After announcing his retirement from T20I cricket following India’s 2024 World Cup victory in the Americas, and from Test cricket in May, Rohit Sharma decided to focus on ODI cricket with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be played in Africa.
Though the captaincy was unceremoniously taken away from him, it did not bother the star opener as he finished India’s ODI series against Australia as the highest scorer on Saturday.
Rohit amassed 202 runs, with a highest score of an unbeaten 121 in the Sydney ODI. His average of 101 and strike rate of 85.59 showcased his consistency and ability to remain fluent despite making a comeback in the India jersey since March, when he led India to the ICC Champions Trophy victory in Dubai.
With his sterling performance in the third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Rohit not only propelled India to a thumping nine-wicket victory but also clinched the ‘Player of the Series’ award. It was Rohit’s 33rd ODI hundred, his ninth against Australia, and sixth Down Under. With Saturday’s ton, the right-handed batter has now surpassed Virat Kohli’s five in 32 innings. With this knock, he also equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most hundreds by an Indian against Australia.
Overall, Rohit reached the half-century mark in international hundreds. He now has 12 in Test cricket, 33 in ODIs, and five in T20Is. Rohit’s Sydney knock came after a 73-run innings at Adelaide and a quiet eight at Perth.
The 38-year-old smashed three sixes and 13 boundaries as he provided India with a solid start by stitching a 69-run partnership with fellow opener and captain Shubman Gill. After Gill’s departure, Rohit shared a 168-run stand with Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 74.
Reflecting on his performance, Rohit said, “That’s what you expect in Australia. It’s not going to be easy; the bowlers are quality. You’ve got to understand the situation, understand the condition and see what best you can do. I was slightly confident in my head about how I would go in this tournament. Although we couldn’t win the series, we’ll take a lot of positives.”
He also spoke about guiding the younger squad, adding, “It’s our job now to make sure that we pass on the right message. The guys are pretty talented. It’s just about understanding how they want to play… I still go back to the basics of playing cricket. And that is something I feel I need to pass on to these guys.”
Talking about his hundred at Sydney, he said, “I love playing in Australia and, in general, Sydney. It’s a great ground, great crowd, great pitch as well. I love doing what I do. And I hope I continue to do that.”