Comparative analysis of all the double centuries in ODIs

The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma smashed the third double century of his ODI career in the ongoing three-match series against Sri Lanka. This was the overall seventh double ton in the history of the limited overs format. Rohit alone features three times in the list having registered the highest individual score of 264 against the same opposition. However, if the detailed analysis is taken into consideration only two of the seven double tons have been chanceless.

The first cricketer on the planet to create history by scoring a double ton was Sachin Tendulkar in 2010 against South Africa. He had reached the milestone in 147 deliveries having scored his first 100 runs off 90 deliveries. More importantly, his knock was chanceless and he has to be commended for that given the strength of the opposition. Virender Sehwag was the next player who also broke the record for the highest individual score of his idol Sachin and also became the first captain to hit a double ton in ODI cricket. Though he had got two lives as Kieron Pollard had missed a direct hit when he was on 20 and then Darren Sammy had dropped a sitter on 170.

What about Gayle and Guptill?

Chris Gayle then scored his maiden double century against Zimbabwe during the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015. His swashbuckling knock of 215 was a record-breaking one but he had a life on 120 when Tinashe Panyangara had dropped a comparatively tough catch. Martin Guptill’s 237 against Windies was another class act and he punished the opposition for dropping him when he was had mustered only four runs. Marlon Samuels was the culprit on that occasion.

Rohit Sharma, however, has played his first chanceless innings in the ongoing match in Mohali. While he was dropped by Moises Henriques on 120 on his way to his first double-ton in 2013, Rohit was let off thrice by Sri Lanka when he made 264 against them a few years ago. He was dropped on 4 by Thisara Perera and then on 202 and 222 by Seekkuge Prasanna and Lahiru Thirimanne respectively.

Journey to ODI Double centuries

As it stands, only Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma (his third double-century) have scored double-centuries without playing a false shot in their entire innings. Though nothing can be taken away from other batsmen like Sehwag, Gayle and Guptill who are high-risk players and they have severely punished the opposition for letting them off the hook when they had given them the chance.

Quickest to 200

In this illustrious and now not-so-rare list Chris Gayle is the quickest to his journey from 100 to 200. He had reached his ton in 105 deliveries but took only 33 more balls to reach the magical figure of 200. Rohit Sharma, during his third double ton, was the second quickest as he notched his latter 100 runs in just 36 balls. He had taken 42 and 51 deliveries in his other two double tons while batting after his century. The numbers are so unique and all the batsmen in the list are really special and considered as legends for their respective countries.