Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Rohit Sharma

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 24, 2026

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Rohit Sharma made an impact.

Rohit Sharma is a prolific Indian international cricketer and the former captain of the Indian national team across all formats. Renowned for his elegant stroke play, impeccable timing, and ability to hit massive sixes, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest opening batters in the history of limited-overs cricket. Sharma holds the world record for the highest individual score in a One Day International (ODI) match (264) and is the only player to have scored three double-centuries in the format. Beyond his individual batting records, he has been a highly successful leader in the Indian Premier League (IPL), captaining the Mumbai Indians to five championship titles. His career is marked by his transition from a middle-order talent to a dominant global opener and a composed strategist, culminating in leading India to victory in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. Known affectionately as 'The Hitman,' his consistency and calmness under pressure have solidified his status as a modern-day legend of the game.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1999: Rohit Sharma Joins Cricket Camp

In 1999, Rohit Sharma enrolled in a cricket camp with the financial support of his uncle. This pivotal year marked the beginning of his formal training, which eventually led him to switch schools to Swami Vivekanand International School under the guidance of coach Dinesh Lad, who secured him a four-year scholarship to focus on his cricketing development.

March 2005: Rohit Sharma's List A Debut

In March 2005, Rohit Sharma made his List A debut for the West Zone cricket team against Central Zone during the Deodhar Trophy held in Gwalior. Batting at number eight, he played an unbeaten knock of 31 runs, contributing to his team's 3-wicket victory.

July 2006: First-class debut for India A

In July 2006, Rohit Sharma made his first-class debut representing India A against New Zealand A in Darwin, where he contributed scores of 57 and 22 in a match that resulted in a 3-wicket victory for India.

June 2007: International ODI Debut

On June 23, 2007, Rohit Sharma made his full international debut for India in an ODI against Ireland in Belfast during the 2007 Future Cup tournament. Although he was placed seventh in the batting order, he did not get the opportunity to bat as India secured a victory by 9 wickets.

November 2007: Maiden ODI Half-Century and Commonwealth Bank Series Selection

On 18 November 2007, Rohit Sharma achieved his maiden ODI half-century by scoring 52 runs against Pakistan in Jaipur, leading to his selection for the 2007–08 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia where he performed well, notably scoring 66 in the first final.

2007: Inaugural T20 World Cup Appearance

In 2007, Rohit Sharma participated in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup, marking the beginning of his consistent appearance in every tournament since.

2007: 2007 T20 World Cup Victory

In 2007, Rohit Sharma was a key member of the Indian cricket team that emerged victorious in the T20 World Cup.

December 2009: Highest First-Class Score

In December 2009, Rohit Sharma achieved his career-best first-class score of 309 not out while playing for Mumbai against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy.

December 2009: Recall to the Indian ODI Team

In December 2009, following a successful triple century in the Ranji Trophy, Rohit Sharma was recalled to the Indian ODI team for a tri-nations tournament held in Bangladesh after Sachin Tendulkar chose to rest.

October 2013: Appointed Mumbai Team Captain

Following the retirement of Ajit Agarkar, Rohit Sharma was named the captain of the Mumbai team for the 2013–14 season in October 2013.

November 2013: Test Cricket Debut against West Indies

In November 2013, Rohit Sharma made his Test cricket debut at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, against West Indies, where he scored an impressive 177 runs, marking the second-highest debut score by an Indian player. He subsequently added another century, scoring 111 not out, during the second Test held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

2013: First IPL Title Victory

In 2013, Rohit Sharma captained the Mumbai Indians to their first Indian Premier League championship title.

2013: 2013 ICC Champions Trophy Win

Rohit Sharma contributed to the Indian team's success in winning the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.

March 2015: 2015 Cricket World Cup Participation

In March 2015, Rohit Sharma participated in his first Cricket World Cup, playing eight matches for India during the tournament held in Australia. He accumulated 330 total runs throughout the event, including a notable century of 137 runs during the quarter-final match against Bangladesh, before India was eliminated by Australia in the semi-finals.

2015: Second IPL Title Victory

In 2015, Rohit Sharma led the Mumbai Indians to secure their second Indian Premier League title under his captaincy.

2017: Departure from Test Team

In 2017, Rohit Sharma was removed from the Indian Test cricket team lineup, marking a period of absence from the format that lasted until his eventual recall for the 2018-19 season.

2017: Third IPL Title Victory

In 2017, the Mumbai Indians achieved their third Indian Premier League title victory while captained by Rohit Sharma.

2018: Test Team Recall and Australian Tour

In 2018, Rohit Sharma earned a recall to the Test team for the tour of Australia, where he participated in key victories in Adelaide and Melbourne, despite battling a minor injury that sidelined him for the second Test.

2018: Asia Cup and Nidahas Trophy Victories

In 2018, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, India achieved significant cricketing success by winning the 2018 Asia Cup in the ODI format and the 2018 Nidahas Trophy, which marked the nation's first T20I victory in the tournament.

April 2019: Appointed Vice-Captain for the 2019 World Cup

In April 2019, Rohit Sharma was officially named the vice-captain of the Indian national cricket team for the 2019 World Cup held in England.

October 2019: First Test Double Century and 2,000 Run Milestone

In October 2019, during the third Test match against South Africa, Rohit Sharma reached the milestone of 2,000 career Test runs and achieved his maiden Test double century by scoring 212 runs in the first innings.

2019: Fourth IPL Title Victory

In 2019, Rohit Sharma continued his successful captaincy run as Mumbai Indians won their fourth Indian Premier League title.

2019: ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year Award

In 2019, Rohit Sharma was honored with the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year award, recognizing his exceptional performance throughout the year, specifically highlighted by his record-breaking feat of scoring five centuries in a single Cricket World Cup.

2020: Appointed Test Vice-Captain

During the tour of Australia in 2020, Rohit Sharma was named the vice-captain of the Indian Test team, taking over the role from Cheteshwar Pujara.

2020: Fifth IPL Title Victory

In 2020, Rohit Sharma steered the Mumbai Indians to their fifth Indian Premier League title, solidifying his status as a highly successful captain.

September 2021: First Overseas Test Century and 3,000 Test Run Milestone

On 4 September 2021, Rohit Sharma achieved a significant career milestone by scoring his first overseas Test century with an innings of 127 runs against England at The Oval. During this same performance, he also surpassed 3,000 career runs in Test cricket.

February 2022: Appointed as India's Test Cricket Captain

In February 2022, Rohit Sharma was officially named the captain of the Indian Test cricket team, taking over the role from Virat Kohli just before a series against Sri Lanka. This leadership appointment was met with praise from legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma, who emphasized Rohit's role in mentoring future captains.

October 2023: Surpassing Sachin Tendulkar for World Cup Centuries

On 11 October 2023, during the Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan, Rohit Sharma scored his seventh century in the tournament, officially breaking the record for the most centuries hit in World Cup history previously held by Sachin Tendulkar.

October 2023: World Cup Captaincy Debut

On 8 October 2023, during the ICC Cricket World Cup match against Australia in Chennai, Rohit Sharma captained the Indian cricket team for the first time in the tournament, becoming the oldest player to lead India in a World Cup campaign.

2023: 2023 Asia Cup Victory

Led by Rohit Sharma as captain, India secured their eighth Asia Cup title in 2023, competing in the ODI format.

2024: Participation in T20 World Cup

In 2024, Rohit Sharma continued his streak by playing in the T20 World Cup, remaining one of the few players to have competed in every edition since 2007.

2024: Victory in 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup

In 2024, Rohit Sharma guided the Indian national cricket team to a triumphant victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

2024: 2024 T20 World Cup Captaincy

In 2024, Rohit Sharma led the Indian national cricket team as captain to victory in the T20 World Cup.

2024: Poor Batting Form and Captaincy Challenges

Throughout the 2024 season, Rohit Sharma experienced a significant decline in batting performance, culminating in a low average of 10.93 across his final eight Tests. His leadership also faced intense scrutiny following a historic 0–3 home series loss against New Zealand and a 1–3 defeat against Australia.

May 2025: Retirement from Test Cricket

On 7 May 2025, Rohit Sharma officially announced his retirement from Test cricket prior to India's tour of England, concluding his career with 4,301 runs in 61 matches.