11 years ago, on a crisp November afternoon at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Rohit Sharma didn't just play an innings; he carved a monument. His world-record 264 runs off 173 deliveries against Sri Lanka remains the highest individual score in the history of One Day Internationals, a towering achievement that time itself struggles to diminish.
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The innings was decorated with an astonishing 33 fours and 9 sixes. In 2014, the ODI landscape was still finding its footing in the post-Sachin Tendulkar era. While the 400-run mark for a team total was becoming more common, a solitary batsman crossing 250 was the stuff of science fiction. Rohit himself was a testament to transformation.
Before 2013, he was a talented but inconsistent middle-order batsman. However, a masterstroke decision to promote him to the opening slot at the 2013 Champions Trophy fundamentally reshaped his career. Just a year and a half into his new role, Rohit was already demonstrating his colossal potential, having already smashed a double-hundred against Australia in 2013.
Yet, the 264 was different. Dropped early on 4, he moved from cautious construction to unstoppable destruction. The Eden Gardens crowd, celebrating 150 years of the iconic venue, were treated to a spectacle of power. This was the knock that truly set the 'Hitman' apart, distinguishing him as the format's most fearsome opener. It was his second double-hundred, but this one was immortalised.
Fast forward 11 years, and Rohit Sharma is not just a legend but an active ruler of ODI cricket. His journey of sustained excellence culminated very recently when, for the first time in his career, he climbed to the very summit of the ICC ODI batter rankings. During the years he showed his greatest exploits, that sweet spot was rightfully occupied by his phenomenal colleague, Virat Kohli.
But now, over a decade after his immortal 264, Rohit still rules ODIs and sits atop the world. A well-deserved reward for the longevity and sheer destructive power that Kolkata first witnessed in its full, majestic glory. The record stands, and with every passing year, it only looks more and more unbreakable.
