Former India captain Rohit Sharma added another milestone to his illustrious career on Saturday, becoming the oldest male cricketer to represent India in a One-Day International. He achieved this feat during the rain-affected first ODI against Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
Record-Breaking Achievement
At 39 years and 75 days, Rohit surpassed former India all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath, who was 39 years and 36 days old when he played his last ODI for India in 1989. This record is specific to men's cricket. The oldest Indian to play an ODI overall remains former women's fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, who played her final ODI against England at Lord's in 2022 at the age of 39 years and 303 days. No Indian cricketer has represented the country in ODI cricket after turning 40.
Match Delayed by Rain
Rain delayed the start of the match by more than four hours. Originally scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM, the game eventually started at 5:45 PM and was reduced to 25 overs per side. India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first against Afghanistan.
World Cup Prospects
The 39-year-old is expected to be part of India's ODI World Cup campaign next year. If he plays in the tournament, Rohit could become the first Indian cricketer to feature in ODI cricket after the age of 40.
Series Context
The ongoing series is the first bilateral ODI series between India and Afghanistan. The second ODI will be played in Lucknow on June 17, while Chennai will host the final match on June 20. Before this series, the two teams had met only in ODI World Cups and Asia Cups, with India winning three of their four meetings and one match ending in a tie.
India entered the match having lost three of their previous five ODIs, while Afghanistan came into the series on the back of four consecutive ODI victories. Last week, India defeated Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs in a one-off Test.
Team News
India handed ODI debuts to left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey and fast bowler Gurnoor Brar. While Rohit returned to the international setup, Virat Kohli was unavailable because of a hamstring injury.
