Rohit Sharma scores ODI hundred after 1100 days in 3rd match vs New Zealand in Indore 

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma finally broke his century drought in ODIs, notching up his first three-figure score in the format after a gap of 1100 days.

The 35-year-old needed only 83 balls to get his hundred in the third ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Tuesday, January 24. The right-handed batter's previous century in one-dayers came against Australia in Bengaluru on January 19, 2020, when he scored 119 off 128 balls, hitting eight fours and six sixes.

Rohit looked in absolutely sublime form on a belter of a pitch in Indore on Tuesday. New Zealand won the toss and invited the Men in Blue to bat first. Team India’s opening duo of Rohit and Shubman Gill added 212 for the first wicket in just 26.1 overs.

The Indian captain brought up his much-awaited ODI ton in the 26th over of the innings bowled by Blair Tickner. The right-handed batter pulled the Kiwi pacer to deep square leg for a single. Rohit’s hundred in Indore was his 30th three-figure score in the format.

With his splendid knock against New Zealand, he equaled Aussie legend Ricky Ponting’s record of 30 ODI tons. Only Sachin Tendulkar (49) and Virat Kohli (46) are above the Indian captain on the list of batters with the highest number of ODI hundreds.

Speaking of his overall stats in the format, Rohit has 9782 runs to his name from 234 innings at an average of 48.91 and a strike rate of 89.89.

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Rohit and Gill dismissed after scoring hundreds

The Indian captain was dismissed immediately after going past the 100-run mark. He fell for 101 off 85 balls, bowled by Michael Bracewell as he failed in his attempt to slog one out of the park. Rohit’s knock featured nine fours and six sixes.

Earlier, Gill reached his third 100-plus score in his last four ODI innings in the same over as his opening partner. The in-form youngster fell for 112 off 78 balls after he miscued Blair Tickner to point. Gill’s sublime knock included 13 fours and five sixes.

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India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik.

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c & wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner.