Century in Just 69 Balls – Head Steals the Show

Opening for Australia, Travis Head applied pressure on the English bowlers from the very beginning. He completed his century in just 69 balls, smashing 16 fours and 4 sixes. Eventually dismissed for 123, Head was not only content with the century but also claimed multiple records in the process.

Five Major Records by Travis Head

Third-Fastest Century by an Australian

Head’s 69-ball century makes him the third-fastest Australian batsman to reach three figures. Before him, Adam Gilchrist scored a 57-ball century (2006, England) and Jack Gregory a 67-ball century (1921, South Africa).

Fastest Century in a Fourth Innings

Batting in the fourth innings of a Test is always challenging. Yet Head made it look easy, achieving the fastest century in a fourth innings in history.

First Opener to Hit 4 Sixes in an Ashes Innings

Head now holds the record for hitting four sixes in a single innings as an opener in Ashes history, showcasing his dominance over England’s pace attack.

Matching Steve Smith’s Record

With this innings, Head has now scored 14 centuries in 143 innings, putting him on par with Steve Smith, who made 14 centuries in 160 innings.

Highest Strike Rate While Chasing in a Test

Head’s strike rate during the chase was 148.19, breaking the previous record held by Johnny Bairstow (147.82, New Zealand 2022).

In the latest ICC rankings, Rohit leads with 781 points. Gill dropped to third place, while Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran claimed the second spot with 764 points. Virat Kohli, who showed signs of revival with an unbeaten 74 in the third ODI, now sits sixth with 725 points. Shreyas Iyer, despite not batting in the third match, climbed to ninth in the rankings.

This achievement holds extra significance amid growing speculation about Rohit’s ODI future. With Gill taking over the ODI captaincy just before the series in Australia, many had wondered whether the veteran opener was nearing retirement in this format. Yet, Rohit’s sublime performances in Adelaide and Sydney, including two exceptional innings, demonstrated that he still has plenty to offer. Despite his success, he hinted that this might be his last tour of Australia. “Always love coming here and playing here. Fond memories of 2008. I’m not sure if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but we enjoy our cricket no matter what accolades we achieve,” he reflected.

Rohit’s rise to the top of the rankings also breaks a historic record. By claiming the No. 1 position at 38 years and 182 days, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar, who last held the top spot in Tests at 38 years and 73 days in 2011, becoming the oldest batter ever to lead the ICC men’s ODI batting rankings. This marks Rohit’s first reign at the summit of the ODI batting charts — a remarkable achievement for a player in the latter stages of his international career. His 33rd ODI century, which also marked his 50th international century across formats, capped off a record-breaking series and reinforced his enduring class and consistency.

Rohit’s performance in Australia also saw him gain 36 rating points, moving from 741 to 781, which was enough to displace Shubman Gill from the top. Gill, who had been the No. 1 batter since late 2023, slipped to third, with Zadran taking the second position. Despite Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 74 in the final ODI, he dropped one place to sixth, while Shreyas Iyer rose to ninth.

This resurgence is especially remarkable given Rohit’s previous career-high of No. 2 during the 2019 World Cup, where he had amassed five centuries and reached a peak rating of 882 points. His recent tour of Australia added multiple new records to his illustrious career. He surpassed Virender Sehwag’s tally of 15,758 runs across formats as an Indian opener, achieving it in 11 fewer innings. He also equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 45 international hundreds as an opener, second only to David Warner globally, and matched Tendulkar’s nine ODI centuries against Australia, though in just 49 innings compared to Tendulkar’s 70.

Additionally, his century in Sydney made him the second-oldest Indian to score an ODI hundred, behind Tendulkar, and extended his tally to 14 hundreds in SENA countries — the highest by any visiting batter in those conditions.

Rohit Sharma’s remarkable resurgence at an age when many players have retired not only highlights his extraordinary skill and fitness but also sets a new benchmark for longevity and consistency in modern cricket. His achievement as the oldest-ever ICC No. 1 ODI batter is a fitting testament to his enduring excellence and unwavering dedication to the sport.