India captain Rohit Sharma is on the cusp of a historic milestone. As the Indian team gears up to take on Pakistan in their Super 4 clash in the Asia Cup 2023, Rohit would look to bring up the 10,000-run milestone in ODI cricket, becoming the third fastest player in the format to do so. The record is led by Rohit's teammate Virat Kohli while the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly complete the top three. Rohit can usurp Ganguly and take the no. 3 spot if he scores 78 runs against Pakistan on Sunday.
Ganguly, occupying the No. 3 spot, had reached the 10,000-run milestone in 263 innings. Rohit, on the other hand, has only played 239 ODI innings for India so far.
Fastest to 10000 ODI runs in terms of innings batted:
- Virat Kohli-205
- Sachin Tendulkar- 259
- Sourav Ganguly-263.
What is interesting to see is that 68% of his total runs in ODIs runs have come since he started to open the innings for IND (494/731).
When it comes to the current Indian squad, Rohit, with 731 runs, is the leading run-getter against Pakistan. Since 2013, if we look at his record against Pakistan, it has been all or nothing, he has scored 5 fifty-plus scores in 9 innings and 4 times he has failed to cross the 20 runs mark.
In the last 5 innings against Pakistan, twice when he has failed to score, he was undone upfront by a left-arm pacer. In 2017, it was Mohammad Amir and in 2023, it was Shaheen Shah Afridi.
When it comes to Rohit Sharma's approach in ODIs, he has scored aggressively in the first 10 overs over the last 2 years, striking at 104 and has been dismissed 8 times.
Rohit's strike-rate in first 10 overs (ODIs) in last two years:
- In 2022- 101
- In 2023- 105
What is also interesting to see is that out of his 8 dismissals 4 times he has been dismissed by left-arm pacers. Two of these dismissals came against Reece Topley of England. Once against Mitchell Starc and once against Shaheen Afridi.
Ahead of the Super 4 clash against Pakistan, Rohit and other batters in the Indian team too, have been undergoing special practice sessions, especially to counter left-arm pace bowling.
When India played Pakistan in the group match of the Asia Cup, Rohit looked confident against Shaheen but was eventually undone by the talismanic pacer.