cricket

Updated: Mar 13, 2019 09:35 IST

Rohit Sharma started the ODI series against Australia on a somewhat disappointing manner but the opener fought back brilliantly in the fourth encounter in Mohali when he missed out on a well-deserved century by just five runs.

It was a great outing for the Indian cricket team vice-captain as he looked quite comfortable against the Australia bowlers and along with opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, became the first Indian opening pair to score 1000 runs against Australia in ODIs once they strung a 62-run partnership.

READ: India’s predicted XI for 5th ODI in Delhi; tactical changes expected

West Indies’ Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes is the only other pair to score 1000 runs against Australia. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar is third on the list of most runs against Australia with 827 runs.

In the 5th ODI on Wednesday, Rohit has the chance to add another milestone to his name as he needs 46 runs in the match to equal Sourav Ganguly’s record of being the third fastest to reach 8000 runs in ODIs. The former India skipper achieved the feat in 200 innings and this will be Rohit’s 200th if he taken the field in New Delhi.

Virat Kohli was the fastest with 175 innings while AB De Villers was second with 182.

Overall, he will become the ninth Indian cricket team player to reach 8000 runs after Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin.

READ: India’s no. 4 batting conundrum - Manjrekar proposes surprising new name

Earlier, Rohit also became the ninth India cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammad Azharuddin and Virender Sehwag to complete 3000 ODI runs on home soil.

Overall, he also became the joint fastest to reach 3000 runs on home soil along with South Africa’s Hashim Amla (57 innings). Next in the list is Virat Kohli with 63 innings to reach the feat while former India skipper Sourav Ganguly took 69 innings.