Earlier, India’s bowlers restricted South Africa to 270, with Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav taking four wickets each. Prasidh, bouncing back from a quiet start, dismantled South Africa’s middle order, proving his captain KL Rahul and coach Gautam Gambhir’s faith in him was well-placed. Quinton de Kock was the lone standout for the visitors, scoring a brilliant 106.

The victory completed an entertaining ODI series, marked by fluctuating conditions and decisive tosses. KL Rahul, the stand-in captain, made a smart call to bowl first on a dry pitch in Visakhapatnam, unlike the dew-affected second ODI in Raipur where India’s 358 went in vain. India’s bowlers executed the plan perfectly, keeping South Africa under control despite de Kock’s century.

In the chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden century and half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli guided India to a comfortable victory. Kohli’s consistent brilliance once again reinforced his status as one of the series’ standout performers.

Virat Kohli wraps the chase in style!

A commanding 9⃣-wicket victory in Vizag

With that, #TeamIndia clinch the ODI series by 2⃣-1⃣

Scorecard https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/tgxKHGpB3O

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025

With the series sealed 2-1, India now looks forward to the upcoming T20I series, starting on 9 November.

বিশাখাপত্তনমে চতুর্থ ভারতীয় ব্যাটার হিসাবে ইতিহাসে লিখলেন ‘হিটম্যান’

Joining India’s Most Elite Batting Club

With this milestone, Rohit now stands alongside:

Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli

Rahul Dravid

Rohit reached the landmark in just 538 innings, showcasing a remarkable combination of consistency, an average above 42, and a superb strike rate—numbers that surpass many other members of the 20,000-run club.

India’s Top Run-Scorers in International Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar – 34,357 runs (664 matches)

Virat Kohli – 27,910 runs (556 matches)

Rahul Dravid – 24,064 runs (504 matches)

Rohit Sharma – 20,580 runs (505 matches)

Sourav Ganguly – 18,433 runs

MS Dhoni – 17,092 runs

Rohit also has 50 international hundreds, the third most by an Indian.

A White-Ball Giant

A dominant force in limited-overs cricket, Rohit has amassed:

11,000+ ODI runs

4,300+ Test runs

4,231 T20I runs (India’s highest in the format)

Since making his ODI debut in 2007, Rohit’s journey has been defined by transformation. Initially inconsistent and often under pressure to retain his spot, he blossomed after moving to the top of the order in 2013.

Record-Breaker and Modern-Day Great

Rohit has rewritten the record books:

The only player with three ODI double centuries

Holder of the highest individual ODI score — 264 vs Sri Lanka (2014)

Five centuries in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the most in a single edition

His aggressive style revolutionized India’s white-ball batting. He led India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, and although the title slipped away, he redeemed himself by guiding India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Mt. 2⃣0⃣k

Congratulations to Rohit Sharma on becoming just the 4th Indian cricketer to amass 2⃣0⃣,0⃣0⃣0⃣ runs in international cricket

Updates https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/S3nRb8ve5w

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025

Test Renaissance

Rohit’s Test career witnessed a dramatic resurgence after he began opening in 2019. He flourished across two World Test Championship cycles, becoming one of the most reliable Test openers in world cricket before retiring from the format in 2025 after a dip in form.

A Legend in the Final Phase of His Career

Now past 35 but still performing at the highest level, Rohit continues to thrive under pressure. His career is a testament to perseverance: extraordinary talent backed by maturity, adaptability, and the ability to deliver when it matters most.

There remains one unfulfilled dream — the ODI World Cup title, which he may get another shot at in 2027. Given his current form, dropping him seems almost unimaginable.

With 20,000 international runs, Rohit Sharma is not just a prolific run-scorer—he is a transformative figure in Indian cricket. His dominance in white-ball formats, his record-shattering innings, and his leadership have secured his place among India’s all-time greats. His journey reminds us that while many have talent, only true legends rise above pressure to define an era.

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.