Rohit Sharma, the Hitman is now the highest run-scorer in T20s

Some call him the ‘Hitman’. Some call him among the finest bashers of the cricket ball. There have been many who’ve compared him to the lazy elegance as seen in Mark Edward Waugh’s batting. Remember that name? Oh well, you do. But the fact is, there aren’t many batsmen around who can be as elegant in their defensive play as they are when on the destructive mode. You know Rohit Sharma is in a league of his own, isn’t he?

And in case, there were any doubts, those were put to rest a while back when the stylish right-hander struck his third double hundred in ODI cricket having made his first half a decade ago. His unbeaten 208, that came at Mohali against a clueless Sri Lanka (2017) left bowlers of the world- even who weren’t in attendance- about as clueless as critics who had doubted the Mumbaikar’s game.

So even as the Mumbai Indians captain is trying to forge his Test career and working keenly toward stability in the 5-day game, there appear no doubts whatsoever about his incredible talent in the white-ball game. This, mind you, is in no way to undermine the possibility that Rohit Sharma’s craft offers India in Test cricket.

All that said, here’s a new reason to be proud of a batsman who has struck even loftier numbers (as the individual score) in limited overs cricket.

Following a typical wham-bam and no-holds-barred fifty- 50 runs off 29 balls including 4 sixes and 3 fours- one of the many we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from Rohit’s blade, the right-hander blazed a trail that many would like to follow. And this achievement came in T20 international cricket, needless to say the most followed template of the modern sport.

And in that Auckland knock, that came in the Second T20 international against New Zealand, a contest that India won at the back of some powerful hitting by Rohit Sharma the captain, and Rishabh Pant’s fluent 40 off 28, the stand-in skipper (since Kohli sat out) became the highest T20 scorer of all time, as on date.

Now there’s some thrill to this feat.

In taking his T20 run tally to 2288 runs (as on 8 February 2019), Rohit overtook none other than New Zealand’s own Martin Guptill. If that’s not incredible, then what is?

We know that Cricket is a sport that’s celebratory in various aspects. We also know that as a sport it’s a great unifier of people. But it’s not always that you overtake an opponent in terms of something as vital as one’s individual gathering (nevermind any format) especially when playing in that person’s backyard- right?

And before we head to Rohit’s impressive T20 numbers, readers are informed that the two batsmen are separated by barely a year, 16 T20 runs (till the completion of the 2nd T20 international between India and New Zealand). The above told, here is Rohit Sharma’s overall T20 record, one that only seems to be growing by the tick of the clock. Nevermind Martin, you can still make it up.

Matches: 92

Innings: 84

Runs: 2288

Average: 32.6

Highest Score: 118

Strike Rate: 138

100s: 4

50s: 16

6s: 102

*612 of Rohit’s 2288 T20 runs have purely come in the form of sixes. Little wonder then why he’s called the ‘Hitman!’