Rohit Sharma becomes the 3rd fastest Indian to complete 6000 ODI runs

Rohit Sharma’s career can be considered in two halves; one as a middle-order batsman and the other being this dominant force at the top of the batting order. The Indian opener turned the tables upside down to become one of best ever to play the ODI format with a brilliant display of consistency and has been piling on the runs at will. When he was promoted as an opener, Rohit completed 2000 ODI runs in his 82 innings thus becoming the 3rd slowest to reach the milestone among Indians.

During the 5th ODI against Australia at Nagpur, the 30-year-old reached 6000 runs in the 162nd innings taking only 80 innings for his last 4000 runs. Thus, Rohit became the 3rd quickest to the milestone among Indians and the joint 10th fastest overall. Including Rohit, only nine Indians have aggregated over 6000 runs with 53 players managing to do the same in the world.

He brought up the milestone when he reached the individual score of 92 runs in this game. Rohit later brought up his 14th ODI hundred and extended his series aggregate to 296 before getting out on 125. The Indian opener is now equalled with Desmond Haynes and Saeed Anwar to reach 6000 runs as all the three needed 162 innings only. Hashim Amla was the quickest to this milestone taking 123 innings. Indian skipper Virat Kohli stands 2nd having taken 136 innings to achieve 6000 ODI runs.

Fastest to 6000 runs in ODI cricket:

Among the nine Indian players who have scored 6000 runs, only Virat Kohli (136) and Sourav Ganguly (147) have taken fewer innings than Rohit to reach the mark. Former captain MS Dhoni took 166 innings while India’s batting pillar Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid needed 170 and 171 innings respectively. Mohammad Azharuddin was the slowest among Indians as he needed 205 innings to complete 6000 runs; the only Indian to take over 200 innings to reach the milestone.

Fastest to 6000 runs in ODI cricket by Indian players:

(Stats as on October 1, 2017)

(Includes Asia XI, Africa XI and World XI numbers)