Rohit Sharma the greatest of all time

Kuldeep Singh July 2, 2024

Rohit Sharma, the man known for scoring double hundreds with ease, is one of the great finds of Indian cricket. Rohit proved his worth when he led the Indian team to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Born on April 30, 1987, in Bansod, Nagpur, Rohit Gurunath Sharma came from a humble background. Raised by his grandparents and uncles in Borivali due to his parents’ low income, he would visit his parents on weekends in Dombivali.

Rohit Sharma: Early Career

Rohit met his coach, Dinesh Lad, at a coaching camp in 1999. Lad encouraged him to join Swami Vivekanand International School for better exposure to the game. Although Rohit initially declined due to financial constraints, Lad secured a scholarship for him, giving wings to Rohit’s cricketing career. Initially an off-spin bowler, Rohit’s batting talent was discovered by Lad, who promoted him to open the innings in a Harris Shield game. Rohit scored a century on debut, realizing his potential as a batsman. Rohit made his List A debut in 2005 for West Zone, scoring an impressive 142* against North Zone, which caught the selectors’ attention and earned him a spot in the India A squad and the probables for the Champions Trophy. Although he didn’t make his debut at that time, he did play for India A in 2006 against New Zealand.

In the Rohit made his List A debut in 2005 for West Zone, scoring an impressive 142* against North Zone, which caught the selectors’ attention and earned him a spot in the India A squad and the probables for the Champions Trophy. Although he didn’t make his debut at that time, he did play for India A in 2006 against New Zealand. In the same year, he made his Ranji Trophy debut, scoring 205 against Gujarat, and Mumbai won the title that year. Rohit was also part of the India U-19 team in 2006 and became a well-known name in Indian cricket circles.

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International Career:

Rohit received his maiden international call-up for the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Though he didn’t play in the league stage, he seized his opportunity by scoring an unbeaten 50 against South Africa and a crucial 30* in the final against Pakistan, helping India to victory. Rohit made his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast but did not get to bat. He scored his maiden half-century in November against Pakistan in Jaipur. Despite his talent, his career hit a pause due to consistent failures, leading to his replacement by Virat Kohli. However, in 2010, he was recalled for a series against Zimbabwe, where he scored his maiden century on May 28. A poor series in South Africa cost him a place in the 2011 World Cup squad.

Rohit remained in and out of the white-ball side until M.S. Dhoni promoted him to open the innings. This move was successful, leading to India winning the Champions Trophy in 2013 in England. Rohit’s form continued, and he scored his first double-hundred against Australia later that year. He holds the record for three double hundreds in ODI cricket. In November 2013, he made his Test debut and scored back-to-back centuries against the West Indies, in what was also Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series. Rohit eventually led India in all three formats after Virat Kohli stepped down as captain. Under his captaincy, India won the T20 World Cup in 2024.

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IPL Career:

Rohit Sharma began his IPL career with Deccan Chargers in 2008 and was part of their winning squad in 2009. Remarkably, he also has a hat-trick to his name in the IPL. In the 2011 auction, Mumbai Indians bought him for $2 million, and he brought his luck to the franchise. Rohit became the captain of MI a couple of years later, leading them to their maiden title in 2013, and also won the Champions League T20 the same year. He became the most successful IPL captain, winning the title five times. He is one of the seven players in the league to have scored over 5000 runs.

Personal Life:

Rohit married his longtime girlfriend, Ritika Sajdeh, on December 13, 2015. They have a daughter named Samaira. Despite his success, “dal chawal” remains his favorite food.

Net Worth

Rohit Sharma, the prominent Indian cricketer, has an estimated net worth of approximately INR 216 crores as of 2024. His earnings come from various sources, including his salary from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), his Indian Premier League (IPL) contract, brand endorsements, and investments (IndiaTimes) (Cricreads).

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Sharma’s BCCI contract places him in the A+ grade category, earning him INR 7 crore annually, along with match fees for different formats: INR 15 lakh per Test match, INR 6 lakh per One Day International (ODI), and INR 3 lakh per Twenty20 International (T20I) (IndiaTimes). In the IPL, he has been retained by the Mumbai Indians for INR 16 crore per season (Inside Sport India) (Cricreads).

In addition to his cricket earnings, Sharma is a highly sought-after figure for endorsements. He endorses over 20 brands, including Adidas, Oakley, La Liga, Maggi, and CEAT, with his endorsement deals bringing in significant revenue (IndiaTimes) (Cricreads).

Sharma also has investments in real estate and luxurious cars, including a lavish apartment in Mumbai worth INR 30 crore and a collection of high-end vehicles like Lamborghini Urus and BMW M5 (IndiaTimes) (Inside Sport India).

Achievements:

Highest individual score in an ODI: 264.
Record for the most centuries in a single World Cup: Five centuries in the 2019 World Cup.
Arjuna Award: 2015.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: 2020.
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year: 2019.

Rohit is affectionately known as the “Hitman” by Indian fans due to his powerful hitting abilities. He is one of the best pull-shot players India has ever produced. After winning the T20 World Cup in Barbados, Rohit retired from T20 cricket but continues to play in ODIs and Test matches. Whether he will lead the Indian team in these formats in the future remains to be seen.