Rohit Sharma vs Phil Salt - comparing their stats after 42 T20Is
Ace Team India batter Rohit Sharma retired as the highest run-scorer in the shortest format of the game. He amassed 4,231 runs in 159 T20Is at an average of 32.05, including five hundreds and 32 half-centuries.
Rohit hung his boots after leading the Men in Blue to the 2024 T20 World Cup title in the West Indies and the USA. It was India's first ICC title in over a decade and second T20 World Cup victory after 2007. The 37-year-old had an eventful campaign, aggregating 257 runs in eight innings at an average of 36.71. He finished as the second-highest scorer behind Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz (281).
England's Phil Salt also had an excellent campaign in the mega ICC event last year. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 188 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of almost 160. He also had a decent overall 2024 season, scoring 467 runs in 15 innings, including a century and two fifties.
Salt's aggressive approach at the top of the order has often been compared to Rohit's. On that note, let's compare their stats after 42 T20Is.
Rohit Sharma's stats after 42 T20Is
The elegant-looking right-hander emerged onto the scene as one of the most talented cricketers in Indian cricket. Rohit Sharma was first picked to showcase his talent for the Men in Blue in the inaugural edition of the 2007 World T20 in South Africa.
He made his T20I debut against England in Durban but didn't get to bat in that match. He batted in the middle order in the next game against the Proteas and scored an unbeaten 50. Rohit endured low returns in the next few games before storming back to form in the 2010 T20 World Cup game against Ireland in Nottingham. His 52* (45) helped the Men in Blue chase down 113 runs within 16 overs.
The Mumbai-born cricketer again endured a few poor returns before turning the heat in the next T20 World Cup in England. Rohit smashed an unbeaten 79 off 46 balls against Australia in Bridgetown, including four boundaries and six maximums.
Overall, Rohit aggregated 739 runs in 42 games at an average of 30.79, with a highest score of an unbeaten 79.
Phil Salt's stats after 42 T20Is
The English wicketkeeper-batter's fearless ball-striking earned him a call-up to the England team in 2019. However, he could only make his ODI debut against Pakistan in 2021. His T20I debut came a year later when England toured the West Indies for a five-match T20I series.
Phil Salt smacked a 24-ball 57 on his debut in Bridgetown at a strike rate of 237.50, smashing three fours and five sixes. He has been a regular feature in England's T20I side since then and is currently the third-ranked T20 batter in the world.
Salt's high-risk-high-reward game has often led to failures but when he has got going, there's no stopping him. The right-hander has already smashed three centuries in T20Is and also has four fifties to his name.
Overall, Salt has amassed 1,138 runs in 39 innings at an average of 33.47 and a strike rate of 161.87.
Conclusion
While Rohit Sharma's stature in international cricket is second to none, Phil Salt has enjoyed a better start to his T20I career. The 28-year-old is miles ahead of the Indian star batter, purely based on numbers.
However, Salt will still have a lot of heavy lifting to do to catch Rohit Sharma's overall credibility in T20I cricket.