India vs West Indies 2019, 2nd ODI: Rohit Sharma becomes 1st player to record 8 150+ scores in ODIs
What's the story?
Rohit Sharma played a brilliant knock of 159 runs for India in the 2nd ODI against West Indies in Vizag. During this innings, the right-handed batsman broke multiple records besides reaching several personal milestones.
Rohit has become the first player to record eight 150+ scores in ODIs, extending his own record. He has also now registered the highest individual ODI score in the year by an Indian batsman, for the seventh year running.
The background
Ever since his promotion to the top of the order, Rohit has turned into a limited overs monster. He is the only batsman to have scored three double centuries in ODI cricket, and also the only one with four T20I tons to his name.
Rohit has played a major role in the success that India has achieved since 2013. The Mumbai-born player has also led the Indian ODI team on a few occasions.
In the match against West Indies, Rohit found an able partner in KL Rahul, who also scored a century. The two put on a magnificent partnership of 227 runs for the first wicket, which set the platform for India's mammoth total of 387.
The heart of the matter
Rohit already had the record of the most 150+ ODI scores before this match, with his total of seven being one higher than that of David Warner's six. With the knock of 159 off 138 balls in Vizag, which consisted of 17 fours and 5 sixes, he has now put further distance between himself and Warner.
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Rohit also overtook Chris Gayle in the list of openers with the most 100s in ODI cricket. Currently, Rohit holds the fourth position in that list which is headed by Sachin Tendulkar.
Moreover, this was Rohit's seventh ODI hundred in this calendar year. Only three batsmen had scored as many in a year before the Indian opener.
What's next?
Rohit has been breaking records for fun over the past few years, but 2019 has been a special year even by his standards. With five centuries in the World Cup and seven overall, he has clearly established himself as one of the greatest limited overs openers ever.
Considering he is still in the prime of his career, 2020 could bring even more accolades and records his way.