Revisiting the best of Rohit Sharma in Tests
After 67 Tests for India, Rohit Sharma has called time on his career in the longest format .
The 38-year-old, who was appointed as the Indian skipper in red-ball cricket back in 2022, brings down curtains on his career with 4301 runs to his name at an average of 40.57, which includes 12 tons and 18 half-centuries.
From a mammoth century on his debut to a historic Test-winning knock at The Oval, we look at five of his best innings in the longest format:
A grand debut in the all-whites. With West Indies having run through the Indian top-order in the first innings at the Eden Gardens, Rohit Sharma orchestrated a comeback for the hosts with a commanding century.
Facing a total of 301 deliveries during his stay, Rohit amassed 177 runs, lacing 23 fours and a maximum to take the attack to the Windies.
The innings remains the second-highest score by an Indian batter on Test debut - behind Shikhar Dhawan's 187 against Australia.
It laid the platform for India winning the Test and the debutant was named Player of the Match for his heroics with the bat.
Rohit Sharma Feature
ROHIT SHARMA
A breakout innings, and series, for Rohit Sharma the Test opener. A mainstay in ODIs and T20Is, Rohit made a strong case for opening in Tests with his exploits in the home Test series against the Proteas.
Having scored two tons already in the first Test in Visakhapatnam, Rohit signed off the series with his highest score in the format.
A brisk 212 off 256 deliveries that included a stunning 28 fours and six maximums shouldered India's mammoth win by an innings and 202 runs.
The hosts sealed the series 3-0 and Rohit was named Player of the Match for the Ranchi Test as well as the Player of the Series.
Rohit Sharma notched his highest score in Test cricket against South Africa during the Ranchi Test in 2019 // Sportzpics
With India trailing 1-0 in the four-Test series on the back of a major upset from the Joe Root-led England side, Rohit fired the hosts to a spellbinding comeback.
On a landmine Chepauk surface for the batters, Rohit amassed 161 runs off 237 deliveries to complement a century from Ravichandran Ashwin as the England batters struggled to get a grip in the middle.
With the spinners governing the run of play, the Indian opener found the boundary ropes 18 times, while clearing them twice.
The knock – Rohit's first triple-figure score in Tests since his double century – played a key role in India eventually sealing the series 3-1 and punching their ticket to the first-ever ICC World Test Championship Final in 2021.
Day 6 Closer | WTC21 Final | Ind v NZ
WTCF_2021_INDvNZ_DAY6_BROADCAST_CLOSER
The swashbuckling Indian batter had to wait a long time for his maiden Test ton away from home, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
With a fiercely contested five-Test series level (1-1) after three Tests, much was at stake in the fourth Test at The Oval.
While England had managed to gain a 99-run first innings lead, the Indian opener turned the tide, smashing 127 off 256 deliveries.
The knock included a total of 14 boundaries and one six, and paved the way for a historic Test win for India in England.
India's Rohit Sharma celebrates scoring his century against England at The Oval, London in 2021 // Getty Images
Another closely fought Test series with the ICC World Test Championship Final spots up for grabs, and Rohit Sharma set the tone for the hosts in the series opener.
On a traditionally spin-friendly surface, the Indian skipper produced a masterclass against the turning ball.
Known for his boundary-hitting prowess, Rohit exemplified grit and resilience to notch 120 off 212 balls.
Batting across 344 minutes, Rohit pushed India's first-innings total to 400 as the hosts mounted a win by an innings and 132 runs.
Australia win first World Test Championship mace - Full Match Highlights | WTC23 Final
Full Match Highlights: The key moments from all five days of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 as Australia beat India by 209 runs to secure their first WTC mace
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Cricket Council
2 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Waseem and Tryon named ICC Players of the Month for May 2025
· The UAE's Muhammad Waseem wins men's award for the second time after fine performances in both ODIs and T20Is · South Africa's Chloe Tryon wins maiden award for her all-round effort in the Sri Lanka ODI Tri-Series · More about the ICC Player of the Month awards is available here . The United Arab Emirates batter Muhammad Waseem and South Africa all-rounder Chloe Tryon have been named as the ICC Men's and Women's Players of the Month for May 2025. Waseem wins the award for the second time after a string of good performances in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 and a home T20I series against Bangladesh. The 31-year-old scored 169 runs in five ODIs batting in the middle order and was the Player of the Series in the series against Bangladesh in Sharjah which his side won 2-1. He led the team in this T20I series and scored 54 and 82 in the first two matches opening the batting. Waseem, who also won the award in April 2024, edged all-rounders Brendon McMullen of Scotland and Milind Kumar of the United States. Tryon had a memorable tour of Sri Lanka as she scored 176 runs at a strike-rate of 131.34 in three ODIs and took six wickets in the three-team tournament in Colombo that also featured India. Tryon had scores of 67 (against India), 35 and 74 (against Sri Lanka) but the highlight was a haul of five for 34 against Sri Lanka which included a hat-trick. The West Indies captain Haley Matthews and India batter Jemimah Rodrigues were the others shortlisted for the monthly award this time. Mohammad Waseem said: 'I am delighted to win the ICC Player of the Month award for the second time. I want to thank the ICC and all the fans who voted for me. I also want to thank all my team members and support staff as this award is as much for them as it is for me. "The month of May brought us a historic series win over Bangladesh in Sharjah. The victory indicates the growth of UAE cricket and the depth of talent in the country. The series was won due to a total team effort and what delighted me the most was the performance of the debutants and the youngsters in the squad who displayed incredible passion and heart. "Our aim is now to continue our progress and not only compete but beat bigger teams and make our presence felt in major international events. I am sure that with the current lot of players, UAE cricket will continue to thrive and prosper. I would also want to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for their support and backing. "At an individual level, my aim would be to work even harder, to stay consistent and to play according to the demands of modern day T20 game for the benefit of our team." Chloe Tryon said: 'I probably didn't expect this award, but I see it as a great achievement. I've been trying to find consistency for a while, so I'm happy that it finally came together in Sri Lanka. 'Hopefully, I can build on those performances and help the team through the big year ahead. We've got a World Cup at the end of the year, so I'm hoping to continue being consistent for the team. 'I am really happy at my five-wicket effort and the hat-trick. I was pretty tired most of the time, but I'm happy to have achieved that. You always want to add those milestones to your memories as a cricketer. I'm glad I finally got to tick that off my list. It's still a bit of a blur, to be honest. I think the team carried me throughout that day. I was a little bit sick, so that didn't really help much. 'But everything came together, and I'm just really happy that I could perform and help the team win.' Both players were crowned following a vote conducted among global fans registered at and a specialist panel comprising former international players and media representatives. Fans can continue to vote every month for their favourite cricketers across all formats of international cricket in the ICC Player of the Month awards by registering at The media release announcing the shortlist with more detail on other shortlisted players and the complete specialist selection panel is available here. ENDS
Gulf Today
5 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Australia struggle to fill gaping opener hole left by Warner with WTC final looming
Filling the giant shoes of David Warner continues to be a headache for Australia 17 months after the bombastic Test opener retired, with Marnus Labuschagne shaping as the latest contender in the World Test Championship final against South Africa. Warner pulled stumps on the red-ball game in January last year after 112 Tests and 8,786 runs, long accompanied at the top of the order by Usman Khawaja. Khawaja will open again in the blockbuster clash at Lord's starting on June 11, potentially with a fifth different partner since Warner called it quits. Steve Smith initially plugged the hole, but only lasted four Tests before dropping back down to four and giving Nathan McSweeney a chance. McSweeney struggled against the Jasprit Bumrah-led India late last year, with gung-ho teenager Sam Konstas then thrust into the limelight in spectacular fashion during the home series. He scored a blazing 60 with a slew of unorthodox shots on debut, but was less effective in the next Test and was jettisoned in favour of Travis Head for their tour of Sri Lanka this year. With Head set to revert to five, the chatter is that it's now a toss-up between Konstas, who has been working on technical aspects of his batting, and Labuschagne to open against the Proteas. But the experienced Labuschagne has struggled for form at number three and is under threat from Cameron Green, who has been in magnificent touch since returning from back surgery. Green has plundered three centuries in five county championship matches for Gloucester and is tipped to start at first drop, which could thrust Labuschagne to the top of the Test order for the first time aged 30. 'I have just got a bit of a feeling that Marnus Labuschagne might be pushed up the order to open the batting with Khawaja,' Australia great Ricky Ponting said on the ICC Review. 'I think Green will bat at three and Steve Smith will be at four. Then it's Travis Head at five.' Since Ponting commented, Australia skipper Pat Cummins has confirmed that Smith will bat at four, but added: 'Everyone else, I'm not willing to (say).' Josh Inglis has not been discounted to open either with chief selector George Bailey insisting the position does not need to be a specialist role. 'I do think it's a role that more people could do,' he said. Australia could be searching for yet another new opener sooner rather than later with uncertainty over whether 38-year-old Khawaja will continue after the home Ashes series against England beginning later this year. But fellow veteran Smith, 36, shows few signs of slowing down. He has hit four hundreds in his past five Tests and often excels in English conditions. He starred in Australia's triumph in the last WTC final in 2023 at the Oval, scoring a first-innings century that helped set the tone for a big win over India. Smith was also in red-hot form the last time he played a Test at Lord's, smacking a ton against England while making his second-highest Test score of 215 at the ground in 2015. 'We have got some pretty fond memories at Lord's and personally I have got some fond memories as well, so we are looking forward to getting started,' Smith told reporters. Meanwhile, Australian fast bowler Starc is comfortable with his decision to leave the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the India-Pakistan clashes last month regardless of any repercussions, the 35-year-old said. The IPL was suspended on May 9 in the wake of hostilities between the two. It resumed on May 17 after the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire. 'I'm comfortable with my decision and how I felt about the whole situation and how it was handled,' Starc told the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday. 'Time will tell with repercussions or how it looks with guys that didn't return. But I've had my questions and concerns leading into that game, and obviously we saw what happened, which played a part in my decision.' Agencies
Int'l Cricket Council
7 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Ponting dissects Gill captaincy call and India's Test squad
Australia great Ricky Ponting has provided his thoughts on India's decision to hand Shubman Gill the Test captaincy, predicted how he thinks their top-order may look in the upcoming series against England, and how the side will cope having to replace recently retired duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Two of India's greatest batters in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from the longest format earlier this month, with a new era of Indian cricket to be ushered in when the side travels to Europe in June for a five-match ICC World Test Championship series against England under the leadership of Gill. The decision to hand Gill the captaincy ahead of more senior players like Jasprit Bumrah or Rishabh Pant did not surprise Ponting, with the Australian legend believing the 25-year-old can flourish in the role at Test level. "I actually think it's the right move," Ponting told The ICC Review regarding the decision to hand Gill the role as India Test captain. "I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple. "Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's I think it's the right decision. "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him a good crack at it for, for a long period of time. "Even just looking back at the way he's handled this current GT (Gujarat Titans) team through this IPL, I think leadership sits really well with him. "And the important thing for me with leadership as well as if you're a batter and you're a captain, you have to be scoring runs. And Shubman is doing that in IPL and I think the timing is right and I think you'll have a good captain who'll make a lot of Test runs going forward." Just where Gill is best placed to bat in India's potent batting lineup is still up for debate, with the talented right-hander having been used as an opener or No.3 during all of his first 32 Test match appearances. But Ponting thinks India may get the best out of Gill if they drop him down to No.4 just to alleviate a bit of pressure against the new ball. "I think (Sai) Sudarshan and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal will open the batting (in England) as Sudarshan just looks like a class player to me and technically I think he could do well at Test level," Ponting said. "They'll have two pretty young opening batters, so they might look to go for someone that's got a bit more experience at No.3. "Whether that's KL (Rahul) or Karun (Nair) at No.3, and then Shubman might end up being that No.4 player, which will probably make life for him a little bit easier as a captain as well. "Not having to be opening or batting at No.3 as a young captain might make it easier. Their top five will probably be Sudarshan, Jaiswal, KL, Gill and Karun Nair for the start of the England series." Ponting knows replacing the experience of Rohit and Kohli at Test level will be hard to do, but thinks India are as well placed as any nation to do so given their rich wealth of quality players at their disposal. "It's always very hard to replace players like that that have been around for so long that have played that much Test cricket. But if any country can do it and do it quickly, India can because of the amount of young talent that they have," Ponting noted. "I've seen it first hand for 10 years now around the IPL and we've seen the emergence of Jaiswal and these sort of guys that have come into international cricket with India and done really well pretty much straight away. "The skill side of it's one thing to replace and I think India will replace the skill side of it easily enough, but the experience is the big thing that's going to be missing for them. So now even with a young captain with Shubman Gill, they'll still have some experience around with KL, Rahul and Bumrah and these sort of guys. "But I think if you look at a rebuilding sort of phase, I think India can cope with it better than most other teams." The decision to include uncapped pacer Arshdeep Singh surprised many, but Ponting has been a long-time admirer of the left-armer and has worked closely with the 26-year-old in the Indian Premier League with the Punjab Kings this year. Ponting believes conditions in England will suit Arshdeep and expects to see India include him in their playing XI. "I would actually have him in their Test team at the start (of the England series)," Ponting said. "He's very skillful, he's played County cricket, he knows the conditions there and I think the Dukes Ball will help him in the UK as well. "And I just think to have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, I think will be something that, if India don't do it then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me. "As we know in England the ball still swings 30, 40 or 50 overs old. So to have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer I think is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour." India Test squad for England: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. The ICC ReviewICC World Test ChampionshipNewsRicky Ponting
