The Indian captain began his batting with a total of 551 sixes, just two behind Gayle. He set a new record in just 31 balls into his innings by executing his trademark front-foot pull against Naveen-ul-Haq. After India’s eight-wicket victory, Rohit spoke with bcci.tv and revealed that he drew inspiration from Gayle himself in his journey of hitting sixes.
“Universe Boss is Universe Boss,” Rohit said. “I’ve taken a page from his playbook. Over the years, we’ve witnessed him as a prolific six-hitting machine, no matter where he plays.
“We both wear the same jersey, No. 45. I’m sure he’s pleased about it because jersey No. 45 has now broken his record.”
Gayle extended his congratulations to Rohit on Twitter, and the Indian captain responded in his own unique style.
Thanks CG
4&5 on the back but our favorite number is 6— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) October 12, 2023
Rohit achieved the record in 453 matches, which was 30 games fewer than Gayle, who had 553 sixes in 483 international matches. Nevertheless, Rohit expressed his surprise at leading the list of six-hitters.
“When I first began my cricket journey, I never envisioned myself hitting so many sixes, let alone breaking this record. Clearly, it took a lot of hard work over the years. So, I’m content with the progress I’ve made.
“I’m not the type to become complacent. I aim to continue doing what I’ve been doing. My focus remains on that. It’s a small but happy moment for me.”
India has had a strong start to their World Cup campaign with two victories out of two matches, currently standing second on the points table, just behind New Zealand. However, Rohit emphasized the importance of taking each game as it comes, rather than looking too far into the future.
“The World Cup format is quite different – nine league matches followed by the semi-finals and final. We played an excellent game today, with our bowlers doing exceptionally well to restrict the opposition to under 280, despite the good batting conditions.
For us, it’s crucial to approach every game as it comes without getting ahead of ourselves.”