Ranchi witnessed a historic moment on 30 November 2025 as Rohit Sharma scripted one of the greatest records in ODI cricket. During the first ODI against South Africa, the former India captain smashed three clean sixes and overtook Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi to become the player with the most sixes in ODI cricket.
What makes this even more special is that Rohit achieved this milestone in fewer innings than his closest competitors, highlighting his unmatched six-hitting consistency in modern cricket.
How Rohit Sharma Created the Historic Record
India lost the toss but started positively with Yashasvi Jaiswal quick 18 off 16 balls. After his dismissal, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli steadied the innings with a composed and confident partnership.
Rohit reached his fifty off 43 balls and soon after, in the 20th over, he hit a towering six over deep mid-wicket – the shot that pushed him past Afridi long-standing record. With this, Rohit added another major chapter to his remarkable white-ball career.
Most Sixes in ODI Cricket
| Rank | Player | Country | Sixes | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 352* | 277 |
| 2 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 351 | 398 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 331 | 301 |
| 4 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 270 | 445 |
| 5 | MS Dhoni | India | 229 | 350 |
| 6 | Eoin Morgan | England | 220 | 248 |
| 7 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 204 | 228 |
| 8 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 200 | 260 |
| 9 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 195 | 463 |
| 10 | Sourav Ganguly | India | 190 | 311 |
The Remarkable Evolution of Rohit Sharma as a Six-Hitter
Rohit was not known as a six-hitter early in his career. His first six came in his fourth ODI innings, and after 1023 balls, he had hit only five sixes.
But everything changed as his career progressed:
- After his first double century in 2013, he smashed 16 sixes, then the world record for most sixes in an ODI innings.
- In his next 167 innings, Rohit slammed 337 sixes, averaging a six every 27 balls.
- As India full-time captain since 2022, his six-hitting rate improved even more – a six every 17–18 balls.
His favorite areas remain deep mid-wicket and backward square leg, where he has hit more than half of his ODI sixes.
Rohit Sharma Continues to Break Major ODI Records
Along with the most ODI sixes, Rohit also holds:
- Most sixes by an Indian against a single team (93 vs Australia)
- Most sixes in India (182)
- Most sixes in a calendar year (67 in 2023)
- Most sixes in ODI World Cups (54 overall)
These records underline Rohit Sharma impact on the white-ball era.
Also see: Top 5 Players with Most Player of the Match Awards at Home
Rohit and Kohli Break Another Partnership Record
During the same match, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli crossed another milestone — they have now played 392 international matches together, the most by any Indian pair, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (391 matches).
