3 ODI records Rohit Sharma can break in 2023
Rohit Sharma has been one of the finest ODI players of this generation and was named as India's captain in the format after Virat Kohli. However, 2022 was not the most memorable year for the right-handed opener. Although he has shown glimpses of sublime form in patches, Sharma's last ODI century came in January 2020.
2023 will be an important year for Rohit's team and his personal legacy, considering India will host the World Cup this year. He will be hoping to return to form along with ace-batter Virat Kohli so that the Indian team can realize its potential at the 2023 World Cup.
Let's take a look at the three records Rohit Sharma could break in ODIs this year.
#1 Become a World Cup-winning captain
If India wins the 2023 World Cup, Rohit Sharma will become India's third World Cup-winning captain. Sharma will immortalize himself in the history books if he is able to lead the country to this feat.
World Cup-winning captains are highly revered in a cricket-crazy country like India. Kapil Dev led India to their first title on English soil at a time when they were underdogs. MS Dhoni starred in the final at the Wankhede Stadium, as they won it for the second time in their history.
#2 Score 10,000 career runs in the format
Rohit Sharma has scored 9454 runs in 228 ODI innings for India. The Men in Blue are scheduled to play over 25 ODIs this year. If he features in most games, Sharma should comfortably exceed 10,000 career runs.
He will join an esteemed list which includes Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni in the 10,000-run club for India.
Sharma has been a servant of Indian cricket in all formats, but his strongest format has always been 50-over cricket. A career average of almost 49 with 29 centuries to his name speaks volumes about the impact he has had over the years.
#3 Score the most hundreds (7) in World Cup history
Sharma had an all-timer World Cup campaign in 2019 - scoring 648 runs at an average of 81 in 9 matches. He scored 5 centuries to add to the hundred he scored against Bangladesh in the 2015 quarter-finals. He equalled Sachin Tendulkar for having the most World Cup centuries in just 16 innings.
Rohit just needs to score another hundred to break this esteemed record that will put him in the history books. Indian fans will be hoping that he breaks this record and brings the World Cup home after a 12-year wait.