Rohit Sharma's ODI journey has been a fascinating reflection of Indian cricket's leadership transitions over the past decade and a half.
As he takes guard against Australia in the upcoming ODI series, the India stalwart will be playing under his 7th captain in his career in ODIs, as Shubman Gill has been appointed as India's new captain.
Since debuting in 2007, the Mumbai batter has featured in ODIs under six different Indian captains-MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, and Virat Kohli-and is now poised to play under his seventh skipper in the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
Rohit's record under these captains underscores his remarkable adaptability and consistency. His breakthrough years came during the Dhoni
era (2007-2016), where he amassed 3,678 runs in 118 innings at an average of 35.70, registering seven hundreds and 21 fifties, including his maiden double-century. Under Virat Kohli's leadership, the opener elevated his game further, scoring 4,110 runs in 76 innings at an astonishing average of 61.34 with 18 tons, firmly establishing himself among the elite in world cricket.
Rohit had a brief captaincy stints in the Indian team under Raina (517 runs at 103.40 in just nine innings) and Sehwag (284 runs at 94.66 in four innings)
Since assuming India's leadership, Rohit's own captaincy stats are equally impressive 2,506 runs in 55 innings at 52.20 with five centuries and a strike rate nearing 112. Rohit also led the Indian team to the Champions Trophy win after a gap of 12 years.
Yet in the upcoming Australia series, he steps back to play under a new leader due to the team's rotational approach, marking a full-circle moment in his career that has seen him flourish regardless of who wears the armband.
As India gear up for the high-octane Australia ODIs, fans will eagerly watch whether the veteran opener can extend his rich run of form, albeit under a new leader.
Rohit Sharma ODI Performance under Captains
| Captain | Matches | Innings | Not Outs | Runs | HS | Avg | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 122 | 118 | 15 | 3678 | 209 | 35.70 | 7 | 21 |
| Rahul Dravid | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8.00 | 0 | 0 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 3 | 2 | 0 | 65 | 44 | 32.50 | 0 | 0 |
| Virat Kohli | 77 | 76 | 9 | 4110 | 264 | 61.34 | 18 | 14 |
| Suresh Raina | 9 | 9 | 4 | 517 | 114 | 103.40 | 2 | 3 |
| Virender Sehwag | 4 | 4 | 1 | 284 | 95 | 94.66 | 0 | 3 |
| Himself as Captain | 56 | 55 | 7 | 2506 | 208* | 52.20 | 5 | 17 |
