Ranchi, November 30, 2025 - All eyes are set on Rohit Sharma as India takes on South Africa in the first ODI of the three-match series at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi today. The veteran Indian batter is on the verge of breaking a significant world record, adding extra excitement to the already highly anticipated match.
Rohit Sharma, the world's No. 1 ODI batter, is just three sixes away from surpassing Shahid Afridi's record of 351 sixes to become the batsman with the most sixes in ODI history. To date, Rohit has hit 349 sixes in his 276 ODI matches. If he achieves this feat, he will be the fastest to reach the 350 sixes landmark in ODIs.
"The stage is set for Rohit to potentially rewrite history," says a cricket analyst. "His aggressive batting style and ability to clear the boundary make him a prime candidate to break Afridi's long-standing record."
Beyond the sixes record, Rohit is also close to another milestone. He needs 98 runs in this match to complete 20,000 runs in international cricket. So far, he has amassed 19,902 runs in 502 matches across all formats. If he reaches this milestone, he will become the fourth Indian to join the elite list of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli. Furthermore, scoring 113 runs would allow him to surpass AB de Villiers in terms of total international runs scored.
In this series opener, Rohit also has the chance to set a record for the most centuries as an opener in international cricket. He is currently tied with Sachin Tendulkar, with 45 centuries each. A century in Ranchi would move him ahead of Tendulkar. Only David Warner, with 49 centuries, has more centuries as an opener in the world.
India will be captained by KL Rahul in this series, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to the ODI side after a break. However, Shubman Gill will miss the series due to injury, with Yashasvi Jaiswal expected to open alongside Rohit Sharma. The middle order will be reinforced by all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya, with Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper-batsman.
South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, will be without Kagiso Rabada due to a rib injury. Their bowling attack will be led by Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger. The batting lineup includes Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Dewald Brevis.
India will be eager to bounce back in the ODI series after losing the Test series to South Africa. On the other hand, South Africa will be looking to continue their winning momentum.
As the two teams face off in Ranchi, the focus will be on Rohit Sharma and whether he can achieve these milestones. The match is set to begin at 1:30 PM IST.
