Rohit Sharma is back in the ODI squad for India’s tour of Australia

India and Australia are set to play a bilateral series in October and November, comprising three ODIs and five T20Is. Compared to Australia, the Indian squad has become the point of discussion given the transitional changes. However, amidst the chaos, the return of RoKo—the duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli—has brought smiles to the faces of Indian cricket fans.

Given the series is less than a week away, let us take a look at Rohit Sharma’s numbers against the Aussies.

The overall picture

Since 2007, Rohit Sharma has played 46 matches against Australia. This includes home and away matches across series and tournaments. In the 46 matches, Sharma scored 2,407 runs at an average of 57.30 with a strike rate of 96.01. He has scored eight centuries and nine half-centuries. In 46 innings, he has not been out on four occasions. He also registered one of his highest ODI scores—204 runs—against Australia.

(Credit- RCB)

In Down Under

In Australia between 2008 and 2019, Sharma played 30 matches, scoring 1,328 runs at an average of 53.12 and a strike rate of 90.58. In one of these 30 matches, he scored a high of 171 runs. Not to forget, he registered five centuries and four half-centuries in the mentioned 30 matches.

(Credit- Telegraph)

In Australia vs. Australia

Moving on to the former Indian captain’s performance against Australia on their home soil, Rohit appeared in 18 matches, scoring 961 runs. Out of 18, in five matches, he batted in the first innings, scoring 441 runs. In the remaining 13 matches, he batted in the second innings, adding another 520 runs. His overall average in the 18 games has been 60.06 with a strike rate of 91.9.

(Credit- Indian Economic Observer)

If we look at his average across all the above-mentioned categories, he has been phenomenal against Australia, be it at home or away, across series and tournaments. Even against opponents in Australia, his bat has done most of the talking.

Best knocks

When it comes to the best knocks, centuries are worth mentioning. In ODIs, Rohit has played five in Australia, and three of those were against the host nation.

Rohit Sharma’s first century against Australia in Australia was in 2016 at the WACA. Batting first, Rohit scored 171 runs, the highest run scored by an Indian in Australia. Unfortunately, the match went in Australia’s favour.

(Credit- Free Press Journal)

In the same series, the second was played in Brisbane, where Rohit again scored another century – 124 runs to be precise. However, the match went in Australia’s favour again. In fact, out of five matches, India won only one, but Sharma was the Player of the Series with 441 runs.

Finally, his third century in Australia against the Aussies came in 2019 in Sydney. Rohit Sharma scored 133 runs, but India lost again.

In his comeback series, Sharma will be determined to add at least one century and hope it leads to Team India’s victory.