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Oldest players to play for India in ODI: Rohit Sharma reaches new milestone vs Afghanistan in Dharamshala originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Key Takeaways:
- Rohit Sharma has become the oldest player to represent India in an ODI, taking the field against Afghanistan at Dharamsala at 39 years and 44 days old.
- He surpasses Mohinder Amarnath's record of 39 years and 36 days, which had stood since 1989, by just eight days.
- Rohit's 31 ODI centuries, 10,000-plus runs, and three double centuries make him India's most decorated one-day batter.
Rohit Sharma reaches new milestone vs Afghanistan in Dharamshala
Many players lack the resilience, grit, and sheer skill that Rohit Sharma has shown for the Indian national team in the limited-overs format. While his five centuries in T20 have made him a legend, it was in the 50-over format that he carved himself as one of the most lethal openers in Indian cricketing history.
But over the last few months, his form has created many doubts among the fans. His IPL wasn't as he had expected, and his last ODI series against South Africa earlier this year didn't go his way despite strong performances from fellow senior player Virat Kohli. Former selector Saba Karim also suggested that he might be dropped from the ongoing series.
But on June 13, at HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala against Afghanistan, he became the oldest player to ever represent India in an ODI. At 39 years and 44 days, the former India skipper overtook Mohinder Amarnath's long-standing mark of 39 years and 36 days, which had endured since 1989.
MORE: India vs Afghanistan 1st ODI live score, toss winner, winning probability, result and highlights from Dharamsala
Oldest players to play ODI cricket for India
The list of previous record-holders reflects the extraordinary depth of Indian batting across generations. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, and MS Dhoni all appear in the top six, a reminder that India has repeatedly been blessed with world-class batters willing to extend their careers well into their late 30s.
| Player | Age | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 39Y 44D | 2026 |
| Mohinder Amarnath | 39Y 36D | 1989 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 38Y 329D | 2012 |
| Rahul Dravid | 38Y 248D | 2011 |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 38Y 118D | 1987 |
| MS Dhoni | 38Y 2D | 2019 |
MORE: Have Afghanistan ever beaten India in cricket? Full IND vs AFG head-to-head record
Oldest players to play ODI cricket worldwide
In a global context, the record for oldest ODI player belongs to Nolan Clarke of the Netherlands, who was 47 years and 257 days old when he faced South Africa in Rawalpindi at the 1996 World Cup, making him also the oldest debutant in ODI history.
Most of the names on the worldwide list are from associate and qualifying nations, where players often continue longer due to fewer opportunities. Among full member nations, playing ODI cricket past 39 is extraordinarily rare, placing Rohit in a very small group in international cricket history.
| Player | Country | Age | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nolan Clarke | Netherlands | 47Y 257D | 1996 |
| John Traicos | Zimbabwe | 45Y 312D | 1992 |
| Norman Gifford | England | 44Y+ | 1985 |
| Khurram Khan | UAE | 43Y 267D | 2015 |
| John Davison | Canada | 40Y 285D | 2011 |
Rohit Sharma's ODI career at a glance
Rohit made his ODI debut on June 23, 2007 against Ireland and has since compiled one of cricket's most decorated 50-over careers. His tally of 31 centuries and 10,000-plus runs makes him only the fourth batter in history to reach five-figure totals in the one-day format.
His most extraordinary distinction in the format is three ODI double centuries, a record no other batter has matched. His 264 against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in 2014 remains the highest individual score in ODI history, a landmark that has now stood for over a decade.
As India's white-ball captain, Rohit led the side to the 2024 T20 World Cup title. At 39 and still representing India in ODIs, this new-age record against Afghanistan is simply the latest chapter in a remarkable career that shows little sign of approaching its conclusion.
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| ODI debut | June 23, 2007 (vs Ireland) |
| ODI runs | 11577* |
| ODI centuries | 31 |
| Highest score | 264 vs Sri Lanka (2014) |
| ODI double centuries | 3 (most in ODI history) |
He remains just 423 runs away from being the seventh batsman to reach the 12,000-run mark in ODIs. With the series against Afghanistan offering three innings, Sharma can bridge the gap with a few of his trademark explosive innings.
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