Top 5 ODI innings by Rohit Sharma

Ever since MS Dhoni decided to turn Rohit Sharma into an opener in One-Day International cricket, his career has taken a different course altogether and over the course of the last few seasons, he has become one of the world's pre-eminent top order players in ODIs. During the course of his career, Rohit has played plenty of superb innings and what particularly stands out is his ability to change the complexion of the game if he plays till the end of the innings. The double hundreds have obviously been one of his calling cards in ODI cricket but he has played many other innings that have been just as good. Here is a look at 5 of the best and yes, one of the double hundreds misses out.

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#5 150 vs South Africa at Kanpur, 2015

Rohit Sharma brings up a century

The first game of the 5 match ODI series against South Africa at Kanpur perhaps set the tone for the series that India eventually ended up losing. However, the same game saw Rohit Sharma play one of his finest ODI innings and that too against one of the best bowling attacks going around at the time.

Batting first, South Africa made 303 in 50 overs, thanks to superb unbeaten 104 (73 balls, 5 fours, 6 sixes) from AB de Villiers. India's response was led by Rohit Sharma, who proved once again that he is a big hundred specialist in ODIs and that is a rare species in cricket.

Against a bowling attack fronted by Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir, the right-hander played all the strokes that have made him famous. In a scintillating display of strokeplay, he hit 13 fours and as many as 6 sixes to score 150 off just 133 balls.

However, he got out at the start of the 47th over with India still needing 35 to win off 23 balls. It seemed eminently gettable but India's middle-order lost their way and contrived to lose the game by 5 runs. One of his great ODI innings went in vain.

#4 141 not out vs Australia at Jaipur, 2013

Rohit Sharma drives one to the fence

The ODI series between India and Australia back in 2013 became a bit infamous due to the giant scores that both teams put up and the ease with which they were often chased down.

The 2nd game at Jaipur was no different when India chased down the target of 360 with 39 deliveries to spare and for the loss of only 1 wicket. The chase was anchored by Rohit Sharma's superb opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan.

Rohit played the anchor's role while Dhawan went after the bowling and when his wicket fell with India placed at 176 for 1, he opened up as well. With number 3 Virat Kohli going berserk at the other end, Rohit's task became much simpler and he toyed with the attack in his own way.

In total, he hit 17 fours and as many as 4 sixes, as India romped to a 9 wicket win and it remains one of his better innings, albeit on a pitch that offered nothing to bowlers.

#3 147 vs New Zealand at Kanpur, 2016

Rohit Sharma in full flow

The final game of the 3 match ODI series between India and New Zealand in 2016 was a match worthy of being the decider. It was a nail-biting game and India's big total of 331 was set up by centuries from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the latter being the top scorer.

Against an excellent New Zealand bowling attack led by Trent Bould, Tim Southee, Adam Milne and Mitchell Santner, the Indian opener scored a big hundred yet again to set the game up for the hosts. He was cautious, to begin with, but as he started hitting the ball better, he opened up and eventually made 147 runs off 138 balls.

On a pitch, that was not particularly a batting paradise, Rohit hit 18 fours and 2 sixes. He got out in the 42nd over but by then he had set India up for a big score. New Zealand were in the front seat at one point to win the game but some superb death bowling saw India emerge victors by 6 runs.

#2 209 vs Australia at Bengaluru, 2013

Rohit Sharma in action against Australia

The deciding game of the 7 match series between India and Australia back in 2013, was decided on the back of another blitzkrieg from Rohit Sharma. It was the first of his three double hundreds in ODI cricket and remains one of the finest innings he has ever played.

It wasn't a vintage Australian bowling attack that he faced and the bowlers included Clint McKay, James Faulkner, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Shane Watson among others. However, he cashed in superbly to deliver a knockout punch that ensured that India were able to bat Australia out of the game.

Batting first, Rohit did not go berserk from the outset but once he was perfectly set and his hitting arc was coming off beautifully. Yet again, he produced a brutal inning after he had seen enough of the opposition.

It was midway through the innings that Rohit started destroying the Australian spinners, Glenn Maxwell and Xavier Doherty. From then on, the writing seemed to be on the wall as he plundered 12 fours and an astonishing 16 sixes to absolutely obliterate the Australians. India made 383 and the visitors fell short by 57 runs.

#1 264 not out vs Sri Lanka at Kolkata, 2014

Rohit Sharma has tormented Sri Lanka for years

Sri Lanka's stock as a cricket team may have plummetted over the past half a decade or so but nothing must have prepared them for the treatment Rohit Sharma meted out to them in the 4th ODI of the 5 match series at Kolkata in 2014.

This was one of those instances when Rohit did not give an inkling of what was to follow in the latter part of the innings and proved once again, that once he is set then no ground in the world is too big for him.

He started cautiously and in fact, by the end of the Powerplay, he had made just 12 runs, that too of 25 balls. However, once set, he started playing his shots and by the time, India took the batting Powerplay, he unleashed his strokes. In just 20 odd deliveries, he made 45 and from then on, the lid was off.

In the latter part of his innings, he faced 83 deliveries and made a staggering 186 runs. From scoring his half-century off 72 balls, he ended the innings at 264 off 171 balls and had hit 33 fours and 9 sixes. It was an innings that nobody saw coming, perhaps except the player himself.