NEW DELHI: India skipper Rohit Sharma started the new year with a classy half-century against Sri Lanka in the first one-day international (ODI) of the three-match series in Guwahati on Tuesday. Enroute his 83 off 67 balls, Rohit completed 9,500 runs in ODI cricket -- the sixth Indian batter to reach the landmark.
Sachin Tendulkar (18,426), Virat Kohli (12,584*), Sourav Ganguly (11,221), Rahul Dravid (10,768) and MS Dhoni (10,599) were the first five batters to reach the landmark for India, with all of them scoring over 10,000 ODI runs. Rohit at 9537 is just 63 shy of joining the exclusive 10K club in ODIs.
The India captain smashed three sixes and nine fours during his quick-fire innings and added an impressive 143 runs for the opening wicket with Shubman Gill (70 off 60) in just 19.4 overs. Rohit was looking good for his 30th ODI hundred, before pacer Dilshan Madushanka clean bowled him in the 24th over.
India posted a massive 373/7 against the Lankans, with Virat Kohli scoring his 45th ODI hundred, a 113 off 87 balls, on Tuesday .
It has been a good start for Rohit in the World Cup year after failing to shine last year.
In two Tests last year, Rohit scored 90 runs at an average of 30, with the best score of 46. In eight ODIs, he scored 249 runs at an average of 41.50, with three half-centuries and a best of 76*. Rohit scored 656 runs in 29 T20I innings last year at an average of 24.29 and strike rate of 134.42, with three half-centuries and the best score of 72.
For the first time since 2012, Rohit did not score an international century in an entire year in 2022.
Overall, in 236 matches and 229 innings, Rohit now has 9,537 runs at an average of 48.90. He has scored 29 centuries and 47 half-centuries in the format. His best individual score is 264, and he has a strike rate of 89.64 in ODIs.
(With inputs from ANI)
