Rohit Sharma

In November 2013, during Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series, Sharma made his Test debut at Eden Gardens in Kolkata against West Indies and scored 177, the second-highest score on debut by an Indian to Shikhar Dhawan (187).[17] He followed it up with 111 (not out) in the second Test at his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.[18]

Having been out of the Test team since 2017–18, Sharma went on the 2018–19 tour of Australia after he had earned a recall earlier. Chief selector M. S. K. Prasad said the reason for his recall was that his natural game suited the bouncy Australian pitches.[19] Sharma played in the first Test in Adelaide, scoring 37 and 1 in an Indian victory.[20][21] During the first Test, he sustained a minor injury which saw him miss the second Test in Perth.[22] He recovered for the Boxing Day third Test at Melbourne and scored 63 (not out) to help India total 443/7 and win both the Test and the series.[23] After the third Test, Sharma had to return to India for the birth of his daughter.[24]

In October 2019, in the third Test against South Africa, Sharma scored his 2,000th run and his first double century in Tests. He made 212 in the first innings of the match.[25][26] Sharma was named as vice-captain of India's Test team during the tour of Australia in 2020, replacing Cheteshwar Pujara.[27][28][29]

Sharma had a successful home series against England in 2021. Instrumental in his team's comeback after a defeat in the first Test at Chennai, he scored a century, one that The Guardian termed "deserves to be considered one of the greatest this century."[30] He put on 167 runs with Ajinkya Rahane for the fourth wicket while making 161 runs in an innings that included 18 fours and two sixes.[31] India went on to win the Test by 317 runs.[32] He top-scored for his side in both innings of the low-scoring third Test in Ahmedabad with scores of 66 and 25 contributing to his team's win.[33] Sharma finished the series aggregating 345 runs, the most for India, at an average of 58.[30] He went on to score his first overseas Test century on 4 September 2021 with an innings of 127 against England at The Oval, also reaching the milestone of 3,000 runs in Test cricket.[34]

Sharma was appointed captain of India's Test team in February 2022, succeeding Virat Kohli, ahead of a two-match series against Sri Lanka.[35] Sunil Gavaskar praised his leadership and Chetan Sharma, India's chairman of selectors, said: "We will groom future captains under him".[36]

Sharma during the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australia

In March 2015, Sharma made his first appearance in the Cricket World Cup and played in eight matches for India in the 2015 tournament in Australia. India reached the semi-final stage where they were defeated by Australia. Sharma scored 330 runs in the tournament with one century, a score of 137 in the quarter-final against Bangladesh.[37]

On 15 April 2019, Sharma was appointed vice-captain of India's squad for the 2019 World Cup in England.[38] In the opening match against South Africa, he scored 122, including his 12,000th run in international cricket.[39][40] He followed it up with centuries against Pakistan, England and Bangladesh. In the match against Sri Lanka, hitting yet another century, he became the first batsman to score five centuries in a single World Cup tournament,[41] and equalled Tendulkar's record for the most centuries (6) in all World Cup matches.[42] Sharma totalled 648 runs in the tournament to finish as the leading run-scorer and win the ICC's Golden Bat award, the third Indian player to do so.[43]

On 8 October 2023, during the ICC Cricket World Cup, Sharma was entrusted with the captaincy responsibilities for the Indian team in a match against Australia. This significant moment marked the first time he captained the Indian side in the Cricket World Cup. What set this particular event apart was that at that time, he had become the oldest player to lead the Indian team in the tournament,[44] showcasing his maturity and experience as a cricketer.

On 11th October 2023, during a match against Afghanistan in the Cricket World Cup 2023, Sharma achieved a milestone by surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most centuries in World Cup history. With a display of batting prowess, Sharma notched his seventh century, breaking the record in this World Cup encounter.[45] This achievement underscored his ability to rise to the occasion on the world stage, and it cemented his reputation as one of India's finest cricketing talents.

Sharma made his full international debut in a one-day match against Ireland in Belfast on 23 June 2007. This was part of the 2007 Future Cup competition which also involved South Africa. He was number seven in the batting order but did not bat as India won the game by 9 wickets.[46]

He scored his maiden ODI half-century (52) against Pakistan at Jaipur on 18 November 2007 and was selected for the Indian squad going to the 2007–08 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia.[47][48] In that series, he scored 235 runs at an average of 33.57 with 2 fifties, including 66 in the first final at Sydney when he partnered Sachin Tendulkar for most of India's successful run chase.[49][50] After that, however, his ODI performances suffered a downturn and he lost his middle-order position to Suresh Raina. Later, Virat Kohli took his position as the reserve batsman. In December 2009, following his triple century in the Ranji Trophy, he was recalled to the ODI team for the tri-nations tournament in Bangladesh as Tendulkar opted to rest in the series.[51]

He scored his maiden ODI century (114) against Zimbabwe on 28 May 2010 and followed it up with another century in the next match of the tri-series against Sri Lanka on 30 May 2010 by scoring 101 not out.[52][53] He had a run of poor form in South Africa just before the 2011 World Cup and as a consequence he was left out of India's squad for the tournament.[54]

Sharma was recalled to the limited-overs squad for the tour of the West Indies in June and July 2011.[55] In the first match at Queen's Park Oval, he scored 68 (not out) from 75 balls with three fours and a six. In the third match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, he scored a match-winning 86 off 91 balls after India had been reduced to 92 for 6.[56]

He had a disastrous loss of form in 2012 and scored only 168 runs in the whole calendar year at the very low average of 12.92 with just a single half-century. Even so, his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed faith in him, and his career was revived in 2013. Dhoni decided to move him up the batting order to open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. The pairing was a success and India won the competition, defeating hosts England in the final.[57]

His good form continued and, later in the year against Australia, he scored 141 (not out) in Jaipur. He followed that with 209 off 158 balls in Bangalore and established a then-world record for the most sixes (16) in a one-day international innings (since beaten by Eoin Morgan of England with 17).[58] On 13 November 2014, playing against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Sharma broke the world record for the highest score in a one-day international innings with 264 from 173 deliveries.[59][60]

In December 2017, India's captain Virat Kohli was rested for the series against Sri Lanka, in preparation for India's tour to South Africa, which began in the first week of January 2018. In his place, Sharma was appointed team captain and India under his leadership won the series 2–1, their eighth consecutive series win since defeating Zimbabwe in June 2016.[61][62] Sharma also hit his third ODI double-century in this series, scoring 208 (not out) to extend his record of most ODI double-centuries by a player.[63]

In September 2018, in the absence of many top players including regular captain Virat Kohli, Sharma led India to win the 2018 Asia Cup, where they defeated Bangladesh in the final.[64]

On 12 January 2019, in the opening match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sharma scored 133 but it was in vain as India lost by 34 runs. It was his 22nd century in one-day internationals.[65] At Delhi on 13 March 2019, in the fifth and final match of a home series against Australia, Sharma scored 56 including his 8,000th run in one-day internationals. It was his 200th innings.[66] In 2019, he scored the most runs in ODIs by any batsman, with 1,490 runs in the calendar year, including 7 centuries.[67]

In November 2020, Sharma was nominated for the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Decade award.[68][69]

In July 2022, Sharma became the first Indian captain to lead their team to both T20I and ODI series wins in England. He became the 3rd Indian captain to win an ODI series in England, and the first since 2014.[70]

Sharma hitting a six

Sharma was included in the Indian squad for the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 and made his mark by scoring an unbeaten 50 from 40 deliveries against hosts South Africa in the quarter-finals. This enabled India to win the match by 37 runs and they went on to defeat Pakistan in the final, when Sharma scored 30 (not out) from 16 deliveries.[71][72]

On 2 October 2015, during the South African tour of India, Sharma scored 106 in the first Twenty20 international at HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. With that, he became the second Indian cricketer to have scored centuries in all three formats of international cricket.[73]

In December 2017, in a series against Sri Lanka, Sharma scored the joint-fastest T20I century, in 35 balls, ending with 118 from 43 deliveries, equaling the record of David Miller. This was also his second century in Twenty20 internationals.[74]

On 8 July 2018, during a series in England, Sharma became the second Indian batsman, after Virat Kohli, to score 2,000 runs in a Twenty20 international career.[75] He was the fifth batsman worldwide to achieve the feat; the others besides Kohli were Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and Shoaib Malik.[76] He also scored his third T20I century during this series, equaling the then-record for most T20I centuries, held by Colin Munro.[77]

In March 2018, he led Team India to win the Nidahas Trophy under his captaincy.[64] In November 2018, in a series against West Indies, he scored his fourth T20I century, creating a new record for the most centuries by a player in T20I cricket. [78]

In November 2019, in the opening match of the series against Bangladesh, Sharma became the most-capped cricketer for India in T20Is, playing in his 99th match.[79] In the next match of the series, he became the first male cricketer for India to play in 100 T20Is.[80]

In November 2020, Sharma was nominated for the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Decade award.[68][69]

In July 2022, Sharma became the first captain in T20I history to lead their team to 14 consecutive victories.[70]

With his participation in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Sharma became the only Indian cricketer to have played in every edition of the tournament since its inception in 2007.[81]

On 27 October 2022, Sharma broke the record for most sixes by an Indian batsman in T20 World Cups, previously held by Yuvraj Singh, hitting his 34th six against Netherlands at Sydney Cricket Ground.[82][83]

Sharma receiving Arjuna award

• 2015 – Arjuna Award[109]
• 2020 – Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna[110]

• ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year: 2019[111]
• ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year: 2014 (12th man),[112] 2016,[113] 2017,[114] 2018,[115] 2019[116]
• ICC Men's ODI Team of the Decade: 2011–2020[117]
• ICC Men's T20I Team of the Decade: 2011–2020[117]
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: 2021[118]

For his achievements on India's tour of England in 2021, Sharma was selected by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in its 2022 edition.[119]

Sharma and Ritika Sajdeh during their wedding

Sharma married his longtime girlfriend, Ritika Sajdeh on 13 December 2015. They have one child, a girl born on 30 December 2018.[120] He is a practitioner of the meditation technique Sahaj Marg.[121]

He practices an eggetarian diet. [122]

Sharma has been sponsored by several brands including CEAT and the Swiss watchmaker Hublot.[123][124] In his career, Sharma has endorsed many other brands including Maggi, Fair and Lovely, Lay's, Nissan, energy drink Relentless, Nasivion nasal spray, Aristocrat by VIP Industries, Adidas and Oppo mobiles.[125]

Sharma engages in numerous philanthropic activities, promoting various causes such as animal welfare, health, and children.[126] He is particularly vocal about the protection of animals and has supported various initiatives and organisations to promote the cause.[127]

In February 2015, Sharma joined People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to support sterilisation of homeless cats and dogs. When supporting the cause Sharma said, "Sterilisation is important because I feel that if we can stop (the homeless-animal crisis), there will be control of population among the street dogs".[128]

In September 2015, along with Hollywood actors Matt LeBlanc and Salma Hayek, Sharma joined an anti-poaching campaign in Kenya to save the wild animals of Africa including the last surviving northern white rhinoceros. When joining the campaign Sharma said, "I have been a member of PETA and when I was informed about the cause, I thought it is my duty to join the anti-poaching drive. That's what got me to Nairobi. I was fascinated to have a look at Sudan (the last northern white rhino) and the sniffer dogs who catch hold of the poachers".[129]

In November 2017, Sharma in a video on social media said that he had agreed with an online store to merchandise mobile phone covers and other items that would use his name and ODI jersey no. 45. Sharma also told his Twitter followers: "All proceeds from your purchases would go to an animal charity of my choice".[130]

In 2018 on "World Rhino Day", Sharma was announced as the WWF-India Rhino Ambassador. Ravi Singh, the CEO and Secretary General of WWF-India, said "We welcome Rohit into the WWF family". After taking a pledge for the cause of rhino conservation, Sharma said, "My love for rhinos sparked when I first heard about Sudan, the last male northern white African rhino who died this year thus leading to the inevitable extinction of the entire species and that broke my heart. As the world and I mourned for my fallen friend Sudan, I researched the best way for me to help prevent something like this happening and the best way I know how is to create awareness. After getting in touch with WWF I learnt that 82% of the world’s rhinos reside in India and I am honoured to be WWF-India’s rhino ambassador to spread awareness and do my bit to contribute to the protection and survival of the rhino and help make this world a better place for them."[131]