Rohit Sharma achieved his first ODI century in over three years during the third match between India and New Zealand in Indore on Tuesday. The Indian captain displayed remarkable form as he struck 9 fours and 6 sixes to reach the milestone in just 83 balls. Rohit achieved his half century in 41 deliveries and the next 50 runs came in 42 balls. His last ODI century was in January 2020 against Australia in Bangalore.
Rohit Sharma has now tied for third place on the list of most ODI centuries, having achieved his 30th century in the format. Ricky Ponting had previously held the record with 30 centuries from 375 one-day internationals, but Rohit has now surpassed him in just his 241st match.
Rohit stitched together a brilliant 212-run partnership with Shubman Gill for the opening wicket, but the India skipper was dismissed by Michael Bracewell almost immediately after scoring the ton.
For the past three years, Rohit Sharma had scored five half-centuries, yet he had not come close to his 30th ODI hundred. During this time, Rohit had achieved a remarkable Test hundred against England at home in 2021, but his ODI form had become a source of worry for some.
However, Rohit Sharma, who will captain India in the upcoming World Cup on home soil, has started 2023 off on a strong note. He kicked off the series against New Zealand with scores of 34 and 51, before smashing a fluent century on a placid pitch in Indore. Rohit holds the record for the most ODI double centuries (3) and most T20I hundreds (4) in the game.
On Tuesday, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill demonstrated why class is timeless. While Gill continued his impressive streak, Rohit took a while to get going before unleashing a series of sensational shots that transported viewers back in time. It was a vintage Rohit Sharma performance, as he effortlessly dispatched sixes and showed no mercy to Mitchell Santner, who had previously troubled the in-form Virat Kohli in Hyderabad and Raipur.
This innings marked the 10th anniversary of Rohit Sharma's tenure as a regular opener. On January 23, 2013, he was asked to open and responded with a stylish half-century after a series of low scores. During the course of his innings on Tuesday, Rohit made history by becoming the first Indian batsman to hit five sixes in the first 15 overs of an ODI innings. His remarkable feat was a testament to his skill and determination, and a reminder of why he has been a mainstay in the Indian batting lineup for the past decade.
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