Stats: Rohit Sharma completes 7000 runs in ODI cricket as an opener

Purely based on statistics, Rohit Sharma can well be considered as the greatest opener in ODI cricket as he averages 57.61 while opening in this format. As many as 50 players in Men’s ODIs have aggregated 3000 runs as an opener but none other than Rohit have 50+ average. The next on the list are Hashim Amla and Sachin Tendulkar with 49.89 and 48.29 respectively. Both the former players set new benchmarks in this format during their times just like what Rohit is doing at the moment.

A fantastic 2019 which included a record-breaking World Cup helped Rohit Sharma to clinch the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the year award. 2020 didn’t go off to a great start for Rohit as he fell for 10 runs in the first ODI against Australia. India lost the game by 10 wickets as they failed to post a big total. However, Rohit scored a 46-ball 42 in Rajkot on Friday to hand India a good start in the crucial match. He struck six fours during this inning which was cut short by Adam Zampa.

Rohit Sharma achieved the milestone in 137 innings

Rohit Sharma, when on 13, became only the 11th player in ODI cricket to aggregate 7000 runs as an opener. He is the 4th Indian with this feat after Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag. Rohit completed the milestone in only 137 innings; the quickest to reach there among the 11 players. The previous fastest to 7000 ODI runs as an opener was South Africa’s Hashim Amla in 147 innings; 10 innings more than what Rohit required.

During the 2019 home series against Australia, Rohit broke Amla’s record to become the quickest to 6000 ODI runs as an opener. The Indian opener reached the milestone in 121 innings while Amla got there in 123. Talking about the openers with 7000 ODI runs, Sanath Jayasuriya is the only one to take more than 200 innings for the milestone. The Sri Lankan got to his 7000th ODI runs as an opener in his 205th inning.

Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist are the 2nd and 3rd slowest to this milestone as they needed 196 and 195 innings respectively. Sachin Tendulkar was the fastest in this list before Amla as he needed only 160 innings. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sourav Ganguly are now the 4th and 5th in this list as they required 165 and 168 innings respectively.

Fastest players to 7000 runs in One-Day Internationals:

(Stats as on January 17, 2020)