Ranchi: India captain Rohit Sharma has rewritten ODI history by becoming the batter with the most sixes in the format, reaching 351 sixes during the opening ODI against South Africa in Ranchi. With this, he overtook Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, who had held the landmark for 15 uninterrupted years.
A Transformation From Timing Player to Power Hitter
Rohit’s early ODI numbers never hinted at such a towering six-hitting career. His first six arrived in just his third innings, but his maiden century—scored in 2010 during his 40th innings—came with only five sixes across his first 1023 balls faced in ODIs.
The turning point came in Bengaluru in 2013, when he blasted 16 sixes against Australia, then an ODI world record for most sixes in a single innings. Until that night, Rohit had logged only 36 sixes in 102 innings. After that innings, his six-hitting graph exploded:
- 316 sixes in his next 167 innings
- One six every 27.35 balls during that period
- Only two others crossed even 150 sixes over that stretch—Jos Buttler (171) and Eoin Morgan (155)
Since becoming India’s all-format captain in 2022, Rohit’s hitting has reached another level:
- 107 sixes in 46 innings
- A ratio of one six every 17.69 balls, his best phase yet
As ODI captain specifically, he has 126 sixes in 55 innings, second only to Morgan’s 147.
Record Book Belongs to Rohit Sharma
Rohit now owns multiple ODI six-hitting records:
- Most sixes vs a single team: 93 vs Australia
- Most sixes in a country: 182 in India
- Most sixes in a calendar year: 67 in 2023
- Most sixes in ODI World Cups: 54 (including a record 31 in the 2023 edition)
Who Has Suffered the Most From Rohit’s Power?
Rohit’s sixes tell their own story of dominance:
- 10 sixes off Glenn Maxwell—the most against any bowler
- 8 sixes off Shadab Khan
- 7 sixes each vs Clint McKay, Kane Richardson, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins
South Africa’s Marco Jansen became the 150th bowler to be hit for a Rohit Sharma six when he conceded the record-breaking 352nd.
The only bowler Rohit faced 100+ balls without clearing the rope? Marlon Samuels, followed by Shahid Afridi.
Fast vs Spin
- 232 sixes vs fast bowlers
- 120 sixes vs spinners
- 123 sixes from pull and hook shots alone
- 188 sixes targeted towards the backward square-leg to midwicket region
Phase-Wise Hitting
- 130 sixes in the first 10 overs (second only to Chris Gayle)
- 170 sixes between overs 11–40 (all-time highest)
- 52 sixes in the final 10 overs
A Record With a Long Journey Through Cricket History
The ODI six-hitting record has changed hands 18 times since Ian Chappell hit the first six in 1971. After short stints by Richard Hadlee and Chris Old, the West Indies era began, led by Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge and eventually Viv Richards.
Richards became the first to reach:
- 50 sixes (1985)
- 100 sixes (1987)
He held the top spot for 6091 days, the longest in history, before Sanath Jayasuriya surpassed him in 2001. Jayasuriya and Afridi then traded the record for nearly a decade.
Afridi ascended to the top permanently in 2010 and stayed unmatched for 5641 days, until Rohit Sharma crossed him in Ranchi.
Who Can Overtake Rohit Next?
No one is close.
- Among active players, Jos Buttler (182) and Virat Kohli (159) are the nearest, but both are past 35.
- The highest for an active under-30 batter is Rahmanullah Gurbaz with 70 sixes.
Even if Rohit slows down, he is on track to potentially become the first ODI batter to reach 400 sixes.
With ODIs being played less frequently and no younger contender anywhere near his pace, Rohit’s record may stand for many years—possibly even decades.
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