Rohit leaves Tendulkar, Ponting miles behind by smashing 10K ODI runs

Rohit Sharma became the second-fastest to score 10,000 ODI runs, achieving the feat during the India versus Sri Lanka Asia Cup Super 4 match on Tuesday.

Rohit Sharma is back. After battling indifferent form, the India captain’s return to form could not have come at a better time than 22 days before the World Cup. Gearing up for the biggest cricketing extravaganza, Rohit helped himself to another batting record – one he will fondly look back upon long after he is retired. The only man to score three double centuries in ODIs, Rohit cemented his legacy even further as an all-time one-day great on Tuesday when he became the 6th Indian and the 15th overall to complete 10000 runs in the format.

The achievement makes Rohit the second-fastest batter ever to climb Mount 10K, leaving behind the who’s who of cricket. Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly, Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, MS Dhoni and even his coach Rahul Dravid were left miles behind. Against Sri Lanka in India’s Asia Cup 2023 Super Four match at Colombo, Rohit, playing his 241st ODI innings, reached the landmark with a six, which made him the highest six-hitter in Asia Cup history surpassing Shahid Afridi in the process.

Virat Kohli still leads the list, having reached his 10000th ODI run in just 205 innings, and his captain Rohit secures the second spot. He took 18 fewer innings that the legendary Tendulkar, 22 than Ganguly, 25 than Ponting and 32 than Dhoni. The likes of Lara (278), Gayle (282), Dravid (287) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (293) are languishing below. Besides entering the 10000-ran mark, Rohit achieved another special distinction when he smashed a six, making him the highest six-hitter in the history of the Asia Cup.

Rohit did not take long to get going. Second ball of the match, Rohit received a juicy half-volley which he creamed through the covers to get off the mark with a boundary. He was made to be watchful as Maheesh Theekshana and Kasun Rajitha tightened their line and length, forcing Rohit to play himself in. But even then, Rohit was scoring at a strike-rate of 75. He was literally gifted his second boundary when Charith Asalanka made a mess near the boundary, but you could see that Rohit was itching. He gave himself room on a couple of occasions against Rajitha but both deliveries were sent down leg stump for wides. After playing out two dots, Rohit shuffled a little smacked the ball straight down the ground for a maximum.

It was almost as of the six broke the shackles for Rohit as he switched gears to enter beast mode. Dasun Shanaka got drilled for four boundaries in an over, before Matheesha Pathirana was welcomed with a six as Rohit zoomed to a half-century off 44 balls.

New high for Rohit and Gill

For the second game in a row, India got off to a fabulous start with Rohit and Shubman Gill racing the total past fifty inside 10 overs. During this 50-run partnership, the pair brought up a mindboggling 1000 runs opening the innings together. In just 12 innings, Rohit and Gill have amassed 1046 runs and counting at an average of 91.3, including five fifty and four century partnerships. Even here, Rohit and Gill added 80 runs before Dunith Wellalage castled the India youngster for 19 off 25 balls.