History incoming? Rohit Sharma just steps away from a career-defining feat | Cricket News

Rohit Sharma of India (Photo by Ayush Kumar/Getty Images)

Rohit Sharma is closing in on yet another monumental milestone as India prepare to face South Africa in the opening ODI in Ranchi on Sunday. The Ex-Indian skipper, long regarded as one of the finest white-ball openers of his generation, is now just a few big hits away from owning one of ODI cricket’s most prized records. Rohit needs only three more sixes to become the most lethal six-hitter in the history of One Day Internationals. At present, he is perched at 349 sixes, just two shy of Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record of 351. Once Rohit launches his 352nd six, he will move past Afridi and officially take control of the top position on the all-time list. With the form he displayed in the recent ODI series against Australia, it may only be a matter of a few deliveries before the record is rewritten.Most Sixes in ODIs

Rohit’s growing list of achievements, however, doesn’t end there. The India captain is also inches away from etching his name into another prestigious chapter of world cricket. Having amassed 19,902 international runs across formats, Rohit is all set to become only the fourth Indian batter to breach the 20,000-run barrier. He needs just 98 more runs to join Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid in an exclusive club of Indian greats. His tally currently stands at 4,301 Test runs, 11,370 ODI runs and 4,231 runs in T20Is, accumulated across 502 international appearances. Tendulkar leads the all-time global chart with 34,357 runs, followed by Kohli (27,673) and Dravid (24,064). After stepping away from T20Is following the 2024 World Cup and retiring from Test cricket earlier this year, Rohit now represents India exclusively in ODIs. He returns to action against the Proteas with strong momentum behind him, thanks to his match-winning unbeaten 121 in Sydney that saved India from a whitewash against Australia. Virat Kohli, who has also transitioned into an ODI-only role, will reunite with Rohit for the Ranchi clash. With India reeling from a 0-2 Test defeat in South Africa, the senior duo will carry enormous responsibility as the team looks to regain stability and control in the 50-over format.