India’s opening batsman hit the highest individual score in one-day international history with his knock of 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata on Thursday night. He also became the first player to score two double centuries in ODIs as the home team won the game by 153 runs to lead the five-match series 4-0.
Return from injury
Rohit Sharma, a mainstay in India’s dressing room for the past three years, had not played an international match since August when he injured his finger on the England tour. Rohit was brought in as a replacement for Shikhar Dhawan, who was being rested with India having won the first three ODIs in the series against Sri Lanka.
Boundaries galore
The right-hander walked to the middle with Ajinkya Rahane, his Mumbai teammate, after India won the toss and stand-in captain Virat Kohli opted to bat first. By the time he returned to the pavilion in the final over after being caught in the deep, he had scored 264 from just 173 deliveries, stroking nine sixes and 33 fours. His knock of 209 against Australia in Bangalore last year yielded him more sixes, though – he cleared the rope a record 16 times in that innings.
Well clear of Sehwag’s score
He went past former teammate Virender Sehwag’s record score of 219, set against the West Indies at Indore in 2011, in the 47th over. The only other ODI double centurion is also an India player – Sachin Tendulkar (200 not out against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010).
‘Not tired’
Rohit said he had hardly broken a sweat during his three-hour knock. “After a few months’ break, I’m not really tired. I was ready to bat another 50 overs,” he said in jest, before adding that the pitch made it necessary for him to not throw away his start. “Once I got to fifty, I knew that I had to convert, because it was a good batting wicket,” he said.
When #Rohit200 trended
Twitter was predictably abuzz yesterday. “This is stick cricket from Sharma,” Australian fast bowler Dirk Nannes tweeted. Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, was disappointed: “Can’t believe @ImRo45 didn’t make a Triple century... #useless.” MS Dhoni, the regular India captain, said: “Witness the class in action.”
ckadalayil@thenational.ae
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