07 June 2024 Punjab Khabarnama : India captain Rohit Sharma touched a significant milestone on a spicy New York pitch on Wednesday, where he braved a barrage of unpredictable seaming deliveries from the Ireland bowlers to notch up a half-century.
Rohit reeled in a string of records – 1000 runs in T20 World Cups, 4000 runs in T20Is and also surpassed MS Dhoni for most wins (42) in the format. But what stood out was the three hits that took him to 600 international sixes.
The 37-year-old is the first batter to the mark, and the greatness of Rohit’s feat can be understood in that Jos Buttler is the next highest active six-hitter with only 330 maximums.
In 499 innings across formats, Rohit has slammed a six every 36.28 deliveries, accounting for over 19 percent of his career runs (18,872).
Genesis of the six-machine
Though he has carried a penchant for sixes right from his maiden year in the international circuit, Rohit’s inconsistencies across formats prevented him from being the same prolific striker he is today.
As his overall career witnessed a dramatic turnaround since moving up to opening regularly in white-ball cricket in mid-2013 and later in Tests during the inaugural World Test Championship in 2019, Rohit’s six-hitting prowess evolved to become a core part of his batting artillery.
In a career of remarkably distinct halves, Rohit struck only 44 sixes in 111 innings from his debut (June 23, 2007) up until June 5, 2013. Rohit ranked eighth among Indians and 59th in the world among six hitters in the period.
However, his fortunes flipped staggeringly over the next decade since June 6, 2013, when he began to open – smashing a jaw-dropping 556 sixes in 388 innings. Rohit is miles ahead of his compatriots Virat Kohli (257), KL Rahul (184) and Hardik Pandya (148) and has no challengers at the top of the world game.
In all regards, Rohit will surpass the mighty Caribbean and raise the bar across formats. He is seven short of 200 T20I sixes and 28 away from levelling Shahid Afridi (351) in ODIs. The Mumbaikar could invariably surpass Virender Sehwag’s haul of 92 sixes for the Indian Test record too.
Age has not deterred his big-hitting capabilities, for no batter has hit more sixes than him (407) since turning 30 in international cricket.
