Rohit Sharma: Biography of India's Hitman

Childhood between Nagpur and Mumbai

Rohit Gurunath Sharma was born on 30 Apr 1987 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. His father, Gurunath Sharma, worked in the catering department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's transport wing, and his mother, Purnima Sharma, was a housewife. He has a younger brother, Nishit. The family moved between Borivali and a modest flat in Mumbai while he chased cricket.

He was raised partly by his grandparents and uncle in Borivali so he could attend a school that took cricket seriously. He played age-group cricket for Mumbai and was picked for India Under-19. He made his first-class debut for Mumbai in the 2006–07 Ranji Trophy.

International debut and early years

He made his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast on 23 Jun 2007 and his T20I debut against England that September. He was part of India's squad that won the first T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 under MS Dhoni. For several years he was used in the middle order and as a part-time off-spinner. Form was patchy, and he was in and out of the side.

His Test debut came late, against the West Indies in Kolkata on 6 Nov 2013, during Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series. He scored a century on debut and another in the next Test, finishing that series as player of the series.

Opening the batting and the double hundreds

The turning point was his promotion to open in ODIs around 2013. Timing, a high backlift and the ability to hit sixes off good length balls turned him into one of the most destructive openers in the world. On 13 Nov 2014, against Sri Lanka in Kolkata, he scored 264, still the highest individual score in ODI cricket. He already had 209 against Australia in 2013 and later added 208* against Sri Lanka in 2017, making him the only batter with three ODI double centuries.

In the 2019 World Cup in England he scored five centuries, a record for a single edition. He also holds the record for most sixes in ODIs.

Captain of India

He captained Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020), a record he shares with Dhoni for most titles as captain. He became India's full-time ODI captain in December 2021 and later led in all formats after Virat Kohli stepped down.

Under him India reached the 2023 ODI World Cup final at home and lost to Australia. In June 2024 he led India to the T20 World Cup title in the West Indies and the United States, beating South Africa in the final. After that win he retired from T20 internationals. In early 2025 he captained India to the Champions Trophy title in Pakistan, completing back-to-back ICC white-ball trophies as captain.

Test retirement and the ODI handover

A lean run in the 2024–25 Test season, including a 0–3 home series loss to New Zealand and a 1–3 defeat in Australia, put his Test place under pressure. On 7 May 2025 he announced his retirement from Test cricket. He finished with 4,301 runs in 67 Tests at 40.57, with 12 hundreds.

In October 2025 the selectors appointed Shubman Gill as ODI captain ahead of the Australia tour, giving Gill time before the 2027 World Cup. Rohit stayed in the ODI side as a senior batter. In September 2026, after a BCCI review meeting, secretary Devajit Saikia publicly pushed back against retirement rumours and said Rohit was "playing superbly". His most recent ODI listed by ESPNcricinfo was against the West Indies on 3 Oct 2026.

Records that define him

Beyond the 264, Sharma's white-ball ledger includes the most sixes in ODIs and a reputation for "daddy hundreds" — innings that do not stop at 100. As a captain he was praised for calm dressing-room leadership and for backing young batters, even when his own form dipped. The contrast with Kohli's more intense public style became a staple of cricket writing in the 2020s.

Mumbai Indians and domestic cricket

He has played for Mumbai Indians since 2011 after earlier seasons with Deccan Chargers. Five IPL titles as captain made him one of the league's defining leaders. He still turns out for Mumbai in domestic cricket when schedules allow.

Marriage to Ritika Sajdeh and children

He married Ritika Sajdeh, a sports manager he had known since 2008, on 13 Dec 2015. Their daughter, Samaira, was born on 30 Dec 2018. Their son, Ahaan, was born on 15 Nov 2024. The family keeps a relatively low public profile compared with some other Indian cricket couples.

Honours and net worth

India awarded him the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri in 2024. Credible published rich-list estimates of his net worth are scarce and inconsistent, so we don't quote a single figure. His income comes from BCCI contracts, a long Mumbai Indians deal, and brand endorsements.

Legacy

Rohit Sharma showed that an elegant timer of the ball could also be cricket's most dangerous six-hitter. Three ODI double hundreds, five World Cup centuries in one tournament, and two ICC titles as captain put him among India's most successful white-ball leaders. Like Kohli and Dhoni, he leaves a standard the next generation will be measured against.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. ESPNcricinfo: Rohit Sharma player profile and statistics
2. BCCI: Rohit Sharma official biography
3. Wikipedia: Rohit Sharma (cross-checked dates, records and family)
4. India Today: BCCI on Rohit Sharma ODI future, Sep 2026
5. India Today: Shubman Gill replaces Rohit as ODI captain, context Jan 2026

Facts checked against the sources above by Tulasiram Pemmadi on 9 Nov 2026 (IST). Where reliable sources disagree, the article says so. Spotted an error? See our corrections page or email contact@nextplayintel.com.

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