Indian captain Rohit Sharma, widely regarded as one of the finest batters in modern cricket, has left an indelible mark across all formats. Known for his dominance in ODIs, Sharma has also excelled in the shortest format of the game—T20 Internationals (T20Is).
While his red-ball career had a slower start, his performance took off once MS Dhoni promoted him as an opener in Test cricket. Rohit has played 61 Tests so far, accumulating 4,179 runs at an average of 43, with 12 centuries and 17 half-centuries to his name.
In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Sharma’s stats are even more impressive. He has amassed 10,866 runs at a striking average close to 50, with 31 centuries and 57 half-centuries. His aggressive approach as an opener is reflected in his outstanding strike rate of 92.43 in this format.
However, it is his T20I record that truly stands out. Despite his retirement from T20Is following the 2023 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Sharma remains one of the greatest in the format, holding the title of the highest run-scorer with 4,231 runs from 151 innings. His 140 strike rate, five centuries, and 32 half-centuries underline his dominance in T20Is, despite his relatively modest average of 32.
Rohit Sharma’s 17-Year T20I Career
Sharma’s T20I career spanned an impressive 17 years, beginning in 2007 when a young, 20-year-old Rohit helped India clinch the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa. Throughout his T20I journey, Sharma entertained fans with his big-hitting prowess, smashing 383 boundaries and 212 sixes.
When it comes to his dismissal modes in T20Is, Sharma showcased an exceptional ability to avoid being bowled or trapped LBW, two of the more common modes of dismissal for many players.
Bowled
Despite playing at the highest level for so many years, Rohit Sharma was bowled out on only 24 occasions in T20Is, representing just 18.2% of his total dismissals. For someone with such a long career and an aggressive batting style, this is a remarkably low number. His sharp hand-eye coordination and ability to read the bowlers contributed to this stat.
LBW
Even more impressive is his record against LBW dismissals. Rohit was dismissed LBW just 11 times in T20Is, which constitutes only 8.3% of his total dismissals. Known for planting his front foot early and whipping the ball to the on-side, Sharma’s technique largely kept him safe from LBWs throughout his career.
Caught
Unsurprisingly, the mode of dismissal that troubled Sharma the most was getting caught. In T20Is, where batters often look to clear the boundary, mistimed shots frequently result in catches. Sharma was dismissed caught on 75 occasions, making up 56.8% of his total dismissals. Whether it was misjudging a big hit in the deep or edging to the slips, getting caught was by far the most common way Rohit departed in T20Is.
In fact, in his final T20I appearance, Sharma was dismissed in this very manner. Facing South Africa, he mistimed a sweep shot off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, sending the ball straight to Heinrich Klaasen at square leg.
Caught Behind
Another significant aspect of Sharma’s dismissals was edging the ball behind the stumps. He was caught behind by the wicketkeeper 11 times in T20Is, accounting for 10% of his dismissals. This often occurred when he faced swing bowling, especially early in his innings when he opened for India.
Conclusion
Rohit Sharma’s illustrious T20I career was marked by some of the cleanest hitting the game has ever seen. While he has retired from the format, his legacy as the highest run-scorer and a batter with a balanced dismissal record lives on. Being bowled and trapped LBW were rare occurrences for him, but the aggressive nature of T20 cricket meant getting caught was his most frequent mode of dismissal. Nevertheless, his contributions with the bat will remain etched in T20I history.