For almost two and a half decades, the name of Rohit Sharma has been associated with elegance, power, and most importantly, the art of batting. However, with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 – to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia from October 2 to November 21 – around the corner, the mood is tinged with melancholy for the Indian opener. If selected, it will possibly be his last-ever appearance in the prestigious ODI tournament.
Rohit will aim to achieve the last remaining achievement for him in the limited-overs game when the tournament commences on Gandhi Jayanti.
A Colossus in World Cups: Rohit Sharma
To understand Rohit Sharma's genius in limited-overs internationals, one must delve into his achievements in the ODI World Cups. He has scored 1,575 runs at a 60.57 average and a 105.49 strike rate in 28 games, including seven centuries and six fifties.
He ranks fourth in the all-time scorers' list, with the elite company of Sachin Tendulkar (2,278), Virat Kohli (1,795), and Ricky Ponting (1,743).
In an ODI World Cup, Rohit has had the benefit of learning with every pass. He missed out on the 2011 World Cup in India — one that saw India win the title — but he made up for it in subsequent tournaments.
In 2015, the “Hitman” played 8 games in Australia and New Zealand, scoring 330 runs at 47.14, including a century.
In 2019, he played 9 matches in England, hitting 648 runs at an astonishing 81, including a remarkable five centuries.
As the tournament's captain, he scored 597 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 125.94 in 2023, including a century and three fifties, before losing the final in Ahmedabad to Australia.
Seven Innings of Genius
Rohit Sharma's innings in the ODI World Cup have been spectacular, showcasing his ability to score at different stages of the innings.
It all began with Sharma's magnificent 137 in the World Cup quarter-final in Melbourne against Bangladesh. It was the game that set the tone for the World Cup.
However, Sharma's best World Cup came in England in 2019, where he scored five centuries, equaling the World Cup record – an unbeaten 122 against South Africa, a sparkling 140 against Pakistan, and a hat-trick of centuries (102, 104, and 103) against England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Sharma scored a sensational 131 from just 84 balls in the 2023 World Cup opener against Afghanistan in Delhi. It was a power-hitting display of 16 fours and five sixes.
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Rohit Sharma has always wanted to win the ODI World Cup, and he has expressed his desire to win it again. Sharma was disappointed that he did not win the ODI World Cup as the T20 captain, but he soon redeemed himself by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies and the 2025 Champions Trophy in the UAE.
“I know winning a World Cup, and that feeling that comes with it. That's why I want that feeling again. The game is so much more fun when you have that World Cup winning feeling. You can't put it into words. That's why winning this World Cup is going to be very special for me because I want to get that feeling again, which we got recently,” he said in an interview with JioStar.
“I would be thrilled to win the ODI World Cup coming up, that's all I'll say. I wouldn't think about 'full circle' and all that jazz. Winning a World Cup for India is something special.”
Perhaps the 2027 World Cup will mark the end of a journey for Rohit Sharma – both in the game and in his career.
After all, the ODI World Cup 2027 will be held in South Africa – where Sharma first fell in love with the game as a 20-year-old in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
“I was so ecstatic to play my first T20 World Cup in South Africa, which was an incredible experience. I scored a fifty against South Africa in Durban and also made a vital contribution of 30 runs from 16 balls in the final against Pakistan in Johannesburg,” Sharma reminisced.
“I will be really looking forward to playing in South Africa again in 2027. It has always been a special place for me as I had experienced that wonderful World Cup in Durban earlier as a young player batting alongside MS Dhoni, one of the legends of our game. Now, I want to create special memories for my country and people as one of the game's most revered elders.”