Indian batting maestro Rohit Sharma etched his name into the annals of cricket history on Saturday, June 13, by becoming the first cricketer to score 16,000 international runs for India as an opening batter.
The 39 year old right handed veteran from Mumbai needed exactly six runs to reach the milestone ahead of the first One Day International of the bilateral series against Afghanistan. Rohit achieved the historic landmark in spectacular fashion, launching a delivery from Afghan bowler Azmatullah Omarzai over the ropes for a towering six off the third ball of the third over during India’s pursuit of a 195 run target.
Career Milestones in the Opening Slot
With his knock of 16 runs off 16 deliveries in the series opener in Dharamsala, Rohit now possesses a grand total of 16,010 runs across 384 innings in 359 international fixtures as an opening batter representing India. The veteran skipper has displayed elite longevity and versatility across all three formats of the game, maintaining high averages and strike rates since transition into the role.
Rohit Sharma Career Statistics as Opener for India
On the domestic front, Rohit leads a highly prestigious list of legendary Indian openers. He is followed in the national standings by the explosive Virender Sehwag and the iconic Sachin Tendulkar. Sehwag accumulated 15,758 runs in 388 innings strictly while opening the batting for India, whereas Tendulkar concluded his illustrious career with 15,335 runs in 382 opening innings for the country.
Most Runs for India as Opener in International Matches
When evaluating overall international opening records which include representative teams, Rohit is the second Indian batter to achieve the 16,000 run mark, sitting just behind Virender Sehwag. Sehwag amassed a total of 16,119 runs in 332 matches as an opener between 2001 and 2013, a tally that includes matches played for the Asia XI and ICC World XI alongside his appearances for India.
Most Runs as Opening Batter in International Cricket
The absolute peak of international run scoring as an opening batter belongs to Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya. The aggressive left hander accumulated 19,298 runs in 506 matches opening the innings for Sri Lanka and the Asia XI between 1993 and 2011. He is followed in the global rankings by a stellar line of openers, placing Rohit Sharma seventh on the all time international run scorers list.
Jayasuriya also holds the undisputed record for the most international runs scored as an opener for a single country, having opened in 502 matches specifically for Sri Lanka and scoring 19,232 runs. Rohit finds himself in sixth place in this highly exclusive category.
Match Summary
The historic milestone was established during a rain affected encounter in Dharamsala where India emerged victorious. Chasing a target of 195, India reached 195/3 with 13 balls to spare, securing a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the opening ODI at Dharamsala after rain reduced the contest to 25 overs per side.
