Rohit Sharma’s astonishing six-hitting stat: Nearly one-fifth of his runs come from maximums | Cricket News
India captain Rohit Sharma touched a significant milestone on a spicy New York pitch on Wednesday, where he braved a barrage of unpredictable seaming deliveries from the Ireland bowlers to notch up a half-century.
Rohit reeled in a string of records – 1000 runs in T20 World Cups, 4000 runs in T20Is and also surpassed MS Dhoni for most wins (42) in the format. But what stood out was the three hits that took him to 600 international sixes.
The 37-year-old is the first batter to the mark, and the greatness of Rohit’s feat can be understood in that Jos Buttler is the next highest active six-hitter with only 330 maximums.
In 499 innings across formats, Rohit has slammed a six every 36.28 deliveries, accounting for over 19 percent of his career runs (18,872).
Genesis of the six-machine
Though he has carried a penchant for sixes right from his maiden year in the international circuit, Rohit’s inconsencies across formats prevented him from being the same prolific striker he is today.
As his overall career witnessed a dramatic turnaround since moving up to opening regularly in white-ball cricket in mid-2013 and later in Tests during the inaugural World Test Championship in 2019, Rohit’s six-hitting prowess evolved to become a core part of his batting artillery.
Player
Span
Inns
Runs
Ave
BF
4s
6s
Balls per 6
Rohit Sharma
2007-2024
499
18872
43.48
21771
1809
600
36.28
Chris Gayle
1999-2021
551
19593
37.97
25370
2332
553
45.87
Shahid Afridi
1996-2018
508
11196
23.92
9809
1053
476
20.6
Brendon McCullum
2002-2016
474
14676
34.37
17872
1552
398
44.9
Martin Guptill
2009-2022
402
13463
35.9
16565
1385
383
43.25
MS Dhoni
2004-2019
526
17266
44.96
21834
1486
359
60.81
Sanath Jayasuriya
1989-2011
651
21032
34.14
25910
2486
352
73.6
Eoin Morgan
2006-2022
361
10859
35.6
11530
917
346
33.32
Jos Buttler
2011-2024
361
10979
36.11
11749
1025
330
35.6
AB de Villiers
2004-2018
484
20014
48.11
26787
2004
328
81.66
In a career of remarkably dinct halves, Rohit struck only 44 sixes in 111 innings from his debut (June 23, 2007) up until June 5, 2013. Rohit ranked eighth among Indians and 59th in the world among six hitters in the period.
However, his fortunes flipped staggeringly over the next decade since June 6, 2013, when he began to open – smashing a jaw-dropping 556 sixes in 388 innings. Rohit is miles ahead of his compatriots Virat Kohli (257), KL Rahul (184) and Hardik Pandya (148) and has no challengers at the top of the world game.
Rohit bhai, India loves you 600 🥰❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/6cCyroWW0A
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) June 7, 2024
The opening fillip
While he is regarded among the premier white-ball strokemakers, Rohit’s Test cricket career revival began with opening after playing 27 Tests in the middle-order. His batting credentials improved as his affinity for sixes naturally blended into the format. Rohit’s tally of 32 sixes from 47 innings before opening has boomed to 84 maximums in 101 innings. The surge of 52 hits from 54 innings in this period has only been bettered England captain Ben Stokes (67 sixes in 80 innings).
In 344 innings as an opener across formats, Rohit has amassed a bewildering 519 sixes. Gayle leads the l with 529 sixes but has played 156 innings more than Rohit to reach that mark.
Most sixes since turning 30
Innings
Sixes
Rohit Sharma
261
407
Chris Gayle
195
321
Sanath Jayasuriya
412
227
Brendon McCullum
173
203
Mohammed Hafeez
341
198
In all regards, Rohit will surpass the mighty Caribbean and raise the bar across formats. He is seven short of 200 T20I sixes and 28 away from levelling Shahid Afridi (351) in ODIs. The Mumbaikar could invariably surpass Virender Sehwag’s haul of 92 sixes for the Indian Test record too.
Age has not deterred his big-hitting capabilities, for no batter has hit more sixes than him (407) since turning 30 in international cricket.
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