In an exciting development for cricket fans, India’s explosive opener, Rohit Sharma, is set to chase down a remarkable record held by former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. During the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, Sharma needs only eight more sixes to claim the top spot for the most sixes in One Day International cricket.
Known as the ‘Hitman’ for his towering sixes, Rohit has already smashed 344 maximums in his ODI career, placing him tantalizingly close to Afridi’s record of 351. If he achieves this feat against Australia, he won’t just break a record, but he’ll become the undisputed leader in ODI six-hitting.
Furthermore, Rohit is on track to become the fastest player to reach the 350-six milestone in ODIs. Afridi took 398 matches to achieve his tally, while Rohit has reached 344 sixes in a significantly fewer 273 matches, highlighting his incredible strike rate. Across all formats, Rohit Sharma has already cemented his place as the leading six-hitter in international cricket, with 205 sixes in T20Is, 88 in Tests, and his 344 in ODIs, totaling an astounding 637 maximums.
In other significant team news, Shubman Gill has recently been appointed as the new captain of the ODI side, taking over from Rohit Sharma. Despite widespread speculation about their long-term ODI involvement, both Rohit and Virat Kohli have reportedly expressed their desire to continue playing until the 2027 ODI World Cup, even as India is scheduled for fewer 50-over matches in the lead-up to the marquee event.
Rohit himself has emphasized his dedication to all formats of the game. Speaking at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai, he stated, “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.”
Looking ahead to the Australia series, which begins on October 19, Rohit shared his enthusiasm: “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, including former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as well as newly appointed vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, is scheduled to depart for Australia on October 15, traveling in two separate batches from New Delhi.