Indian cricket maestro Rohit Sharma is on the cusp of etching his name deeper into the record books. The dynamic opener is just a few big hits away from surpassing former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record for the most sixes in One Day Internationals.
As the much-anticipated three-match ODI series against Australia approaches, all eyes will be on Sharma, who currently boasts 344 sixes in his ODI career. He needs a mere eight more maximums to leapfrog Afridi’s impressive tally of 351.
What makes this potential achievement even more remarkable is the efficiency with which Sharma has accumulated his boundaries. While Afridi took 398 matches to reach 351 sixes, the ‘Hitman’ has achieved his 344 sixes in just 273 ODIs, positioning him to become the fastest player to hit 350 ODI sixes.
Sharma isn’t just a force in ODIs; he’s already the leading six-hitter in international cricket across all formats, with a staggering 637 sixes (205 in T20Is, 88 in Tests, and 344 in ODIs).
In a recent significant development, Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new ODI captain, taking the reins from Rohit Sharma. Despite swirling rumors about their long-term 50-over careers, both Rohit and Virat Kohli are reportedly keen to continue playing until the 2027 ODI World Cup, even with a lighter schedule of ODI matches leading up to the marquee event.
Speaking at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai, Rohit expressed his dedication to all three formats of the game. “I personally took a lot of pride in trying to excel in all three formats whenever I had the opportunity, and that is something that a few others also did, which eventually rubbed off on the team as well,” he stated.
Looking ahead to the challenging tour Down Under, he added, “I love playing against them. I love going to Australia. It’s a very challenging country to play cricket. People there love the game as well. But certainly, Australia is a different challenge every time we play against them. Having been there several times, I do understand what to expect. Hopefully, we can go there and do what the Indian team is supposed to do and get the result in our favour.”
The Indian ODI squad is scheduled to depart for Australia on October 15 in two separate groups from the national capital. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, along with the newly appointed vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, are expected to join the Test squad members in New Delhi before the team’s departure.