After a couple of mediocre performances in the first  T20Is against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma went back to his prime in the 3rd India vs New Zealand T20I at the Seddon Park in Hamilton and scored a quick-fire half-century. In the process, the Hitman also completed 10000 runs as an opener in International cricket. He became the fourth Indian to reach that landmark after Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag and legendary Sachin Tendulkar. By reaching the landmark in his 219th innings, the batsman is also the second-fastest to reach the feat after Tendulkar who went to the milestone in his 214th innings. Rohit went to the landmark after hitting a giant six off Hamish Bennett. New Zealand Vs India, Live Cricket Score 3rd T20I Match.

Being a middle-order batsman early in his career, Rohit’s career was resurrected when former Indian captain asked him to open the batting during the side’s first match in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He mustered a fifty in that game but that was just a trailer of a block-buster film lying ahead. Rohit emerged as a destructive opener and went on to score three double hundreds in ODIs and four centuries in T20Is, being the only batsman to do so.

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Last year, he began to open the innings in Test matches too and has made a brilliant start by scoring three centuries and bagging a Man of the Series award against South Africa. So far, the batting juggernaut has scored 7148 runs in 140 ODIs and 2334* runs in 77 T20I matches while opening the innings. With being just 32 a lot of cricket is still left in the veteran and it will be interesting to see what more records in future.

Speaking of the encounter, New Zealand won the toss in their do-or-die encounter and elected to bowl first. The decision didn’t prove to be spot on as the new opening pair of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma wreaked havoc in the early gave the visitors a flying start. Now, the onus is on India’s middle order to take the baton and guide their side to a mammoth first-innings total. Also, India emerged victorious in the first two matches and could clinch the series by winning the ongoing encounter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 29, 2020 01:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).