India Vs Australia 2025: Rohit Sharma’s 500th International Appearance - Stats, Milestones, And Captaincy Highlights

• India take on Australia in the 1st match of the 3-match ODI series in Perth

• The match marks Rohit Sharma's 500th international appearance

• Read the full article to know about Rohit’s career stats, records, and captaincy milestones

Former India captain Rohit Sharma will play his 500th international match when the tourists take on Australia in the first ODI match at Optus Stadium, Perth, on Sunday, October 19, 2025, marking a major milestone in his illustrious career.

It's a milestone only 10 cricketers have ever reached: Sachin Tendulkar (664), Mahela Jayawardene (652), Kumar Sangakkara (594), Sanath Jayasuriya (586), Ricky Ponting (560), Virat Kohli (550), MS Dhoni (538), Shahid Afridi (524), Jacques Kallis (519), and Rahul Dravid (509).

From a precocious talent to the 'Hitman' of world cricket, Rohit's evolution is a testament to his impeccable timing and unwavering temperament -- qualities that have shaped both his elegant stroke play and astute leadership. The 38-year-old has built a remarkable career spanning nearly two decades, during which his captaincy played a pivotal role in India's triumphs on the ICC tournaments.

Rohit Sharma's International Debuts

Rohit Sharma made his international debut for India in an ODI against Ireland at Belfast on June 23, 2007. The then 20-year-old didn't get a chance to bat as Sourav Ganguly (73 not out) and Gautam Gambhir (80 not out) put together an unbroken 162-run partnership for the second wicket after Sachin Tendulkar's early dismissal in a chase of 171 (D/L method).

A similar twist of fate marked his T20I debut, which came against England in a group-stage clash during the inaugural T20 World Cup at Durban on September 19, 2007. Yuvraj Singh famously hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in the penultimate over of India's innings as the eventual champions clinched the high-scoring contest by 18 runs (IND-218/4; ENG-200/6).

His Test debut arrived much later, but it proved worth the wait. The right-handed batter from Nagpur scored a majestic 177 against the visiting West Indies at Eden Gardens in the opening match of the Tendulkar farewell series in 2013. At 26, his knock remains the second-highest score by an Indian on debut, after Shikhar Dhawan's 187. He backed it up with an unbeaten 111 in the next Test.

Rohit Sharma Test And T20I Retirements

Rohit Sharma, a member of India's ICC T20 World Cup-winning squad under MS Dhoni in 2007, went on to lead the 'Men in Blue' to their second title. Having firmly established his legacy as India's most successful T20I captain, with 49 wins in 62 matches, he retired from the format shortly after guiding the team to the World Cup 2024 triumph.

In 159 T20I matches, Rohit scored 4,231 runs at an average of 32.05 and a strike rate of 140.89, including five centuries and 32 fifties. He remains active in the Indian Premier League, where his bond with the Mumbai Indians is the stuff of legend.

And the following year, Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle. Despite facing challenges in the Test format, particularly during the 2023-2024 season, he concluded his Test career with 4,301 runs and 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries.

Rohit Sharma's Batting Brief

Over the years, Sharma has demonstrated his versatility as an opener and his ability to adapt to different formats, making significant contributions in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

Altogether, he has 19,700 runs with 49 centuries and 108 fifties, with a career high knock of 264 runs in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2014.

He holds the record for the highest individual score in ODI cricket, the above-stated knock, a feat that remains unmatched in history. He also has two ODI double tons, 209 vs Australia in 2013 and 208 not out vs Sri Lanka in 2017.

Sharma is also the first player to hit 200 sixes in T20Is and holds the record for the most sixes across all international formats, with a total of 637 (205 in T20Is, 344 in ODIs, and 88 in Tests).

Rohit Sharma's Captaincy Feats

Rohit Sharma took on the full ODI and T20 leadership roles for India national cricket team in December 2021 when he succeeded Virat Kohli as captain of both formats. By early 2022, Rohit had been appointed full-time captain in Tests as well, making him one of the rare Indian batters to lead the team in all three formats.

He is the first-ever captain to lead his team to the final in all four major ICC tournaments, a feat achieved after guiding India to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title round, courtesy a semi-final win over Australia.

He had previously captained India in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 final, ODI World Cup 2023 final, and T20 World Cup 2024 final. This unprecedented achievement cemented his legacy as one of cricket's most versatile and successful leaders in ICC tournament history.

ODI Records Against Australia Down Under

Rohit Sharma has consistently excelled against Australia in ODI cricket, establishing himself as a key performer. He is the leading run-getter for India in ODIs against Australia in Australia, amassing 990 runs in 19 matches at an average of 58.23 and a strike rate of 90.99, with four centuries and two half-centuries.

Of course, his ODI achievements are not limited to his exploits against Australia. Sharma's overall ODI career is decorated with multiple records, including his five centuries in the ODI World Cup 2019 and his consistent run-scoring ability in bilateral and ICC tournaments.

Rohit Sharma's World Cup 2027 Bid

Despite turning 38, Rohit Sharma has set his sights on participating in the ODI World Cup 2027, where he would be 40 years old. Reports indicated he would work closely with assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, a trusted mentor throughout his career, to maintain peak fitness and refine his batting technique for the next two years.

With more than two dozen ODIs scheduled before the 2027 World Cup for India, Sharma plans a calculated build-up to ensure he remains competitive at the highest level, potentially extending his remarkable international career to an unprecedented length for an Indian batter.

The 2023 ODI World Cup final loss was the most heartbreaking moment of his career. But many thought that he will continue to lead the Indian team till the 2027 ODI World Cup, but recently, the 23-year-old Shubman Gill was named India's new ODI captain, replacing Rohit. It would be interesting to see if Rohit will continue to play as a pure batter till the next World Cup or not.