Mumbai: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has applauded India’s star batter Rohit Sharma for surpassing his long-standing record of most sixes in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Rohit shattered the milestone during India’s recent ODI clash against South Africa, becoming the new six-hitting king in just his 277th match.
Most Sixes in ODIs (All-Time)
- Rohit Sharma (IND) – 2007–2025: 271 innings, 11,516 runs, 355 sixes
- Shahid Afridi (PAK) – 1996–2015: 369 innings, 8,064 runs, 351 sixes
- Chris Gayle (WI) – 1999–2019: 294 innings, 10,480 runs, 331 sixes
- Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) – 1989–2011: 433 innings, 13,430 runs, 270 sixes
- MS Dhoni (IND) – 2004–2019: 297 innings, 10,773 runs, 229 sixes
Afridi, who held the top spot for 15 years, expressed admiration for Rohit’s achievement.
“Records are meant to be broken, and I’m happy that a player I’ve always admired has surpassed this one,” Afridi said. He added that the nature of cricket ensures that every record eventually finds a new owner.
Reflecting on his time with Rohit during their IPL stint at Deccan Chargers, Afridi recalled being impressed by the young batter’s talent.
“Even in practice sessions, his class was visible. I knew he would go on to play for India and succeed,” he said.
Afridi on Rohit–Kohli Duo
Afridi also praised the impact of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, calling them the “backbone of India’s batting lineup.”
According to him, both players have shown such consistency in recent ODIs that they are capable of competing at the highest level until the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
He suggested India should manage their workload wisely:
“Against weaker teams, India can rest Rohit and Virat and try new players.”
Afridi Criticizes Gautam Gambhir
While praising India’s batting greats, Afridi also took a swipe at India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir.
“The way Gautam started, it looked like he believed all his decisions were flawless. But time has shown that nobody is always right,” the former all-rounder remarked.
