New Delhi: Rohit Sharma added another remarkable chapter to his glittering career on Saturday, becoming the second Indian opener after Virender Sehwag to score 16,000 international runs across formats.The feat came during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala, where the veteran batsman needed just six runs to enter the exclusive club. Rohit reached the milestone in his 384th innings for India, having amassed 15,994 runs in the opener before the match began.
This feat places the former India captain among some of the greatest openers in the history of cricket. Overall, Rohit became only the seventh batsman to cross the 16,000-run mark as an opener in international cricket.Join an elite group of opening greatsRohit now stands alongside legendary names like Sanath Jayasuriya, Chris Gayle, David Warner, Graeme Smith, Desmond Hines and Sehwag. Sri Lankan great Jayasuriya tops the list with 19,298 runs, followed by Gayle (18,867) and Warner (18,744).Sehwag remains India’s most prolific opener with 16,119 runs in 400 innings across 332 matches. Rohit’s achievement is even more remarkable considering this batting icon
Sachin Tendulkar
despite scoring over 34,000 international points overall, amassed 15,335 opening points and narrowly missed the club’s 16,000 points.
Before the Afghanistan ODI, Rohit had scored 11,577 runs in 282 ODIs, 4,301 runs in 67 Tests and 4,231 runs in 159 T20Is, and he has retired from the latter two formats since then.Another landmark located in DharamsalaThe day brought another notable achievement for the former Indian skipper. When Rohit hit three runs in the innings, he surpassed the South African legend
Jacques Callis
The ODI tally stands at 11,579 runs.Kallis amassed his tally of runs in 328 ODIs between 1996 and 2014, while Rohit surpassed him in his 283rd one-day international.
Rohit now stands eighth on the all-time list led by Tendulkar with 18,246 runs.Having already established himself as one of the most devastating white-ball batsmen of his generation, Rohit’s latest achievement has cemented his place among the all-time greats of the game.Even after his retirement from Tests and T20Is, the 39-year-old continues to reach new heights, with his consistency and longevity ensuring records continue to fall in Indian colours.