Quarantine Edition, Part 4: Where does Rohit Sharma fit among all-time ODI batsmen?

Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

19 centuries in the last three years, a batting average of 50+ in each of the previous 7 calendar years and three double centuries. Such numbers are more than enough for a player to be called the greatest batsman of his time but not in the case of Rohit Sharma. Playing in the era of Virat Kohli, who has impeccable numbers, has let the Indian opener remain at No.2 despite his efforts. Having Kohli on his very own side has made Rohit go under the radar on most of the occasions.

Currently, Rohit is decimals away from achieving 50+ batting average in ODI cricket for the first time and has got as many as 41 innings to score 885 runs and better Sachin in the list of quickest players to 10000 ODI runs. His career numbers genuinely make a case of putting him among the all-time greatest batsmen in the format. However, the Indian batsman has not received acclaim even in India as much as he deserves for his records and achievements.

One of the reasons could be the earlier part of his career which he spent batting in the middle-order. In 81 innings until the end of 2012, Rohit averaged only 30.43 and had a strike rate below 80. But things began to change at a rapid pace once he got the opportunity to open the batting for India. Sharma began to script new batting records and slowly turned into a six-hitting beast. Since the start of 2017, he scored nearly 4000 runs across just 70 innings at an average of 65.31 and by smashing a total of 127 sixes.

Rohit Sharma is currently averaging 58.11 in ODI cricket as an opener across 138 innings. He is the only player to average over 50 as an opener having batted at least 50 innings. However, one of the things which Rohit can improve in his career profile is his batting strike rate. For a guy who scored three double centuries in ODI cricket, a strike rate of 88.92 which raises to 92.26 if his numbers as an opener are only considered. Rohit, however, has the 4th best strike rate among the players who average 45+ after playing 150 ODIs.

The other 3 players ahead of Rohit are AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Sir Viv Richards. De Villiers and Kohli stand ahead of the rest when considering the sum of their average and strike rate. ABD and Virat’s sum of average + strike rate reads 154.6 and 152 respectively. Rohit stands 5th in the list as his sum is 138.2 and is behind Shahid Afridi (140.58) and Virender Sehwag (139.39). But Afridi and Sehwag last less than 35 balls per dismissal in this format while De Villiers, Kohli and Rohit face 50+ balls per dismissal.

Scoring runs when needed for the team

Rohit Sharma also proved his mettle by stepping up at big stages like the World Cup and Champions Trophy. During the last year’s World Cup, he became the first player in the history to smash five centuries in an ODI series/tournament. Overall, Rohit has got six centuries in ODI World Cups; the joint-most alongside Sachin Tendulkar. Sharma, however, played less than half of Sachin’s CWC appearances. Rohit also has the joint-most centuries in major ICC ODI events (World Cup and Champions Trophy).

Rohit Sharma smashed as many as seven centuries in 27 matches he played across the two tournaments. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly also scored 7 tons apiece but played 32 and 58 matches respectively. But Rohit receives criticism for not producing big knocks when mattered most. He did score centuries in CWC Quarters and CT semi-final, but both came against lower-ranked Bangladesh team. However, it is not fair to account someone’s career over 5-10% of career matches.

In the earlier decades, the ODI tournaments used to be regular but the same has not happened ever since Rohit’s debut in 2007. Till date, he has got to bat in only 15 ODI knockout matches where his average is little over 40. Not all prolific run-getters have got even a decent record when it comes to knockouts ever since Rohit’s ODI debut. The likes of Virat Kohli and Hashim Amla average only 28.83 and 17 in ODI knockouts. However, Kohli has made it up for his failures with special knocks during the Asia Cup and CB series.

Rohit Sharma too produced an important knock during the 2008 CB series final batting along with Tendulkar and a fifty during the 2013 Tri-series which was famous for Dhoni’s exploits in the last over. Sharma, however, has an impressive record in bilateral series deciders. His 707 runs across 12 innings are the most by any player in the bilateral ODI series deciders. Rohit averages 58.92 in those matches that include his maiden ODI double ton.

A beast while chasing

When it comes to chasing, the two names that are spoken quite often are of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni who average around 100 in successful chases. Rohit averages 63.37 in successful chases with help of 11 centuries; only behind Kohli and Tendulkar. His average is also the 5th highest among the players with 2500+ runs in successful ODI chases. Sharma has scored three tons in CWC chases and four hundreds while chasing in ICC ODI events; the most by any player.

While Virat Kohli has always been considered to be crucial to India’s 300+ chases, the team hasn’t lost whenever Rohit gave an explosive start with some support at the other end. Rohit has an average of 54.65 while chasing a 300+ target which goes up to 63.4 if we consider his numbers as an opener only. He smashed as many as four hundreds till date in such run-chases. India won five matches chasing 300+ targets when Rohit was the opening batsman. He scored 50+ runs in all those five matches.

Considering all his career numbers and key factors in the ODI format, it can be said that Rohit is only behind Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Sachin Tendulkar and Sir Viv Richards in the list of all-time ODI batsmen. But to earn enough applause by coming out of Kohli’s shadows, Rohit has to raise his strike rate. He also needs to play a couple of his trademark dominating knocks in the pressure situations like tournament finals and CWC knockouts.

(Stats as on April 30, 2020)

source https://www.crictracker.com/quarantine-edition-part-4-where-does-rohit-sharma-fit-among-all-time-odi-batsmen/