On Saturday, October 3, during the third ODI against the West Indies in New Chandigarh, Rohit Sharma surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s 22-year-old record for the quickest 10,000 ODI runs by an opening batsman. Rohit also joined the ranks of the fourth batsman to reach 10,000 runs as an opener in the 50-over format.
He reached the milestone in 202 innings, achieving it on the third ball of the match when he flicked Jayden Seales for two runs. Though the moment was quietly carried out, its importance was profound, marking the end of a record that had endured for over twenty years.
The team, led by Shubman Gill, won the toss and chose to bat first. India already held a 2-0 lead in the three-match series prior to the final ODI. The West Indies came into the match hoping to prevent a clean sweep, whereas India sought to end the series without a loss at a ground hosting its first men’s ODI.
Rohit Sharma needed just two runs to reach 10,000 ODI runs as an opener and achieved the milestone effortlessly. He became just the fourth batter to accomplish this, joining Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, and Sanath Jayasuriya. Rohit achieved the milestone in 202 innings, surpassing Tendulkar’s previous record of 214 innings by 12. Before, Tendulkar held the record after scoring 10,000 runs as an opener in 214 innings against Australia in Brisbane on January 18, 2004.
Fastest to 10,000 ODI Runs as Opener:
| Player | Innings as Opener | Milestone Match |
|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 202 | vs West Indies, Chandigarh — October 3, 2026 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 214 | vs Australia, Brisbane — January 18, 2004 |
| Chris Gayle | 268 | vs New Zealand, Manchester — June 22, 2019 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 303 | vs England, The Oval — June 20, 2006 |
Most Runs as an Opener in ODI:
| Player | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 340 | 15,310 | 200* | 48.29 | 88.04 | 45 | 75 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (Asia/SL) | 383 | 12,740 | 189 | 34.61 | 92.48 | 28 | 66 |
| Chris Gayle (ICC/WI) | 274 | 10,179 | 215 | 39.45 | 88.02 | 25 | 53 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 202 | 10,045 | 264 | 54.89 | 96.60 | 33 | 49 |
In the previous ODI, Rohit Sharma had already made a significant impact, scoring 101 off 75 balls with 10 fours and six sixes. The knock also pushed him past 12,000 ODI runs, making him only the third Indianafter Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohlito achieve this milestone. Rohit stepped into the West Indies series under considerable scrutiny regarding his position at the top of India’s ODI lineup. Since Yashasvi Jaiswal was seen as a potential long-term opener, the experienced batter had to support his case with strong performances.
