Stats: Rohit Sharma hits 30 or more sixes for the fifth consecutive year

Rohit Sharma continued to set new records with his six hitting ability in the 1st of the three-match T20I series against Australia after he had a sixful ODI series. The Indian opener batted just seven balls before getting out in the Ranchi T20I but still managed to set a rare record. The 30-year-old hit his 30th six in International cricket in 2017 out of which 29 were in ODIs.

With 30 sixes this year, Rohit became the first player to hit 30 and more sixes in five consecutive calendar years in International cricket. Even since taking up the role as a limited-overs opener, his consistency and six hitting regularity have shot up which puts him on the top of most sixes lists in the last five years. The Mumbaikar hit 36 sixes across formats in 2013 and 30 in 2014 despite missing out quite a few games due to injury. In 2015, the destructive opener hit 38 and better it in 2016 striking 46 blows over the boundary.

With the six on a Nathan Coulter-Nile delivery at Ranchi, Rohit became the first player to hit 30+ sixes in five consecutive years. Thus, he broke the previous record of four consecutive years jointly held by Brendon McCullum and Shane Watson. McCullum, the former New Zealand skipper had two different streaks where he hit 30+ sixes in four consecutive years. Chris Gayle and the Indian senior players MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh are the others to hit 30+ sixes in three consecutive years.

30+ sixes in International cricket in most consecutive calendar years:

With 30 sixes in International cricket in five years, Rohit became only the 4th player to hit 30+ International sixes in five and more different calendar years. Brendon McCullum recorded this feat in eight different years and all of it in a 9-year span between 2007 and 2015. Chris Gayle recorded this feat in six different years while the destructive Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya also hit 30+ sixes in five different years.

30+ sixes in International cricket in most calendar years:

(Stats as on October 7, 2017)

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