Rohit Sharma's resurgence in the ODI format has drawn wide admiration across the cricket fraternity. The veteran India opener, who recently climbed to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings for the first time in his career, continues to redefine consistency and leadership in his late thirties.
Despite India's 2-1 series loss to Australia, Rohit's individual brilliance - 202 runs in three innings at an average of 101 earned him the Player of the Series award and helped him climb to the No. 1 ranking spot with 781 points.
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Rohit Sharma leads ICC ODI list; Kaif lauds selfless play
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif lauded Rohit's achievement, describing it as a reward for his team-first attitude. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said Rohit never chased personal milestones but focused solely on India's success.
"The No. 1 ODI ranking has walked up to Rohit Sharma's doorstep. He never desired to become the No. 1 batter. His only goal was for India to win and finish on top," Kaif said.
He went on to say that India's rise under Rohit's captaincy — from No. 4 to No. 1 in ODIs and from No. 2 to No. 1 in T20Is, reflected his legacy. Kaif further pointed out that after India's heartbreak in the 2023 World Cup final, Rohit guided the team to redemption by lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup.
"Even now, if you tell him he is the No. 1 ODI batter, he would probably say, 'Move on.' His dream was always to make India No. 1 — and he did that," Kaif added.
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Rohit Sharma is expected to return to action later this month when India host South Africa for a three-match ODI series starting November 30 in Ranchi.
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