Rohit Sharma continues to add new milestones to an already glittering career, with the India captain showing no signs of slowing down despite turning 39. Having already stepped away from Test and T20I cricket, Rohit remains a key figure in India's ODI plans and has openly expressed his desire to feature in the 2027 World Cup.
The veteran opener returned to the playing XI for the first ODI against Afghanistan after overcoming the hamstring injury he suffered during the IPL. Any concerns over his fitness were put to rest as he took the field, adding another remarkable achievement to his name in the process.
By featuring in the match, Rohit became the oldest player to represent India in ODIs, surpassing a record that had stood for nearly 37 years. The previous mark belonged to 1983 World Cup hero Mohinder Amarnath, who was 39 years and 36 days old when he made his final ODI appearance against the West Indies at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on October 30, 1989.
Rohit, meanwhile, was 39 years and 44 days old when he walked out against Afghanistan on June 13, 2026.
{{/usCountry}}Rohit, meanwhile, was 39 years and 44 days old when he walked out against Afghanistan on June 13, 2026.
{{/usCountry}}While Rohit now sits atop India's list, he remains some distance away from the overall ODI age record. That distinction belongs to former Netherlands batter Nolan Clarke, who set a benchmark that has stood untouched for three decades.
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Clarke was 47 years and 257 days old when he turned out for the Netherlands against South Africa in Rawalpindi on March 5, 1996.
Meanwhile, India skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first against Afghanistan in the rain-affected clash, which reduced the contest to a 25-over-a-side contest.
Gurnoor, Harsh make India debut
India handed ODI debuts to Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar in the series opener as the team continued to assess new talent ahead of a busy white-ball schedule. Dubey received his maiden cap from KL Rahul, while captain Shubman Gill presented Gurnoor with his debut cap ahead of the match.
Gill said the conditions favoured bowling first and reiterated that India would continue testing combinations ahead of the World Cup, with two newcomers handed their ODI debuts.
"We will bowl first. It's a bit overcast, so the bowlers might get some help. Looks like a good surface, good wicket to bat on, could be something early on for the pacers. It's all about trying different combinations to see what works for us. We're playing around 15-20 ODIs before the World Cup, so it's about trying things. We're going with two debutants. Jaiswal, Prince and Kuldeep miss out," Shubman said at the toss.