Former India captain Rohit Sharma is all set to return to One-Day International (ODI) cricket in the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan. The first match will be played on June 13 in Dharamsala.
Rohit recently completed his fitness tests and has been cleared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team. He is now available for selection and is expected to feature in the opening ODI.
His return will also help him achieve a special milestone. At 39 years and 44 days old, Rohit will become the oldest Indian cricketer to play an ODI match. He will break the previous record held by former India all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath.
Amarnath was 39 years and 36 days old when he played his final ODI match in 1989. Rohit will move to the top of the list by eight days.
Rohit Overtakes Amarnath’s Long-Standing Record
Rohit will now lead the list of the oldest players to represent India in ODI cricket. Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is third on the list. Tendulkar played his last ODI at the age of 38 years and 329 days in 2012.
On the global list, former Netherlands cricketer Nolan Clarke remains the oldest player to appear in an ODI. He played at the age of 47 years and 257 days.
The Afghanistan series is expected to be an important step in India’s preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Rohit had been dealing with a hamstring niggle during the Indian Premier League. However, he has now fully recovered and is ready for international cricket again.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli will miss the Afghanistan series because of a hamstring injury. India is expected to play around 25 ODIs before the 2027 World Cup. Rohit is likely to open the batting with captain Shubman Gill, while Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the contenders for the No. 3 spot.
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