Rohit Sharma joins staggering list featuring MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli in Perth

NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma etched his name in cricketing history on Sunday, playing his 500th international match for India during the first ODI against Australia in Perth. At 38, he became only the fifth Indian to reach this remarkable milestone, joining legends Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rahul Dravid. Globally, Rohit is the 11th player to achieve 500 international appearances.

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Rohit’s illustrious career spans all three formats, featuring 273 ODIs, 67 Tests, and 159 T20Is. He also holds the record for the most T20I appearances for India, highlighting his impact in the shortest format. On the all-time list of international matches, Sachin Tendulkar leads with 664 games (463 ODIs, 200 Tests, 1 T20I), followed by Mahela Jayawardene (652), Kumar Sangakkara (594), and other cricketing greats like Sanath Jayasuriya, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Shahid Afridi, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid.

Rohit’s 500 matches firmly place him among the elite of world cricket.Beyond this milestone, Rohit is chasing another record—the most sixes in ODI cricket. With 344 sixes, he sits just seven short of Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, needing only eight more to become the leading six-hitter in men’s ODIs.Rohit has also enjoyed tremendous success in Australia, scoring 990 runs in 19 matches at an average of 58.23, including four centuries and two fifties.

Crossing 1,000 runs in Australia during this series would make him the first Indian to achieve the feat on Australian soil.His leadership record is equally impressive. Rohit led India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title before retiring from the format, and then captained the team to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy triumph. Earlier this year, he also announced his retirement from Test cricket, closing a remarkable chapter in the longest format of the game.

Australia have won the toss and opted to field. After 223 long days, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are finally back in action for India, bringing their experience and firepower to the top of the order. All eyes will be on the two veterans as they step onto the field under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, marking the start of a fresh chapter in Indian ODI cricket.