IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Rohit Sharma hits 11th Test century in Rajkot

While getting to his hundred, Rohit also became second India with the most sixes in Test cricket. He overcame former India captain MS Dhoni's 78 sixes in Tests.

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma smashed his 11th Test century during the first day of the third Test against England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, formerly known as Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday, February 15. With this century, Rohit, who had not touched even the fifty-run mark in his last eight Test innings, ended the drought of big Test runs. 

Rohit's century came at an opportune moment, given he has been the only experienced batter in the line-up courtesy of Virat Kohli's withdrawal from the five-match Test series. 

His century also allowed India to come out of the precarious situation - 33/3 -- in the first session of India vs England 3rd Test on Day 1.

Rohit dropped by Root, saved by DRS

Though Rohit reached the milestone, his innings were not as fluent as it would have been in the past.

36-year-old Sharma, featuring in his 57th Test, was gifted a chance at 29 by former England captain Joe Root, who dropped a simple chance at slip off the bowling of Tom Hartley. 

A few overs later, the right-handed batter was given out leg before wicket off the bowling of James Anderson, and it was a DRS call that found a bat-pad angle instead of pad-bat, picked by the on-field umpire. This led to him surviving again. 

Rohit utilised those two chances and reached his fifty just before Lunch.

Check India vs England 3rd Test Day 2 live score and match updates here


Check IND vs ENG 3rd Test full scorecard from Rajkot here

March towards the century 

The Indian skipper reached only his second hundred in 19 innings in the last 12 months. After fifty, Rohit picked the odd balls out from the English spinners and played big shots. He hit two sixes and three fours to enter the 90s. 

Rohit Sharma’s centuries in Test cricket
Score	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
177	v West Indies	Eden Gardens	6 Nov 2013
111*	v West Indies	Wankhede	14 Nov 2013
102*	v Sri Lanka	Nagpur	24 Nov 2017
176	v South Africa	Visakhapatnam	2 Oct 2019
127	v South Africa	Visakhapatnam	2 Oct 2019
212	v South Africa	Ranchi	19 Oct 2019
161	v England	Chennai	13 Feb 2021
127	v England	The Oval	2 Sep 2021
120	v Australia	Nagpur	9 Feb 2023
103	v West Indies	Roseau	12 Jul 2023
100*	v England	Rajkot	15 Feb 2024

Rohit hits second-most sixes in Tests for India 

Rohit, while getting to his hundred, also became second India with most number of sixes in a Test cricket. He overcame former India captain MS Dhoni's 78 sixes in Tests. Virender Sehwag has hit the most sixes in Tests for India. He has 91 to his name.

Most sixes by Indian batter in Test cricket
Player	Number of sixes	innings
Virender Sehwag	91	180
Rohit Sharma	79	97
MS Dhoni	78	144
Sachin Tendulkar	69	329
Kapil Dev	61	184