Rohit Sharma Becomes Oldest Ever Number 1 Batter In ICC Rankings

[Stan AF]

16 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

Finally achieved after 18 years of cricket.  Thank you Thala for making him an opener

 Screw dhoni 

[Gollum]

Rohit is truly an ODI giant, even haters can't escape this fact. And he has shown this in 2 WCs, so not just a bilateral bully. 

 

If I have to rank the 10 best ODI batsmen post 2010:

 

Kohli

ABDV

Rohit

Warner

Buttler

Dhawan

Smith (his ICC KO record is insane)

Ross Taylor

Morgan

Guptill

 

Not about stats, because guys like Amla, Babar, Kock, Sanga, Williamson, Dhoni, Root, Faf, Angelo have scored mostly impactless runs. Rate Head, Roy, Hales, Miller, Stokes above these 'soft runs' specialists. Head's sample size is too low, that's why doesn't make my top 10 yet, but he'll get there. 

Edited October 30 by Gollum

[bsriharsha]

Remove the first few years during Dhoni's captaincy where he was shuffling up and down the order. Rohit's impact as and when he came a serious opener is immense. 

[bsriharsha]

I'm not in favour of him remaining in the limited over setup. But his batting once he had a fixed spot and responsibility does really do the talking. 

[bsriharsha]

Had Rohit not been so criminally misused in the earlier part of his career, he would have found himself as a ODI GOAT candidate. 

[Lord]

On 10/30/2025 at 3:34 AM, bsriharsha said:

Had Rohit not been so criminally misused in the earlier part of his career, he would have found himself as a ODI GOAT candidate. 

 

not misused. He was a MO player from start and started well in CB series and WT20. Struggled later on and moved on to the easiest position in white ball cricket now. Credit to him to make the most of it though

[bsriharsha]

11 hours ago, Lord said:

 

not misused. He was a MO player from start and started well in CB series and WT20. Struggled later on and moved on to the easiest position in white ball cricket now. Credit to him to make the most of it though

There is no reasonable evidence to suggest that opening the batting is easier than playing in the middle order. His batting style suited him to open and he was shuffled across the batting line in the earlier part of his career.

[bsriharsha]

It's different for different batsmen. A laxman was made to open when he was more suited to the middle order. 

[Lord]

1 hour ago, bsriharsha said:

There is no reasonable evidence to suggest that opening the batting is easier than playing in the middle order. His batting style suited him to open and he was shuffled across the batting line in the earlier part of his career.

There is plenty of evidence of the modern game. Just check the numbers after 2010. Top 3 batting is much easier after 2 new ball rule and flatter decks. I’m talking about white ball here. Butler, Bairstow, Baz, Marsh etc all found more success in top 3 than their original MO positions. It isn’t unique to Rohit 

 

He started at his natural spot in MO. But struggled for a while then Sehwag Gambhir were dropped and spots opened in 2013

 

 

[putrevus]

6 hours ago, Lord said:

There is plenty of evidence of the modern game. Just check the numbers after 2010. Top 3 batting is much easier after 2 new ball rule and flatter decks. I’m talking about white ball here. Butler, Bairstow, Baz, Marsh etc all found more success in top 3 than their original MO positions. It isn’t unique to Rohit 

 

He started at his natural spot in MO. But struggled for a while then Sehwag Gambhir were dropped and spots opened in 2013

 

 

That is not true at all. 

[bsriharsha]

7 hours ago, Lord said:

There is plenty of evidence of the modern game. Just check the numbers after 2010. Top 3 batting is much easier after 2 new ball rule and flatter decks. I’m talking about white ball here. Butler, Bairstow, Baz, Marsh etc all found more success in top 3 than their original MO positions. It isn’t unique to Rohit 

 

He started at his natural spot in MO. But struggled for a while then Sehwag Gambhir were dropped and spots opened in 2013

 

 

Then why didn't the likes of Sangakkara and Lara open if it would have been easier for them ? 

[bsriharsha]

And if you are talking of the two new balls rule. That doesn't help the openers in any which way seeing as they've to see off the 2 new balls. More chance of getting nicked off

[Lord]

16 minutes ago, bsriharsha said:

Then why didn't the likes of Sangakkara and Lara open if it would have been easier for them ? 

 

Lara did open but was in different generation 90s

[Lord]

16 minutes ago, bsriharsha said:

And if you are talking of the two new balls rule. That doesn't help the openers in any which way seeing as they've to see off the 2 new balls. More chance of getting nicked off

only if ball swings which 90% of the time doesnt happen anymore.

 

White ball pitches all over the world are pattas now. 

[bsriharsha]

Just now, Lord said:

 

Lara did open but was in different generation 90s

Er... How many matches ?

[bsriharsha]

Just now, Lord said:

White ball pitches all over the world are pattas now. 

Which will become more easier for batting once both balls are old. 

[Lord]

1 minute ago, bsriharsha said:

Er... How many matches ?

 

50 odd

[Lord]

Just now, bsriharsha said:

Which will become more easier for batting once both balls are old. 

 

It is easy from the start .bit tougher  when the field is spread out. Thats why you see high scores now

[bsriharsha]

The reason for the higher scores is because the two new balls rule has effectively killed reverse swing. 

 

But reverse swing isn't a concern for openers. The new ball is which aids conventional swing and seam more than the old ball. 

 

If anything, the openers job has been slightly more difficult (especially the first 10 overs) with the two new balls. The lack of reverse swing now would only impact middle order batsman.