Rohit Sharma’s innings broke several records. He became India’s highest-scoring opener across formats and equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI hundreds against Australia, also becoming the second-oldest Indian to achieve the feat.
Sydney: Rohit Sharma delivered a commanding statement with an unbeaten 121 off 125 balls as India cruised to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Australia at the SCG on Saturday, October 25, wrapping up the three-match ODI series 2-1. The 38-year-old Indian captain’s 50th international century, his 33rd in ODIs, anchored a masterful chase of 237, with India reaching the target in just 38.3 overs. Rohit shared an unbroken 168-run partnership with Virat Kohli, who contributed an unbeaten 74 off 81 balls, as the pair turned what could have been a tricky pursuit into a comfortable afternoon’s work. The century came as sweet redemption after he failed to convert a half-century in the Adelaide match.
Opening the batting, Rohit Sharma wasted little time asserting dominance over the Australian attack, striking a total of 15 boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 96.80. After Shubman Gill departed for 24 in the 11th over, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood, Rohit took complete control. His innings was a masterclass in pacing a chase, calculated aggression punctuated with his vintage and trademark elegance. The milestone century made Rohit only the 10th player in cricket history to reach 50 international hundreds, joining an elite club that includes Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ricky Ponting, and Jacques Kallis.
What Records Did Rohit Break?
Rohit’s innings was packed with historical significance. The Mumbai batsman surpassed Virender Sehwag’s tally of 15,758 runs to become the highest run-scorer among Indian openers across all formats, remarkably achieving the feat in 11 fewer innings. He also equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of nine ODI centuries against Australia, reaching the milestone in just 49 innings compared to Tendulkar’s 70. Among active players, only David Warner has more international centuries as an opener (49) than Rohit’s 45.
At 38 years and 178 days, Rohit became the second-oldest Indian to score an ODI hundred, behind only Tendulkar who was 38 years and 327 days when he achieved the feat. The century also marked his 14th in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia)—the most by any visiting ODI batsman in those conditions. The partnership between Rohit and Kohli, their 19th century stand in ODIs, is now the third-most prolific in the format’s history, behind Tendulkar and Ganguly and Dilshan-Sangakkara. The duo’s understanding and ability to accelerate when needed left Australia’s bowlers searching for answers.
Social Media Erupts
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif applauded Rohit Sharma for “putting his head down, scoring runs, proving critics wrong, letting the bat do the talking and telling the world that age is just a number.” A social media user posted: “Salute, Rohit Gurunath Sharma. Removed from ODI captaincy. Labelled as ‘non-committal’. Lost 8 KGs. Came to Australia. Scored a fifty. Scored a hundred. Won POTM award. Won POTS award. Left Australia. THIS IS HOW YOU RESPOND – SALUTE, ROHIT GURUNATH SHARMA (sic)”
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“To think that Rohit Sharma played his first ODI on Australian soil in February 2008, four years before Virat, and here he is in October 2025 in Sydney still smashing sixes & scoring centuries in winning run-chases. A perfect final act,” wrote journalist Bharat Sundaresan. Another user expressed that he was more doubtful about Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir for 2027 WC than Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, taking a dig at the retirement rumours.
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