Rohit Sharma: From debut to record-breaking icon of Indian cricket

On this day in 2007, Rohit Sharma first stepped onto the international stage—a talented, gifted batter with timing and flair that hinted at greatness. Eighteen years on, he is one of cricket's most decorated and respected figures, not only a run machine but also a smart tactician and successful captain. His evolution from a middle-order prospect to India’s full-time captain and record-shattering opener is one of modern cricket’s most inspiring journeys.

Rohit's statistical record is mind-boggling. He is the world record holder for the highest individual score in ODI history—a jaw-dropping 264 against Sri Lanka—and the only player in the world to have notched three double centuries in ODIs. In 499 games and 532 innings of international cricket, he has scored 19,700 runs at a rate of 42.18. His international runs include 49 centuries and 108 half-centuries, 12 scores of 150+, and 4 double hundreds. No one has scored more sixes than him in international cricket—an incredible 637—and his 1901 boundaries are a testament to his dominance as a stroke player.

As a captain, Rohit Sharma's resume is just as stellar. He has taken India to 104 wins in all formats and boasts the best win percentage among any international captain (72.5%), a record that is even more impressive with an 87.1% victory rate in ICC events. Under his captaincy, India clinched two ICC trophies and two Asia Cup titles. He is the only captain in history to win the Player of the Match award in three separate ICC tournaments. In total, he’s been part of four ICC trophy wins, four Asia Cup triumphs (two as skipper), and has been named in ICC Teams of the Year nine times.

Numbers That Define a Legend

Rohit Sharma's numbers outline a legacy few can rival: 22,575 balls, 230 catches, and match-changing partnerships—1 triple-century partnership, 15 double-century partnerships, 98 hundred-plus partnerships, and 269 fifty-plus partnerships. Though he never bowled more than a handful of overs, he bowled 1061 deliveries, took 12 wickets at a best of 2/27, and even bowled 7 maiden overs at 4.91 per over.

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Beyond the numbers, Rohit's influence is defined by class and consistency. He is the lone player to have achieved a strike rate in excess of 50 in ODIs in 11 calendar years—a testament to enduring brilliance. Personally, he has won 44 Player of the Match and 9 Player of the Series awards. Awardee of the Arjuna Award, Khel Ratna, and ICC ODI Player of the Year, Rohit Sharma's story is not one of milestone after milestone—it's a story of perseverance, leadership, and redefining what greatness looks like in Indian cricket.