Rohit Sharma's maiden international innings came against South Africa in a must-win Super 8 fixture of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
Coming in to bat after India's top three were dismissed by the Proteas’ seam attack, an 18-year-old Rohit showcased his skill and temperament to the hilt as he smashed an unbeaten 50. He then affected a brilliant diving direct hit to remove the dangerous Justin Kemp.
India went on to win that game, and the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, Rohit has played 16 games against South Africa in the shortest format, scoring 405 runs at an average of 28.92 and a strike rate of 130.22 with three 50-plus scores, including a hundred.
Matches | Innings | NO | Runs | Avg | S/R | 50/100 | HS |
16 | 15 | 1 | 405 | 28.92 | 130.22 | 2/1 | 106 |
Rohit Sharma Record vs South Africa in T20Is (In India)
Rohit Sharma has played just seven T20Is against South Africa in India, amassing 192 runs at an average of 27.42 and a strike rate of 127.15 with one hundred to his name.
Rohit's best knock against the Proteas while batting on home soil came during a 2015 fixture at the picturesque Dharamsala, where he bludgeoned a brutal 66-ball 106 with the help of 12 fours and five maximums to power India to 199/5 in 20 overs.
However, his knock went in vain as South Africa, thanks to JP Duminy's 68* (34), gunned down the target without breaking a sweat.
Rohit endured a disappointing time in the 2022 T20I series against South Africa as he could only manage 43 runs in three games, including two ducks.
Matches | Innings | NO | Runs | Avg | S/R | 50/100 | HS |
7 | 7 | 0 | 192 | 27.42 | 127.15 | 0/1 | 106 |
Rohit Sharma Record vs South Africa in T20Is (In South Africa)
Rohit Sharma has featured in six T20Is against South Africa in the Rainbow Nation, and in five innings, he has managed 135 runs at an average of 33.75 and a strike rate of 146.73 with two 50-plus scores.
His maiden international knock coincidently came against the Proteas in South Africa during the 2007 World Cup, where he scored a match-winning fifty.
In 2011, Rohit scored his second and till date his last T20I half-century in South Africa - a 34-ball 53 - which helped India win the game by 21 runs.
Matches | Innings | NO | Runs | Avg | S/R | 50/100 | HS |
6 | 5 | 1 | 135 | 33.75 | 146.73 | 2/0 | 53 |
Check out Virat Kohli's Batting Records here.
Rohit Sharma Record vs South Africa in T20Is (In T20 World Cup)
As far as ICC T20 World Cups are concerned, Rohit Sharma started off with a bang against South Africa back in 2007 as he scored an unbeaten 50 (40) to help India post an eventual match-winning total of 153/5.
Overall, Rohit's scores against South Africa in T20 World Cups read: 50* (40 at Durban 2007), 29 (28 at Nottingham 2009), 25 (27 at Colombo 2012) & 24 (13 at Mirpur 2014).
Rohit's fifth meeting with South Africa at the T20 World Cup will take place at the Perth Stadium on October 30, 2022.
Matches | Innings | NO | Runs | Avg | S/R | 50/100 | HS |
4 | 4 | 1 | 128 | 42.66 | 118.51 | 1/0 | 50* |