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Team India skipper Rohit Sharma will be keen to lead from the front when the Men in Blue face Australia in their opening 2023 World Cup match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. The hosts will want to get their World Cup campaign off to a positive start and Rohit, as leader, will look to kick off proceedings.
Although he made his international debut in 2007, the 36-year-old was not part of the Indian team that lifted the World Cup under MS Dhoni in 2011. He was, however, an integral member of Team India’s World Cup squads in 2015 and 2019.
India faced Australia in both the 2015 and 2019 editions, with Rohit opening the batting on both occasions. In two ODI World Cup matches against the Aussies, the right-handed batter has scored 97 runs at an average of 45.50.
Rohit hit 34 off 48 balls in the 2015 semi-final in Sydney. He looked in great touch, smacking one four and two sixes before being knocked over by Mitchell Johnson. Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan (45 off 41) added 76 for the opening wicket while chasing 329. However, they lost their way after the opening stand was broken and were bowled out for 233.
Rohit’s maiden ODI World Cup half-century against Australia came in the 2019 clash at The Oval. He scored a fluent 57 off 70 balls, hitting three fours and a six. He was looking good for a big score when he was caught behind off Nathan Coulter-Nile's bowling.
The elegant batter and Dhawan (117 off 109 balls) added 127 in 22.3 overs. The Indian team ended up posting 352/5 in their 50 overs after winning the toss and batting first. Australia were held to 316 in response as India registered victory by 36 runs.
Rohit Sharma’s overall record against Australia in ODIs
Looking at the Indian captain’s overall record against the Aussies in one-day cricket, the 36-year-old has featured in 43 matches, scoring 2332 at an average of 59.79, with eight hundreds.
One of Rohit’s three double hundreds in one-day cricket has been registered against Australia. He clobbered 209 off 158 balls in Bengaluru in November 2013, an innings which featured 12 fours and 16 sixes. India posted 383/6 batting first and won the clash by 57 runs.
The aggressive batter also scored an unbeaten 171 off 163 balls in Perth in January 2016. The fine knock, however, went in vain as Australia chased down 310 with ease.
Rohit’s first ODI ton against Australia came in Jaipur in October 2013 when he slammed 141* off 123 balls as India gunned down a target of 360 in 43.3 overs.
