Rohit Sharma becomes fourth Indian to score 20,000 runs across formats

India’s talismanic opener, Rohit Sharma, reached a historic milestone today by surpassing 20,000 runs across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The achievement came during India’s 3rd ODI against South Africa in Vishakhapatnam, further solidifying his status as one of cricket’s modern greats.

 

A Career Marked by Consistency and Power

 

Over more than a decade, Rohit has been a mainstay at the top of India’s batting order, combining flair, patience, and destructive hitting. His performances have been instrumental in India’s white-ball success, and today’s landmark is a testament to his resilience, longevity, and versatility across all formats. 

Most career runs in cricket across formats
Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
SR Tendulkar (IND)	1989-2013	664	782	74	34357	248*	48.52	50817	67.58*	100	164	34	4076	264
KC Sangakkara (Asia/ICC/SL)	2000-2015	594	666	67	28016	319	46.77	42086	66.56	63	153	28	3015	159
V Kohli (IND)	2008-2025	555	622	90	27910	254*	52.46	35162	79.37	84	144	40	2746	315
RT Ponting (AUS/ICC)	1995-2012	560	668	70	27483	257	45.95	40130	68.48	71	146	39	2781	246
DPMD Jayawardene (Asia/SL)	1997-2015	652	725	62	25957	374	39.15	40100	64.73	54	136	47	2679	170
JH Kallis (Afr/ICC/SA)	1995-2014	519	617	97	25534	224	49.1	45346	56.3	62	149	33	2455	254
R Dravid (Asia/ICC/IND)	1996-2012	509	605	72	24208	270	45.41	46564	51.98	48	146	21	2604	66
BC Lara (ICC/WI)	1990-2007	430	521	38	22358	400*	46.28	32839	68.08	53	111	33	2601	221
JE Root (ENG)	2012-2025	377	495	53	21774	262	49.26	32643	66.7	58	114	25	2139	114
ST Jayasuriya (Asia/SL)	1989-2011	586	651	35	21032	340	34.14	25910	81.17	42	103	53	2486	352
S Chanderpaul (WI)	1994-2015	454	553	94	20988	203*	45.72	40150	52.27	41	125	21	2041	126
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Asia/ICC/PAK)	1991-2007	499	551	76	20580	329	43.32	32172	63.96	35	129	35	2076	193
AB de Villiers (Afr/SA)	2004-2018	420	484	68	20014	278*	48.11	26787	74.71	47	109	20	2004	328
RG Sharma (IND)	2007-2025	504	537	66	20000*	264	42.4	22870	87.33	50	110	34	1930	645
CH Gayle (ICC/WI)	1999-2021	483	551	35	19593	333	37.97	25370	77.22	42	105	44	2332	553
KS Williamson (NZ)	2010-2025	374	445	48	19168	251	48.28	29028	66.03	48	103	21	1950	145
DA Warner (AUS)	2009-2024	383	474	26	18995	335*	42.39	21944	86.56	49	98	23	2106	321

 

Earlier in the series, Rohit had also broken Shahid Afridi’s record for the most sixes in ODI cricket, demonstrating that even after years at the international level, he remains a formidable force.

 

Joining India’s Exclusive 20,000-Run Club 

Most runs for India across all formats
Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
SR Tendulkar	1989-2013	664	782	74	34357	248*	48.52	50817	67.58	100	164	34	4076	264
V Kohli	2008-2025	556*	622	90	27910	254*	52.46	35162	79.37	84	144	40	2746	315
R Dravid	1996-2012	504	599	71	24064	270	45.57	46332	51.93	48	145	20	2593	66
RG Sharma	2007-2025	505*	538	67	20000*	264	42.45	22897	87.33	50	110	34	1933	646
SC Ganguly	1992-2008	421	485	40	18433	239	41.42	29305	62.9	38	106	29	2004	246

 

  By reaching 20,000 runs, Rohit enters an elite list of Indian cricketers who have achieved this extraordinary milestone. He now joins:

 

Sachin Tendulkar: The all-time run-scoring leader with 34,357 international runs.

 

Virat Kohli: The fastest player to reach 20,000 runs, currently with 27,808 runs.

 

Rahul Dravid: The dependable “Wall” of Indian cricket, who amassed 24,064 runs through his career.

 

This accomplishment places Rohit firmly in the upper echelons of Indian cricket history, highlighting his ability to dominate bowling attacks across formats.

 

Crossing the 20,000-run barrier is not just a number, it is a symbol of Rohit’s enduring excellence. As India continues its series against South Africa, his experience and skill at the top of the order will remain invaluable. Fans can expect more memorable innings as Rohit continues to add to his already remarkable career.