Talent – an apparently heartening term that has followed Rohit Sharma around like a shadow; even haunted him at times.
| Full Name Rohit Gurunath Sharma | Born April 30, 1987, Bansod, Nagpur, Maharashtra | Age 37y 342d |
| Batting Style Right hand Bat | Bowling Style Right arm Offbreak | Playing Role Top order Batter |
Team
Profile
Talent – an apparently heartening term that has followed Rohit Sharma around like a shadow; even haunted him at times. It seems to be a burden that the cricketing fraternity has enforced upon him and, after more than a decade in the national setting, he has been weighed down by the label.
Harsha Bhogle spoke of whispers in the domestic circuit; of coaches and scouts spotting the effortless, free-flowing stroke-play of a Mumbai teenager. Having cruised through first-class cricket, with an average well above 50, he shot to the limelight when he scored a brisk unbeaten triple-hundred at the Ranji level.
It all began after an injury to an in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 World T20, when Rohit was called upon as a last-minute emergency replacement to play a league game against the hosts. After a lacklustre start to the Indian innings, the 20-year-old strode out into Kingsmead and stroked his way to a fluent half-century against the likes of Pollock, Ntini and Morkel as though he were having a net session. He showed startling maturity under pressure to survive till the end of the innings, escorting India to a respectable total that they ultimately defended, knocking South Africa out of the tournament in their own backyard.
Indian cricket-frenzy fans have a thing for like-for-like replacements. More specifically, they have a thing for spotting similarities with the days gone by. With an incessant obsession for stats, a cricketing romantic is struck by nostalgia at the thought of an elegant-looking batsman with a free-flowing batting style from Mumbai. That’s right – Rohit Sharma was touted to become Sachin Tendulkar’s long-destined successor at number 4 in the Test batting line-up.After all, it added up: so much time to play his shots, effortless stroke-making capabilities even against express pace, and a wide repertoire of shots. This had to be God’s gift to cricket in the post-Tendulkar era, right?
The selectors subsequently picked Rohit for the ODI team on a whim, following his burst of vital performances in the World T20 and his impressive Ranji Trophy record. He made an impression in the CB series Down Under, playing some crucial cameos against stalwarts like Brett Lee and Stuart Clark, and a more-than-competent Sri Lankan attack. These inspired away performances in the World T20 and the CB series caught the eye of the selectors, and warranted him an extended run with the limited-overs side.
However, inconsistency and a knack of gifting his wicket away meant that he struggled to cement his spot in the side. Critics pointed out that he had too many shots for the same ball, and this meant that shot selection was becoming a bit of an issue for him. Furthermore, several experts spotted that he had trouble playing the short ball since his stance was too side-on and that he had no back-and-across trigger movement. His pedestrian batting average of 22 to go with a string of low scores and unconverted starts meant that he failed to cement a spot in the side for the 2011 Cricket World Cup squad…
Looking back at his career, Rohit Sharma would thank the Indian Premier League for keeping him in the reckoning and preventing him from being discarded like several other young, talented cricketers who initially burst into the national spotlight but failed to succeed at the highest level. In the first two years of the IPL, his performance stood out, as he made over 350 runs each time for the Deccan Chargers and proved his worth to his franchise. He was then transferred to the Mumbai Indians franchise in 2011 and has been one of their most consistent batsmen over the years.
Rohit continued to move in and out of India’s playing eleven, unable to establish himself despite being given ample opportunities in a well-settled middle-order. In 2010, he made it to the Playing XI for the Nagpur Test against South Africa but suffered a heartbreaking injury during a warm-up football game, coming agonizingly close to earning his coveted India cap. A cruel twist of fate ruled him out of the series, and he wouldn’t get another chance to prove his Test credentials for four more years.
Rohit’s proved himself on the IPL stage again in 2011 and made a comeback into the ODI squad for the tour of West Indies where he scored three half-centuries in five matches. However, this turned out to be another false dawn as he followed it up with a string of low scores in the CB series in Australia and a nightmare tour of Sri Lanka with just 14 runs from 5 innings, including 2 ducks. He had already been given a more-than-extended run and was starting to build an unenviable reputation of a frustratingly fascinating player.
The generally fickle selectors, surprisingly, continued to back him. Eventually, due to lack of contenders for the opener’s spot in ODIs, MS Dhoni, the Indian captain, decided to try him as an opener in the limited-overs’ format.
The term ‘masThe term ‘masterstroke’ has often been used vaguely, tied to results rather than foresight. Promoting Rohit Sharma to the top of the ODI order proved to be a genuine masterstroke. India finally found a stable opener, and Rohit scripted a remarkable turnaround after years of inconsistency. With time to settle into his role, Rohit formed a formidable partnership with Shikhar Dhawan. Their alliance played a pivotal role in India’s unbeaten Champions Trophy campaign in 2013. The “talented but underachieving” tag began to fade as Rohit started living up to expectations. In a high-scoring ODI series against Australia, he amassed 491 runs in six innings, culminating in a blistering 209 in the decisive match in Bangalore. This knock placed him among the elite list of ODI double-centurions, alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.
With stalwarts like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman retiring, India needed fresh Test batsmen. Rohit seized his chance during West Indies’ tour in 2013, earning his Test cap in Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series at Eden Gardens. Determined not to let the opportunity slip, Rohit announced his arrival with a composed 177 in his debut innings, turning the match in India’s favor. He followed it up with an unbeaten 111 in the next Test at Wankhede, enchanting a tearful crowd during Tendulkar’s farewell game. Rohit dismantled the West Indian attack, showcasing his adaptability and temperament. After recovering from an injury, he returned with a vengeance, smashing a jaw-dropping 264 against Sri Lanka in an ODI at Eden Gardens. His innings outscored the entire Lankan team by 13 runs, cementing his legacy as one of India’s most destructive batsmen.
However, a worrying trend continued after the selectors picked him for the Australia tour following his Kolkata epic: selecting him for away Test tours based on white-ball performances in less challenging conditions.The selectors chose him after his 209 for the South Africa tour in late 2013, but he looked technically inept in seaming conditions. He committed to the line of the ball too early and played as if the wicket were true. His strength of picking the length quickly in ODIs turned into a curse in Test matches. Similarly, after being selected for the Australia tour following his 264, he managed only one fifty in six innings. He struggled against the pace-heavy Australian attack, looking completely at sea. He repeatedly played away from his body, tried to hit through the line in conditions favoring lateral movement, and displayed poor off-stump awareness.
Nevertheless he continued his golden run in ODIs, ending the 2015 World Cup campaign as India’s second-highest run-scorer with a total of 330 runs, including a hundred in the quarter-final against Bangladesh to go with two fifties.
Rohit, the ODI player, finally delivered a break-through performance as an opener with an impeccable limited-overs tour of Australia in early 2016, making back-to-back hundreds and a 99 in the series and finally answering the faith of the selectors and his captain. He had become a one-day monster who developed a habit – started his ODI innings in a slow and steady manner, but could really lay into any bowling attack once he was in. With an extended home season, Rohit continued to get chances in Tests and showed vast improvement in his technique, playing closer to his body and preventing his ODI game to amalgamate with his more air-tight Test technique. With four fifties and a hundred in his last 5 innings, he capped off a fruitful home season with an unprecedented third ODI double-century against a woebegone Sri Lankan attack.
Gifted with technique and languid elegance, Rohit Sharma found consistency and became a Test regular from 2018. His white-ball dominance reached new heights in the 2019 ODI World Cup, where he amassed 648 runs in 9 games at an average of 81, smashing 67 fours and 14 sixes. By 2021, Rohit emerged as the natural successor to Virat Kohli as T20I captain. Soon after, the BCCI appointed him ODI captain for the South Africa tour, though injury sidelined him. Rohit officially took charge in India’s 1000th ODI on February 6, 2022, against West Indies. Weeks later, he assumed Test captaincy, leading India to series wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while drawing with England in England (as of March 2023). Under his leadership, Rohit has solidified his legacy as a modern great.
Rohit was India’s skipper in the 2022 T20I World Cup, where his team was brutally outplayed by England in the semi-final. Post that defeat, he took the mantle on himself to change the team culture and instill a brand of fearless cricket amongst his boys. Rohit led from the front in the 2023 ODI World Cup, giving the team blazing starts in most games. He scored quick runs without caring too much for personal records as India cruised through to the finals, unbeaten. They were unfortunately beaten in the final by Australia.
Rohit Sharma got his chance at redemption though a few months later in the T20I World Cup. He was instrumental for India in a group game against Australia and then in the semi-final against England where he scored big runs to drive the opposition out of the game. It was under his captaincy that India eventually managed to break their 11 year trophy jinx as they won the 2024 T20I World Cup in Barbados. Post the World Cup, Rohit had a bit of a slump in form, especially in Test cricket as India suffered a 3-0 home whitewash at the hands of New Zealand and then lost the Border Gavaskar Series as well. He famously dropped himself from the side despite being skipper for the final Sydney Test of the BGT.
Rohit found form once again when white ball cricket resumed, as he scored a superb hundred against England in a home bilateral series. He followed that form into the Champions Trophy, reserving his best for the final where he top scored for India to claim the Man of the Match and also lead the team to a second ICC trophy in the span of nine months.
IPL through the years
The IPL has done a lot for Rohit Sharma. He has has won six IPL titles: one with Deccan Chargers and five as captain of Mumbai Indians (MI), making him the joint most successful captain in the Indian Premier League.When he was a young, talented batsman who struggled with consistency, the IPL gave him a ticket to stay relevant, and he grabbed it with both hands during his time with the Deccan Chargers from 2008-2010, scoring over 350 runs in each of the three seasons. Then the IPL took him back to his home of Mumbai, and Rohit couldn’t have been happier. His statistics with the Mumbai Indians got progressively better from 2011-13, and eventually his best IPL season in 2013 – where he finished the tournament with 538 runs – coincided with MI’s maiden title win.
And finally, the IPL helped unveil a leadership side to Rohit Sharma that has impressed a lot of people. Rohit led MI to five IPL titles which is an amazing accomplishment. Rohit is also among the all-time top run-scorers in the IPL, only behind Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan.Heis MI’s top-scorer and one of only four batters with more than 6000 runs in the IPL. He has two hundreds in the IPL so far – one was in 2012 and the other in 2024.
In 2024, Mumbai Indians removed Rohit Sharma as captain and appointed a returning Hardik Pandya as the new captain after transferring him in from Gujarat Titans. The franchise retained Rohit Sharma ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2025.
Debut/Last Matches of Rohit Sharma
Test Matches
Debut
India vs West Indies at Eden Gardens – November 06 – 08, 2013
Last
Australia vs India at Melbourne – December 26 – 30, 2024
ODI Matches
Debut
Ireland vs India at Belfast – June 23, 2007
Last
New Zealand vs India at Dubai (DICS) – March 09, 2025
T20I Matches
Debut
India vs England at Durban – September 19, 2007
Last
India vs South Africa at Bridgetown – June 29, 2024
FC Matches
Debut
NZ A vs India A at Darwin – July 11 – 14, 2006
Last
Mumbai vs J + K at Mumbai – January 23 – 25, 2025
List A Matches
Debut
Central Zone vs West Zone at Gwalior – February 25, 2006
Last
New Zealand vs India at Dubai (DICS) – March 09, 2025
T20 Matches
Debut
Baroda vs Mumbai at Wankhede – April 03, 2007
Last
KKR vs MI at Wankhede – March 31, 2025
Rohit Sharma Career Stats
Batting & Fielding
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 67 | 116 | 10 | 4301 | 212 | 40.57 | 7538 | 57.05 | 12 | 18 | 473 | 88 | 68 | 0 |
| ODIs | 273 | 265 | 36 | 11168 | 264 | 48.76 | 12034 | 92.80 | 32 | 58 | 1045 | 344 | 97 | 0 |
| T20Is | 159 | 151 | 19 | 4231 | 121* | 32.05 | 3003 | 140.89 | 5 | 32 | 383 | 205 | 65 | 0 |
| FC | 129 | 209 | 19 | 9318 | 309* | 49.04 | 15230 | 61.18 | 29 | 38 | 1074 | 170 | 112 | 0 |
| List A | 344 | 332 | 44 | 13410 | 264 | 46.56 | – | – | 35 | 71 | – | – | 121 | 0 |
| T20s | 451 | 438 | 52 | 11851 | 121* | 30.70 | 8798 | 134.70 | 8 | 78 | 1071 | 526 | 174 | 0 |
Bowling
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 67 | 16 | 383 | 224 | 2 | 1/26 | 1/35 | 112.00 | 3.50 | 191.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 273 | 40 | 610 | 533 | 9 | 2/27 | 2/27 | 59.22 | 5.24 | 67.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 159 | 9 | 68 | 113 | 1 | 1/22 | 1/22 | 113.00 | 9.97 | 68.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC | 129 | 70 | 2153 | 1154 | 24 | 4/41 | 5/85 | 48.08 | 3.21 | 89.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 344 | 72 | 1384 | 1180 | 31 | 4/28 | 4/28 | 38.06 | 5.11 | 44.6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 451 | 59 | 635 | 830 | 29 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 28.62 | 7.84 | 21.8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Rohit Sharma T20 Stats
Batting & Fielding
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 2 teams | 260 | 255 | 29 | 6649 | 109* | 29.42 | 5074 | 131.04 | 2 | 43 | 601 | 281 | 101 | 0 |
| Champions League | 2 teams | 11 | 11 | 1 | 322 | 51* | 32.20 | 254 | 126.77 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
Bowling
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 2 teams | 260 | 32 | 339 | 453 | 15 | 4/6 | 4/6 | 30.20 | 8.01 | 22.6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Champions League | 2 teams | 11 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 0 | – | – | – | 6.50 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rohit Sharma IPL Career Stats
IPL Batting & Fielding Stats
| Year | Mat | No | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | CT | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 260 | 29 | 6649 | 109* | 29.42 | 5074 | 131.04 | 2 | 43 | 601 | 281 | 101 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 13 | 7.00 | 20 | 105.00 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 14 | 1 | 417 | 105* | 32.08 | 278 | 150.00 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023 | 16 | 0 | 332 | 65 | 20.75 | 250 | 132.80 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 0 | 268 | 48 | 19.14 | 223 | 120.18 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 0 |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | 381 | 63 | 29.30 | 299 | 127.42 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | 12 | 0 | 332 | 80 | 27.66 | 260 | 127.69 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 19 | 6 | 0 |
| 2019 | 15 | 1 | 405 | 67 | 28.92 | 315 | 128.57 | 0 | 2 | 52 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 2 | 286 | 94 | 23.83 | 215 | 133.02 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 8 | 0 |
| 2017 | 17 | 2 | 333 | 67 | 23.78 | 273 | 121.97 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 | 14 | 3 | 489 | 85* | 44.45 | 368 | 132.88 | 0 | 5 | 49 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | 16 | 2 | 482 | 98* | 34.42 | 333 | 144.74 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 21 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 15 | 2 | 390 | 59* | 30.00 | 302 | 129.13 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 16 | 5 | 0 |
| 2013 | 19 | 5 | 538 | 79* | 38.42 | 409 | 131.54 | 0 | 4 | 35 | 28 | 7 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 2 | 433 | 109* | 30.92 | 342 | 126.60 | 1 | 3 | 39 | 18 | 13 | 0 |
| 2011 | 16 | 3 | 372 | 87 | 33.81 | 297 | 125.25 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 13 | 7 | 0 |
| 2010 | 16 | 2 | 404 | 73 | 28.85 | 302 | 133.77 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 16 | 3 | 362 | 52 | 27.84 | 315 | 114.92 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 18 | 5 | 0 |
| 2008 | 13 | 1 | 404 | 76* | 36.72 | 273 | 147.98 | 0 | 4 | 38 | 19 | 8 | 0 |
IPL Bowling
| Year | Mat | Balls | Runs | WKTS | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4W | 5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 260 | 363 | 453 | 15 | 4/6 | 30.20 | 7.49 | 24.20 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0/4 | – | 11.14 | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 15 | 18 | 26 | 1 | 1/20 | 26.00 | 8.66 | 18.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0/1 | – | 4.50 | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0/16 | – | 16.00 | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 16 | 48 | 53 | 0 | 0/14 | – | 13.25 | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 16 | 114 | 153 | 2 | 1/19 | 76.50 | 8.05 | 57.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 16 | 138 | 161 | 11 | 4/6 | 14.63 | 7.00 | 12.54 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 13 | 24 | 25 | 1 | 1/25 | 25.00 | 6.25 | 24.00 | 0 | 0 |
2025 IPL TEAM
Delhi Capitals Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super kings Gujrat Titans Kolkata knight Riders Lucknow Super Giants Mumbai Indians Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bengaluru