Stats Burst: 2019 - Rohit Sharma’s annus mirabilis

India dominant since 2007

India came from behind to win the three-match ODI series 2-1 against the side from the Caribbean by winning the final match at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. This means the home side has now beaten the visitors in their last ten ODI bilateral series.  The last time India lost a bilateral series against the West Indies was in May 2006 when they lost 4-1 in the Caribbean.  Since then they have won all ten bilateral ODI series between the two sides.

West Indies’ dismal record in ODI deciders

The West Indies have a dismal record in the deciding match of an ODI series. Since January 2009, they are yet to win a series-decider and including the recent ODI series in India, they have now lost their last ten series from such a position. The last time they managed to win a series-deciding match was at the Trent Bridge, 12 years ago in July 2007, when they beat England to win the series 2-1. 

Successful series comebacks

For the fourth occasion in the last two years, India has won a three-match ODI series 2-1 after losing the opening match of the series. Overall it was the seventh such series victory for India, the most by any side in ODI history.

The hat-trick man!

In the Vizag ODI Kuldeep Yadav’s hat-trick was the ninth in international cricket for India across all formats. He became the first Indian to take more than one hat-trick in International cricket. He had previously claimed an ODI hat-trick against Australia at the Eden Gardens in September 2017 (incidentally, Kuldeep also has another hat-trick in the Under 19 World Cup in 2014). By doing so at Vizag, he thus became only the sixth bowler to take more than one hat-tricks in ODI cricket. Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga has three hat-tricks while Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Chaminda Vaas and Trent Boult have two hat-tricks each in the ODI format.

Interestingly, India now has four bowlers claiming a hat-trick in International cricket in 2019 – all coming inside six months - Jasprit Bumrah in Tests; Deepak Chahar in T20Is, while Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav in ODIs. This is now the most hat-tricks claimed by any international side in a calendar year.

Notes:
- Chetan Sharma was the first bowler to claim a hat-trick in a World Cup match
- Kapil Dev achieved it in the Asia Cup final
- Irfan Pathan’s effort came in a losing cause

Striking a purple patch 

Rohit Sharma’s run aggregate of 2442 in 2019 across all formats is the now the highest by an opening batsman in a single calendar year. During his 63 at Cuttack, he went past the previous record tally of 2387 runs Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya in 1997.

While accumulating his 2442 runs, Rohit Sharma has also managed to hit 78 sixes in 2019. The most hit by any batsman in a single calendar year in international cricket. He bettered his record of 74 sixes he hit last year.

Note: For the record, Rohit Sharma has hit 217 international sixes in the last three years starting 1 January 2017. Ahead of Eoin Morgan (122), Aaron Finch (108) and Chris Gayle (100).

Rohit Sharma has also hit 10 international centuries across all formats in 2019. Only seven other batsmen have managed to make 10 or more centuries in a single calendar year, with Virat Kohli doing it on two occasions (11 each in 2017 and 2018).  

Note: Rohit Sharma now becomes the first opening batsmen to hit 10 international centuries in the same year.

Sixes in abundance

The 55 sixes were hit by the batsmen in the just-concluded ODI series. This is now the third-highest hit by both sides in a bilateral series of four matches or less.

Note: the most sixes hit in a five-match bilateral ODI series is 103 in the Feb-Mar 2019 series between West Indies (66) and England (37) 

Meanwhile, the West Indian batsmen on their own hit 33 sixes against the Indian bowlers in the recent series, this is now the second most hit by one side in a three-match ODI bilateral series

Postscript:

In the Vizag ODI, both captains (Virat Kohli and Kieron Pollard) were dismissed for a golden duck. This is the first time in ODI history both captains had to face this embarrassment. However, both captains dismissed for ducks in the same match has happened on the 11 other occasions in ODI cricket and for the first time, the Vizag ODI saw the involvement of an Indian captain.

All records mentioned above are complete and updated until 23 Dec 2019