India v Sri Lanka: Rohit Sharma has 37 runs to go to become all-time runs scorer in T20I cricket The star-batter will lead India in the upcoming 3-match series against visiting Sri Lanka starting February 24.
Rohit Sharma poised to become the most capped T20I player (AFP Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Rohit Sharma is poised to become the most capped T20I player
- Rohit needs 37 runs to become the all-time top scorer in T20Is
- India will play 3 T20Is against Sri Lanka on 24-27 February
Rohit Sharma will face Sri Lanka in the T20I series and is approaching some key milestones that will be milestones in his celebrated career in the game’s shortest format. Rohit will lead against the guests in a 3-match series from February 24-27.
Rohit Sharma is poised to overtake Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik on the list of most-appearing players in T20I cricket. Rohit is already the most capped Indian player and if he plays all 3 games against Sri Lanka he will set a new world record and surpass Malik’s tally of 124 games.
Only 9 cricketers have played more than 100 games in men’s T20Is and Rohit is the only Indian in the elite list. MS Dhoni (98) is second on the list of Indians with most T20I caps while Virat Kohli is third with 97 games. However, the former captain has rested from that 3 match series against Sri Lanka is played in Lucknow and Dharamsala.
Most capped players in T20I cricket
1. Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) – 124
2. Rohit Sharma (India) – 122
3. Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan) – 119
4. Eoin Morgan (England) – 115
5. Mahmudullah (Bangladesh) – 113
On the eve of the 1st T20I against Bangladesh, Rohit dismissed concerns about his fitness and said he hopes to be available for most games in all formats despite taking over as captain of the team. Rohit has been bogged down by injury problems in the recent past. He missed the tour of South Africa but the selection committee is confident Rohit is fit ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup and 50-over World Cup.
“At the moment I have no problems and I’m looking forward to playing all the games,” said Rohit on Wednesday.
“The workload always depends on what happens afterwards and you take day by day and understand what you’re doing and when a break is needed, you take a break and someone else comes in.”
Meanwhile, Rohit also has an opportunity to overtake Martin Guptill and become the leading run scorer in T20I cricket. Rohit is currently in 3rd place behind Guptill (3299) and Virat Kohli (3296). The India captain with 3263 runs needs 37 more runs to become the all-time top scorer in the game’s shortest format.
Meanwhile, Rohit must also score 63 runs in the first T20I if he is to break Pakistan star Babar Azam’s record for fastest 1000 runs as captain in T20I. Rohit has 937 runs in 25 innings as captain with a stunning 40.73 average and a batting average of over 150.
MOST RUNS IN T20IS
| PLAYER | MATCHES | RUNNING | HUNDREDS |
| Martin Guptil (NZ) | 112 | 3299 | 2 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 97 | 3296 | 0 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 122 | 3263 | 4 |
| Paul Stirling (IRE) | 101 | 2764 | 1 |
| Aaron Finch (AUS) | 88 | 2686 | 2 |
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