Rohit Sharma Sets New ODI Sixes Record, Ashwin Praises His Evolution

Rohit Sharma Breaks Six-Hitting Record

New Delhi, December 1: Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed admiration for Rohit Sharma's impressive evolution into a prolific six-hitter. Rohit recently surpassed former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi's record for the most sixes in One Day Internationals (ODIs), achieving this milestone during the first ODI against South Africa at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi, where he hit his 352nd six.

With this achievement, Rohit has now overtaken Afridi's long-standing record of 351 sixes, which had been in place since 2015. Ashwin attributed this success to India's aggressive batting strategy in recent years, crediting both Rohit and former head coach Rahul Dravid for their contributions.

Ashwin remarked, “Rohit Sharma has transformed significantly as both a player and a captain. In the early stages of his career, he wasn't known for hitting sixes. However, after his double century against Australia in 2013-14, his balls-per-six ratio improved dramatically from 27 to 17 since taking on the white-ball captaincy. This change illustrates how Rohit leads by example and sets the tone for the team.”

The excitement continued in Ranchi as Virat Kohli scored his 52nd ODI century, while Rohit set the record for the most sixes in ODIs. Together, they propelled India to a 17-run victory over South Africa in the first match of the series.

Rohit contributed a solid 57 runs off 51 balls, featuring five fours and three sixes, and formed a crucial 136-run partnership with Kohli for the second wicket. Although he couldn't convert his fifty into a century, his performance was instrumental in giving India a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.