Rohit Sharma 264 Scorecard Key Partnerships and Turning Points Cricstrike Insight

November 13, 2014, a day which is of utmost significance to cricket, was re-written at Eden Gardens Kolkata. Rohit Sharma's mammoth 264 runs in just 173 balls against Sri Lanka made him the highest scorer in ODI cricket, and this record is still unbroken. 

The occasion was, however, not merely one man’s glory but a combination of moments, and catches, partnerships which transformed an ordinary match into a legendary one that is still revered today. 

The Early Scare That Changed Everything

Rohit was coming back from an injury, and he began competing cautiously. Initially, he was very alert while Ajinkya Rahane was the one who mostly scored. 

But then in the fifth over, something happened that Sri Lanka would rule forever. Rohit attempted to loft the ball over but instead edged it to the third-man. Thisara Perera was stationed there for the catch but he ended up dropping it. 

At that moment, Rohit had only scored 4 runs. That mistake cost the Lankans 260 runs because the very next moment Rohit was up for 264 that shattered all records. 

The catch drop was the first major reason for the match turning around in favor of India. If the dot ball were to be caught, the outcome of the entire match would have been opposite. But it didn’t happen, and Sri Lanka had to face the wrath of Rohit.

Building Blocks - The Partnerships That Mattered

After Rahane got out for 28 in the seventh over, Ambati Rayudu also fell quickly for just 8 runs. This left India at 59/2 after 13 overs. Not a great start. But that's when Virat Kohli came in and things changed.​

The Rohit-Kohli partnership was what gave this innings its base. Here's what happened:

• Rohit and Kohli put on 202 runs together​

• The partnership came off just 154 balls, which is fast​

• Kohli scored 66 off 64 balls with six boundaries​

• This stand took India from trouble to complete control

Kohli got run out by Seekuge Prasanna, but by then the damage was done. The score was strong and Rohit was set.​

After Kohli left, Suresh Raina came in but only made 11 runs before Angelo Mathews got him out. But then came Robin Uthappa. And this is where things went crazy.​

The Uthappa Partnership - When Rohit Went Wild

Rohit and Uthappa added 128 runs together, and this is when Rohit turned from good to unstoppable. During this stand, he not only reached his second double century but also broke Virender Sehwag's record of 219 runs.​

Here's how Rohit paced his innings:

• First fifty came off 72 balls in the 24th over​

• Second fifty came off just 28 balls​

• He reached 100 in 100 balls by the 32nd over​

• From 100 to 200 took just 51 balls​

• His double century came in 151 balls​

The last 10 overs of the Indian innings saw them score 129 runs. Rohit alone got 110 of those. This was pure destruction.​

Moments That Made The Difference

Several moments during this knock showed why it was so special. In the 25th over, Rohit hit Ajantha Mendis over mid-off for four. That boundary got him going. From there, he started attacking everything.​

Nuwan Kulasekara had the worst day of his life. Rohit destroyed him:

• In the 30th over, Rohit hit him for two fours and a six​

• Kulasekara gave away 89 runs in just 9 overs​

• Rohit completed his double century off Kulasekara's bowling​

The 47th and 48th overs were where Rohit reached a different level. These two overs went for 47 runs combined. In the 47th over, he hit two fours and two sixes. One of them was off a no-ball. During this over, he passed Sehwag's 219. In the 48th over, he smashed three fours and a six, going past Belinda Clark's 229.​

The Final Numbers

Rohit was eventually dismissed at the last ball of the innings while he was long-off for 404/5 for India. His innings consisted of a total of 33 sixes and 9 fours. He occupied the crease for 173 deliveries and seemed to be in such a good shape that he could have continued.​

Right from the start, Sri Lanka pursued the target without much success. Eventually, they were bowled out for 251 runs which was 13 runs short of even Rohit’s score. Dhawal Kulkarni was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-35 to wrap up the tourists.​

Why Does This Knock Stands Out?

The very first one to double centuries in ODI cricket was Rohit. His first 209 was against Australia in November 2013.  But this 264 was a different case. He had his luck in the beginning when he was dropped. He was healing from an injury and hence was not fully fit. His scoring rate was so high that the last 10 overs saw India making 129 runs with Rohit getting 110 of them.​

Cricstrike has been the keeper of many records throughout the years but this one is the one still standing for ODI batting. The day he set the record Rohit was the only one combining power, timing, and stamina so perfectly at Eden Gardens. 

Both Kohli and Uthappa partnerships, Perera’s dropped catch, and bowlers’ confusion during the last overs - all these factors combined to create an event that would be passed on for recognition and respect in future. Even after his innings, Rohit was in a mood to continue batting for another 50 overs. You can imagine how he felt that day by this remark!