Rohit Sharma completes 18 years in international cricket, says 'forever grateful'

India great Rohit Sharma made his debut in international cricket 18 years ago on June 23, 2007, against Ireland. The two-time ICC trophy-winning captain on Monday shared his gratitude for completing 18 years in international cricket.

Since then, Sharma has evolved into one of the greatest openers of all time, a tactical mastermind with a trophy cabinet worth envying, and the calm composure.

The batter, who recently retired from Tests and T20Is posted on his Instagram story, "Forever grateful, 23.06.07."

Under Sharma's captaincy, India reached the final of the World Test Championship in 2023 and the ODI World Cup final later that same year,. However, the team fell short of the trophy on both occasions. He amended that by leading India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024, ending a 13-year wait for ICC silverware, and then the Champions Trophy in 2025.

In 2024, the 38-year-old became the first men's player to appear in over 150 T20Is, though he announced his retirement from the format after India's T20 World Cup win.

Sharma has scored 19,700 runs in 499 international matches across all formats. He holds the record for the highest individual score in ODIs, having scored an unbeaten 264 against Sri Lanka.

In T20IS, Sharma is the highest run-getter of all time. In 159 matches, he has amassed 4,221 runs at an average of 32.05, striking at over 140, with five centuries (the most by a player) and 32 fifties. As a T20I captain, he has won 49 out of 62 matches for India, lost 12 and tied one.

In 273 ODIs and 265 innings, he has made 11,168 runs at an average of 48.76 with 32 centuries and 58 fifties. He is the only batter with three double tons in the format and is is India's fourth-highest run-getter in 50-obers cricket. As an ODI captain, Sharma led India to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy title win and a runners-up finish in 2023 50-over World Cup at home after a 10-match win streak. He has won 42 out of 56 matches he has led India in ODI, losing just 12.

In Test cricket, the batter scored 4,301 runs in 67 Tests and 116 innings, averaging 40.57, with 12 centuries and 18 fifties, and his best score being 212.

Further, Sharma holds the record for the most centuries during a single World Cup, scoring five tons during the 2019 World Cup in England, where he amassed a chart-topping 648 runs in nine matches with an average of 81.00.