Rohit Sharma: India Captain, Three ODI Double Centuries, 264 Highest ODI Score, Hitman

Rohit Sharma was born on 30 April 1987 in Bansod, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. He made his ODI debut in 2007 and his Test debut in 2013. For the first decade of his international career, he was primarily a middle-order batsman in ODIs — known for his elegant strokeplay and natural timing — and an inconsistent Test batsman who rarely converted starts into big scores when batting at number six. His transformation came in two stages: first, when he was moved to open the ODI batting (alongside Shikhar Dhawan from 2013), which unlocked a new level of scoring; and second, when he was promoted to open in Tests in 2019, which resolved the inconsistency that had limited his Test career. As an ODI opener, Rohit produced three double centuries — a feat no other batsman in ODI history has achieved — and the highest individual score in ODI cricket: 264 against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 13 November 2014.

Three Double Centuries and the 264

Rohit Sharma's three ODI double centuries are: 209 against Australia in Bangalore (2013), 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata (2014), and 208 not out against Sri Lanka in Mohali (2017). The 264 remains the highest score in ODI cricket history; it included 33 fours and 9 sixes, scored from 173 balls in a match where India posted 404 for 5 and won by 153 runs. As an ODI opener, Rohit scored 9,205 runs at 48.96 with 31 centuries — one of the most prolific opening partnerships in ODI history alongside Shikhar Dhawan. His ability to demolish powerplay bowling and accumulate large scores against pace and spin made him the dominant ODI opener of the 2010s alongside Dhawan and later Shubman Gill.

Test Opener Transformation and India Captaincy

Rohit Sharma's promotion to Test opener in 2019 — initially on tour to South Africa — produced an immediate transformation. He averaged over 60 as a Test opener and scored centuries against the best bowling attacks in home and away conditions. He became India's Test captain following Virat Kohli's resignation in January 2022 and led India with an attacking style that prioritised positive intent at the top of the order. He captained India to the ICC T20 World Cup title in the West Indies and USA in June 2024 — India's first T20 World Cup since 2007 — defeating South Africa in the final in Barbados. He retired from T20 internationals immediately after the 2024 T20 World Cup final. He also led India to the ICC World Test Championship final in 2023.