India captain Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma were involved in a costly mix-up that brought an abrupt end to the veteran opener’s innings in the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala. Chasing 195 in a rain-shortened 25-over-a-side contest, India had begun steadily, with Rohit and Gill putting on 46 runs for the opening wicket and looking in complete control.
The turning point came on the fourth ball of the sixth over from Allah Ghazanfar. Rohit nudged the ball towards mid-wicket and immediately set off for a quick single. Gill initially responded, taking a couple of steps down the pitch, but then sent his partner back. By that stage, Rohit was already well down the track and had little chance of making it back in time.
Realising the danger, Rohit turned and sprinted back, but Afghanistan reacted sharply. Rashid Khan collected the ball cleanly and threw it to the wicketkeeper, who removed the bails in one motion. The decision was referred upstairs, but Rohit did not wait for the replay confirmation and began walking back to the pavilion, his anguish and disappointment clearly visible in the manner of his dismissal.
The opener departed for 16 after a promising start, while Gill was left visibly disappointed. It was an avoidable moment in an otherwise comfortable chase and briefly handed Afghanistan a way back into the contest.
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A milestone day for Rohit Sharma
Despite his early dismissal, the match still marked a significant milestone in Rohit’s career. By taking the field against Afghanistan, he became the oldest player to represent India in ODI cricket, breaking a record that had stood for nearly 37 years. The previous mark belonged to 1983 World Cup winner Mohinder Amarnath, who was 39 years and 36 days old when he played his final ODI against the West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium on October 30, 1989.
Rohit also added another landmark to his long list of achievements. During the innings, he became only the second Indian opener to complete 16,000 international runs. The veteran joined Virender Sehwag in an exclusive club, underlining his remarkable consistency across formats over the years. Sehwag finished his career with 16,119 runs as an opener in international cricket, a tally Rohit is now closing in on as he continues to play a key role in India’s ODI setup.