Mumbai: Just the other day, some fans and a section of social media users expressed their reservations about ageing Team India stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continuing in international cricket in a solitary format (ODIs).
A fortnight later, one of them has climbed to the top of the ICC charts.
Four days after being adjudged Player of the Series against Australia, Rohit, the ‘Hitman’, finds himself ranked as the No. 1 batter in Men’s ODIs for the first time in an illustrious career.
And that has come at the age of 38 years and 182 days, making the former captain the oldest world No. 1 in the game’s 50-over format.
Rohit dethroned current India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill at the top. Interestingly, the ‘Hitman’ replaced another fellow-Indian as the oldest numero uno ODI batter. Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar had held that record so long, having been ranked No. 1 batter in ODIs at the age of 38 years and 73 days back in 2011.
Rohit aggregated 202 runs in the recent three-ODI series, including a 73 and an unbeaten 121. Rohit’s unconquered 168-run partnership with Virat (74*) guided India to 9-wicket win in the third ODI, though Australia won the series 2-1.
