Rohit Sharma's 264: Highest individual score in an ODI innings - A look at progressive record holders

Rohit Sharma

As Rohit Sharma broke the record for the highest individual score in an ODI innings against Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI on Thursday, let us take a glance at the previous record holders over the years.

The first ODI match was played between Australia and England at Melbourne where John Edrich top scored with 82. In the return leg, Dennis Amiss scored the first ever ODI century that stood for just 7 more matches when Roy Fredericks of West Indies scored 105 to own the record. David Lloyd of England amassed 116* in the following year against Pakistan at Nottingham.

Glenn Turner 171* (201)

In the 1975 World Cup, New Zealand skipper Glenn Turner played a steady knock of 171* that lasted for 201 balls against East Africa. The captain’s innings helped the Blackcaps post 309/5 at Birmingham. The minnows, in response, surrendered for 128/8 in their allotted 60 overs.

Kapil Dev 175* (138)

When Indian wickets were under a free fall, captain Kapil Dev resurrected the side with a gem of an innings. The unbeaten knock came off just 138 deliveries after the first five wickets fell for just 17 runs. The right-hander blasted 16 boundaries and 6 sixes. India won by 31 runs to stay alive in the 1983 World Cup which they went on to win.

Vivian Richards 189* (170)

The Caribbean legend needed just one year to edge past Kapil Dev’s feat at Manchester. The explosive batsman registered 21 fours and 5 sixes in his knock of 189 against the home side to propel West Indies to 272. England were bowled out for 168.

Saeed Anwar 194 (146)

The Pakistani broke Richards’s record against arch-rivals India in Chennai in 1997. Riding on Anwar’s blistering knock, Rameez Raja’s side posted 327. India responded strongly with Rahul Dravid scoring 107 and Vinod Kambli contributing 65. Still, the home team fell short by 35 runs.

Charles Coventry 194* (156)

The Zimbabwean’s feat was largely unknown as it came against Bangladesh in a battle of the minnows in 2009. The bespectacled right-hander notched up 194 and remained unbeaten enabling him to edge past Anwar in the list with 16 fours and 7 sixes. The wicket-keeper’s feat ended the 12-year reign of Anwar at the top of the list. Bangladesh were determined in the chase and eventually won the match, chasing 313, courtesy Tamim Iqbal’s 154 in 138 balls.

Sachin Tendulkar 200* (147)

The Master Blaster became the first man on the planet to score a double hundred in a 50-over match against the formidable South Africans in 2009, just a year after Coventry’s innings. The legendary batsman thus added a new feather to his crown as the greatest ODI cricketer of all time. India posted 401/3, after which the Proteas were bundled out for just 248. AB de Villiers’s unbeaten 114 went in vain as India won by a massive margin of 153 runs at Gwalior in the bilateral series.

Virender Sehwag 219 (149)

The swashbuckling Indian opener joined Tendulkar as the second player to score a double century in ODIs. The Delhi cricketer went past his idol’s feat, ending up with 219 against West Indies in 2011 at Indore. The Caribbean unit were completely taken aback by the aggression Sehwag displayed and folded for 265, while chasing 419.

Rohit Sharma 264 (173)

The Mumbai right-hander silenced his doubters in style by helping himself to a record second double century in one-day internationals. Despite being his comeback match and mixed opinions on his place as an opener for the 2015 World Cup, Rohit unleashed an array of eye-catching shots that took Sri Lanka by surprise.

His lazy elegance was out in full flow as he played all over the park including an unconventional pick up shot from way outside the off side, clearing long on comfortably. He was eventually dismissed on the last ball of the innings as Sri Lanka finally held on to a catch. Notably, the batsman was dropped on 4 by Thisara Perera that cost him only 260 runs!

India posted 404 and Sri Lanka never really got going and were 236/9 after 40 overs.

Player	Runs	Balls	Boundaries	Against	Venue	Year
John Edrich (Eng)	82	119	4 X 4s	Australia	Melbourne	1971
Dennis Amiss (Eng)	103	134	9 X 4s	Australia	Manchester	1972
Roy Fredericks (WI)	105	122	10 X 4s; 1 X 6	England	The Oval	1973
David Lloyd (Eng)	116*	159	8 X 4s; 1 X 6	Pakistan	Nottingham	1974
Glenn Turner (NZ)	171*	201	16 X 4s; 2 X 6s	East Africa	Birmingham	1975
Kapil Dev (Ind)	175*	138	16 X 4s; 6 X 6s	Zimbabwe	Turnbridge Wells	1983
Vivian Richards (WI)	189*	170	21 X 4s; 5 X 6s	England	Manchester	1984
Saeed Anwar (Pak)	194	146	22 X 4s; 5 X 6s	India	Chennai	1997
Charles Coventry (Zim)	194*	156	16 X 4s; 7 X 6s	Bangladesh	Bulawayo	2009
Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)	200*	147	25 X 4s; 3 X 6s	South Africa	Gwalior	2010
Virender Sehwag (Ind)	219	149	25 X 4s; 7 X 6s	West Indies	Indore	2011
Rohit Sharma (Ind)	264	173	33 X 4s; 9 X 6s	Sri Lanka	Kolkata	2014

*Stats updated till 13 November 2014