Rohit Sharma

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli requested a break from the white-ball leg of the tour, opting to participate solely in the two Tests scheduled from December 26-30 at Centurion and from January 3-7, 2024, at Cape Town.

Gayle believes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, based on their performances in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, have earned the right to make decisions regarding their future in the team.

Rohit Sharma, the captain of the team, proved his mettle at the top of the order, setting the stage with his explosive innings.

Acknowledging the immense magnitude of the occasion, Sharma reflected on the significance of maintaining calmness and composure, citing their pivotal role in executing game plans effectively.

Hussain commended Sharma for instigating a significant shift in India's approach, advocating for an aggressive style of cricket that resonated with the team and the nation alike.

All Sharma would say was that the surface was "a little on the slower side", adding, "whatever we do, we have to do it well".

Dravid emphasized that Rohit has not only been fantastic in terms of performance but has also set a commendable example with his conduct both on and off the cricket ground.

Rohit surpassed West Indies legend Chris Gayle, who now ranks second on the list with 56 sixes in 2019. The 36-year-old Indian skipper achieved this milestone in 23 innings, taking five more innings than de Villiers.

However, he missed out on his 54th half-century by two runs, getting out at 48 off 40 deliveries. With this innings, Rohit overtook Lara (1225) to become the fourth-highest scorer in the history of ODI World Cups. He now has 1243 runs in World Cups and is only behind Sachin Tendulkar (2278 runs), Ricky Ponting (1743 runs), and Kumar Sangakkara (1531 runs).

India have made a fantastic start to their 2023 World Cup campaign with emphatic triumphs over five-time champions Australia, Afghanistan and arch-rivals Pakistan.