Rohit Sharma stands in World Cup ‘Hall of Fame’ territory
Eight years and 18 matches later, as another marquee clash against Pakistan awaits, Sharma stands in World Cup ‘Hall of Fame’ territory.
Rohit Sharma's first World Cup game was against Pakistan on February 15, 2015. He was about two months shy of turning 28, a rather belated entry to the pinnacle of 50-over cricket for someone who made his debut in the format as a 20-year-old in 2007. Eight years and 18 matches later, as another marquee clash against Pakistan awaits, Sharma stands in World Cup 'Hall of Fame' territory.
Fastest hundred by an Indian in World Cup history? Check. Most hundreds in a single World Cup? Check. Most hundreds in World Cup history? Check.
There's more in ODI cricket. Highest individual score in the format? Check. Most double centuries? Check.
In this long list of records, it is pertinent to draw attention to Sharma's just-acquired distinction of most hundreds in World Cups. Tied with Sachin Tendulkar at six centuries before India's clash against Afghanistan on Wednesday, Sharma's breathtaking 84-ball 131 has helped him enter a league of his own.
He now has seven hundreds in 19 innings. Tendulkar's six tons took 44 innings across six World Cups. Kumar Sangakkara's five hundreds came in 35 innings. Ricky Ponting, whose unbeaten 140 against in the 2003 World Cup final counts among the best knocks ever, needed 42 innings to rack up five centuries.
The comparison with these greats is simply to lend context to why Sharma's conversion rate – he has scored a century once every 2.7 innings on average in the World Cup – is jaw dropping. You can bring up all the factors that have further tilted the balance in favour of the bat in recent years – only four fielders allowed outside the circle in overs 11-40, the re-introduction of two new balls sabotaging reverse swing and whatever else – but the century tally is still remarkable for someone who is playing just his third World Cup. And it will take some beating.
Right through Sharma's career, words such as talented and gifted have been casually thrown around to describe him when he's doing well. When he's not doing well, these very adjectives have worked against him.
So much so he started resenting the "talented" label in the early part of his journey. He would painstakingly point out in numerous interviews how he started out as a bowler and worked hard to become a specialist batter; that the inside-out lofted drive or the pull off a fast bowler came with rigorous practice rather than as an inherent gift.
He perhaps did so because his resilience wasn't being acknowledged enough. It's common knowledge that Sharma was distraught when he was not picked in the 2011 World Cup squad at home despite initial suggestions that he would be in it, but instead of letting that bring him down, he has used it as a catalyst to scale greater heights.
"It was a big blow for him. I told him he wasn't giving time to the game. But after that, he got back on track. His graph has only risen since then," said Sharma's childhood coach, Dinesh Lad.
As we look back, it's also important to recognise the 2013 Champions Trophy as another turning point. Promoted to open the batting – let's put it down to MS Dhoni's gut instinct -- he instantly enjoyed the freedom to dictate terms at the top.
Since that tournament, his ODI record reads thus: 8178 runs in 165 matches at 57.59 and a strike rate of 94.87. In the first six years, in contrast, he was aggregating 2065 runs in 88 games at an average of 30.82. Even as Sharma's career took a turn for the better in 2013, his sternest critics didn't relent. In the 2015 World Cup, for instance, he scored 330 runs at an average of 47.14, but they would say that his only century came against Bangladesh and his two fifties were versus Ireland and UAE. When he was racking up double hundreds for fun, the flat tracks that he made them on were cited. All of it seemed to stem from a resentment about the long rope that Sharma had been granted. You could argue that plenty of other players weren't backed with the same conviction, but talent gives you that extra time.
A more universal appreciation finally seemed to come at the 2019 World Cup, when a record-breaking run of five hundreds – against South Africa, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – cemented his status as one of the world's best white-ball players. A few months later, the switch to opening in Tests ignited a spark in red-ball cricket as well.
Another record that Sharma surpassed on Wednesday was the maximum number of sixes hit in international cricket. He now has 556 across all formats, ahead of Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi. Both Gayle and Afridi could bludgeon the ball into the stands with brute power, whereas Sharma seems to be guided by pure timing.
"He didn't play a single bad shot. He played proper cricketing shots. I feel proud," said Lad of Sharma's innings against Afghanistan.
Sharma didn't expect to have this six-hitting prowess when he started out. "When I started playing this game, I never thought I will be able to hit sixes, leave alone that many sixes. Obviously, there's a lot of work that's gone in over the years. So, I am quite happy with the work I have done in so many years," Sharma told bcci.tv.
Sharma, though, says he's not the sort of person to be easily satisfied. There's the immediate aim of delivering against Pakistan, but his eyes are set on winning the big prize come November 19. One that's defined his career for many reasons.