Rohit Sharma fell two runs short of a half-century in the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow, but the innings still carried historic weight. The veteran opener became only the fifth Indian batter to reach 14,000 runs in List A cricket, joining a group that reads like a who's who of the country's batting heritage. His 48 off 39 balls was enough to carry him past the milestone, even as Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan stole the afternoon's headlines with contrasting centuries.
Joining the Legends: India's 14,000-Run Club
Rohit now sits alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid - the only four Indians to have previously reached the landmark in List A cricket, a format that encompasses ODIs, A-team fixtures, and domestic one-day competitions. Tendulkar leads the Indian contingent with 21,999 runs, followed by Kohli on 16,447, Ganguly on 15,622, and Dravid on 15,271. It is a list that traces the arc of Indian batting across three decades, and Rohit's presence on it confirms what his career numbers have long suggested - that he belongs in that company. Across 345 List A innings, he averages close to 47 and has compiled 37 centuries and 74 fifties, the latter tally one short of 75 after Thursday's near-miss. Globally, Rohit is now the 25th leading run-scorer in List A history, having overtaken former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, who stands on 14,019. The all-time summit belongs to England's Graham Gooch, whose 22,111 runs from 613 games remain a distant but meaningful target on the horizon. cebl betting lines
Rohit's Knock: Bright Passages, a Googly, and an Early Exit
At Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and invited India to bat, a decision that looked questionable early on as Rohit found his timing quickly. With Yashasvi Jaiswal departing cheaply and stand-in skipper Shubman Gill dropping to number three, Rohit took charge of the scoring rate. In the fourth over, he picked up Mohammad Saleem Safi for two consecutive sixes, punishing short deliveries that lacked the pace to trouble a batter of his experience on back-foot strokes. The end, however, arrived with a touch of irony. In the 14th over, Rashid Khan produced a googly that Rohit could not read off the back foot. The ball took an inside edge and crashed into the stumps. Forty-eight off 39 deliveries, six fours, two sixes - a dominant start cut short. He and Gill had put on 87 for the second wicket, giving India the platform for what followed.
Gill and Kishan Turn a Platform Into a Statement
After Rohit's dismissal, Gill and Ishan Kishan constructed one of the more emphatic stands in recent India ODI batting. The pair added 224 for the third wicket, with Kishan - promoted ahead of Shreyas Iyer - taking full advantage of his elevated position in the order. The wicketkeeper-batter struck 125 off just 79 balls, featuring 14 fours and seven sixes, his first ODI century in four years. Gill matched the intensity at the other end, and the partnership underlined the depth and flexibility available in this India lineup. Afghanistan, missing the cutting edge to disrupt the flow after Rashid's early success, had little answer to the sustained aggression. The Lucknow crowd witnessed a comprehensive batting display, with Rohit's milestone quietly embedded within a performance that India will be satisfied with heading into the remainder of the series.