Rohit overtakes Dravid, Tendulkar, rewrites record books

Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 4 (ANI): Indian skipper Rohit Sharma continued his dominant run in ODI cricket with yet another half-century during the second game against Sri Lanka, overtaking Rahul Dravid to become the country’s fourth-highest run-getter in the format.

After a half-century in the first ODI, Rohit continued firing all cylinders in the second ODI, scoring 66 in just 44 balls, with five fours and four sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of over 145.

Now in 264 matches, Rohit has scored 10,831 runs at an average of 49.23, with a strike rate of 92.29, with 31 centuries and 57 fifties. His best score is 264.

Also, as an opener, Rohit has overtaken Sachin Tendulkar to register the most fifty-plus scores for India in international cricket. With 43 centuries and 78 fifties, he has got 121 fifty-plus scores as an opener in all of cricket, just one more than Sachin’s 120, who had 45 centuries and 75 fifties as an opener.

This was Rohit’s fourth fifty in ODIs within the first 10 overs of a match. He is chasing the record of legendary opener Virender Sehwag, who had seven fifties within the first 10 overs of ODI matches.

Rohit has been a six-hitting machine as of late, having smashed 54 sixes in the first 10 overs of an ODI since January 2023, with Australia’s David Warner being a distant rival with 24 sixes. In this time frame, he has scored 1,377 runs in 28 innings at an average of 52.96, with two centuries and 11 fifties. His best score is 131.

Coming to the match, SL won the toss and elected to bat first. Knocks from Avishka Fernando (40 in 62 balls, with five fours), Kamindu Mendis (40 in 44 balls, with four boundaries) and Dunith Wellalage (39 in 35 balls, with a four and two sixes) played a crucial role in taking SL to 240/9 in their 50 overs.

Washington Sundar (3/30), and Kuldeep (2/33) were the top bowlers for India. Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel also got a wicket.

India needs 241 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The first ODI was tied.