Rohit scores century as India chase down West Indies’ 405 in Guwahati
India chased down West Indies’ 405 for seven in Guwahati on Wednesday in the One-Day International series, with Rohit Sharma making a century as India won by eight wickets with 39 balls to spare. West Indies had posted 405 courtesy of centuries from John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo.
The match followed another high-scoring opener in Thiruvananthapuram, where 595 runs were scored in 91.4 overs at an overall run-rate of 6.51. Shubman Gill elected to field first after the West Indies innings of 405; only once before in ODI history, more than a decade ago, has a higher total been successfully chased when South Africa overhauled Australia’s 434 for four, driven by Herschelle Gibbs (175) along with Graeme Smith (90), Mark Boucher (50) and Johan van der Wath (35 off 18) to win with one wicket and one delivery to spare.
Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma opened India’s reply with a dominant partnership of 255 in 158 deliveries that set the tone for the chase. Gill’s century came off 62 balls and included 10 fours and five sixes; India were scoring at nearly 10 an over during that opening stand. Rohit’s hundred came off 72 deliveries, and by the time he was dismissed leg before to Jayden Seales he had reached 101 off 75 balls.
The decision to chase 405 required an aggressive start and the opening pair delivered, with Rohit adopting a slightly more measured approach to complement Gill’s fireworks. Rohit spent time in the field before batting and shaped his innings to hang back just enough to free his scoring without attempting to muscle the ball, according to the match report.
Rohit’s century followed his 34th ODI hundred — a 138 at Lord’s two and a half months earlier — an innings that came just after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia moved to quell speculation that Lord’s would be his swansong and which still left India short when they failed to overhaul England’s 387 in the deciding match of that series. The Lord’s effort and Wednesday’s hundred were cited in coverage as evidence of his form and intent.
His celebration on reaching 100 — a brief jig during the single that took him from 99 to 100 — attracted attention after the game; when asked about it not long after the winning run was struck, Rohit said, “I’ll keep that celebration for myself. Some things are just meant to be with you and it’s not to be shared. So that was for me.”
Rohit has represented India internationally for 19 years and in more than 500 matches, and holds two T20 World Cup winner’s medals, from his debut in 2007 and again in 2024; he missed selection in 2011, scored five centuries in 2019 and as captain fell short in 2023. A year before the next 50-over World Cup he will be nearly 40 and a half when the tournament gets under way.
In preparation for that World Cup, Rohit will have a final preparatory series in New Zealand in November, where he will get five opportunities to refamiliarise himself with conditions; by his own admission, playing only one format internationally gives him time to revisit his game and deep-dive into analysis.
