Kane Williamson (NZ).