Rohit Sharma surpasses Ganguly, trails only Kohli and Tendulkar in ODIs

Rohit Sharma surpassed Sourav Ganguly to become India's third-highest ODI run-scorer with a gritty 73 against Australia at Adelaide Oval.

In a display of determination and class, Rohit Sharma not only anchored India’s innings in challenging conditions at the Adelaide Oval but also etched his name deeper into the record books. The Indian skipper surpassed Sourav Ganguly to become the third-highest run-getter for India in One Day Internationals (ODIs), a testament to longevity, grit, and mastery across eras.

 

Rohit’s milestone moment: Crossing Ganguly’s legacy

 

The second ODI against Australia on Thursday was no ordinary day for Indian cricket. As Rohit flicked a delivery through square leg in the 14th over, he quietly moved past Ganguly’s career tally of 11,221 ODI runs. The landmark made him the third Indian, after Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs) and Virat Kohli (14,181 runs), to enter the elite club of 11,000-plus runs in the 50-over format.

 

 

Rohit’s latest milestone came in his 275th ODI, where he now boasts 11,249 runs at an average of 48.69, including 32 centuries and 59 fifties—a record that speaks to both flair and fortitude. His career-best 264 remains the highest individual score in ODI history, achieved back in 2014 against Sri Lanka.

 

In contrast, Ganguly’s 11,221 runs came over 308 matches at an average of 40.95. While the Prince of Kolkata was the flag-bearer of India’s aggressive brand of cricket in the early 2000s, Rohit’s calm dominance has redefined modern opening batsmanship. 

Top 10 highest run-getters for India in ODIs
Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
Sachin Tendulkar	1989-2012	463	452	41	18426	200*	44.83	21368	86.23	49	96	20	2016	195
Virat Kohli	2008-2025	304*	292	45	14181	183	57.41	15204	93.27	51	74	18	1325	152
Rohit Sharma	2007-2025	275*	267	36	11249	264	48.69	12145	92.62	32	59	16	1053	346
Sourav Ganguly	1992-2007	308	297	23	11221	183	40.95	15235	73.65	22	71	16	1104	189
Rahul Dravid	1996-2011	340	314	39	10768	153	39.15	15127	71.18	12	82	13	942	42
MS Dhoni	2004-2019	347	294	83	10599	183*	50.23	12164	87.13	9	73	10	809	222
M Azharuddin	1985-2000	334	308	54	9378	153*	36.92	12669	74.02	7	58	9	622	77
Yuvraj Singh	2000-2017	301	275	39	8609	150	36.47	9846	87.43	14	52	18	896	153
Virender Sehwag	1999-2013	241	235	9	7995	219	35.37	7655	104.44	15	37	14	1092	131
Shikhar Dhawan	2010-2022	167	164	10	6793	143	44.11	7436	91.35	17	39	5	842	79

 

 

  The knock that spoke volumes  

On a day when batting was anything but easy, Rohit’s 73 off 92 balls was worth far more than the numbers suggested. The early overs were dominated by Josh Hazlewood, whose relentless discipline saw Rohit play 17 consecutive dot balls. With the ball seaming and darting off the surface, even India’s most assured batsmen looked tentative.

 

Kohli, dismissed for a duck by Xavier Bartlett, fell to a sharply moving delivery that trapped him plumb in front—a rare sight at a venue where he has traditionally flourished.

 

Rohit, however, soldiered on. His first boundary came only after a period of patient restraint—an elegant flick off Mitchell Starc over square leg. The turning point arrived when he launched back-to-back pull shots off Mitchell Owen, signalling a shift from survival to assertion. That over yielded 17 runs and changed the rhythm of the innings.

 

A veteran’s statement

 

The innings wasn’t just about runs—it was about resolve. Rohit batted like a man on a mission, aware of whispers questioning his place in the team’s long-term plans. Each forward defence, each leave outside off, carried intent. By the time he was dismissed trying to pull Starc for a six, he had already underlined one thing—there is still ample fuel left in the tank for the journey to the 2027 World Cup.

 

His gritty 73 became the cornerstone of India’s total of 264 for nine, a score that looked modest yet competitive on a lively surface.

 

Rohit’s evolving legacy

 

With over 11,000 ODI runs, three double centuries, and a World Cup century under his belt, Rohit Sharma has long moved from promise to permanence. What Thursday reaffirmed was that even as India’s cricketing landscape evolves, the veteran opener remains central to its narrative.

 

In an age where instant impact often overshadows endurance, Rohit’s numbers tell a richer story—of patience, adaptability, and sustained excellence. From the carefree strokemaker of 2007 to the calculating captain of 2025, his career arc embodies the evolution of Indian cricket itself.