Rohit Sharma surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s 21-year-old record for most centuries by an opener in a calendar year, after posting a ton in India’s second ODI against West Indies, on Wednesday, December 18.

Rohit, opening alongside KL Rahul, slammed his 28th ODI hundred, becoming joint-fourth in the list of most century makers in the format. It was his 10th century for India in 2019, surpassing Tendulkar’s 1998 record for most by an opener in international cricket. Tendulkar hit nine centuries and six half-centuries in 32 innings [all in ODIs], while Rohit’s 10th came in his 46th innings [including Tests, ODIs and T20Is] this year. Graeme Smith and David Warner also scored nine centuries across formats in 2005 and 2016 respectively.

 

During the 2019 World Cup in England, Rohit became the first batsman to score five centuries in a single edition of the World Cup, also ending as the tournament’s leading run-getter. In the tournament, he scored centuries against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, averaging 81.00 from nine innings.

In January, he had scored 133 against Australia; the century against West Indies on Wednesday took his ODI tally this year to seven. He has also scored five fifties in the format this year.

Opening for the first time in Tests this year, Rohit hit three hundreds against the red ball, scoring 176 & 127 against South Africa in Visakhapatnam, and 212 against the same opposition in Ranchi.

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Against West Indies, on Wednesday, Rohit shared a 227-run stand with KL Rahul, India’s highest opening partnership against West Indies in ODIs. The pair now have 801 in nine partnerships at an average of 89.00, with four century stands next to their name. India have made three double-century stands in ODIs against West Indies, and Rohit has been involved in all three.

In Visakhapatnam, Rohit ended on 159, his eight 150+ score in the format. No one else has more than six.

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India Rohit SharmaInternational Cricket