Today, Rohit Sharma is among the most successful ODI batters. Known as ‘The Hitman,’ he is the only player in ODI history to score three double-hundreds. In 265 ODIs, he has accumulated 10,866 runs at an average of 49.16, including 31 centuries and 57 fifties.
However, the 37-year-old took time to establish himself in ODIs. From his debut in June 2007 until the end of 2012, he played 86 ODIs, scoring 1,978 runs at an average of 30.43, with only two centuries.
In an October 2012 interview with the Times of India, a young Rohit acknowledged that he hadn’t yet figured out ODIs and was searching for the missing element. He openly stated:
“Yes, I enjoy my stints in Twenty20. I sincerely hope I can adapt this to one-day cricket too, and do what I manage to do in T20. I have succeeded in this format regardless of conditions, batting order and any other factors.”
”I hope it rubs off on other formats too. I have realized that something is missing when I am playing ODIs, but I don’t what. I am trying to figure out what is this missing link.”
When asked if there was a problem with his approach in ODIs, the right-handed batter responded:
“I’ve really not thought about it. I go with the same approach in all formats. There are aspects to my batting that don’t necessarily have to change just because I’m playing a different format. That’s why I said, I really need to figure out what it is.”
Although Rohit took a while to find his rhythm in ODIs, he was comfortable in T20Is right from the beginning. He made his debut in the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa, contributing significantly to India’s victory with a few key performances.
How opening the innings in ODIs transformed Rohit Sharma’s career
Rohit’s career took a positive turn in 2013 when he was promoted to open the innings in ODIs. Since then, he has become a different player. From 2013 onward, the right-handed batter has played 179 ODIs, scoring 8,888 runs at an average of 56.97, including 29 centuries.
He established a formidable opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan. The right-left duo opened the batting in 115 innings for India, amassing 5,148 runs together at an average of 45.55, featuring 18 century stands and 15 half-century partnerships.
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