🏏 Rohit Sharma Surpasses Shahid Afridi’s ODI Sixes Record — Atul Wassan Reacts: “It’s Apples vs Oranges”
Cricket fans around the world witnessed another historic moment when Indian captain Rohit Sharma smashed his way past Shahid Afridi’s legendary ODI sixes record, officially becoming the player with the most sixes in One-Day Internationals. Rohit’s achievement is being celebrated across India, but it has also sparked debates, comparisons, and hot takes from cricket experts.
One voice that stood out was that of former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan, who believes that comparing Rohit and Afridi is like “comparing apples with oranges.” His explanation has ignited further discussion—particularly about the roles, responsibilities, and eras these two power hitters represent.
we break down everything:
✔ Rohit Sharma’s journey to the record
✔ Shahid Afridi’s legacy as an ODI hitter
✔ Why Atul Wassan thinks the comparison is unfair
✔ Technical, statistical, and role-based analysis
✔ How Rohit changed Indian cricket with his opening dominance
✔ Where Afridi’s impact still remains unmatched
✔ The future of ODI six-hitting records
Let’s dive deep into cricket history, context, and numbers—Cricketory style. 🏏🔥
🌟 Rohit Sharma: The New King of ODI Sixes
⭐ A Record Rewritten in Style — 352 Sixes and Counting
When Rohit Sharma walked out to bat in Ranchi during the first ODI against South Africa, fans sensed something special was coming. In classic “Hitman” fashion, Rohit didn’t disappoint. A few clean hits later, the scoreboard flashed the news:
🥇 Rohit Sharma — 352 ODI Sixes
Surpassing: Shahid Afridi — 351 ODI Sixes
This milestone came in:
- 269 innings, compared to Afridi’s 369 innings
- As a top-order opener, facing the new ball
- In an era where bowlers have more variations than ever
- With a strike rate and consistency that very few openers match
For a batter who once struggled for stability early in his career, Rohit’s rise to this point reflects one of the greatest modern-day transformations in cricket.
🇵🇰🔥 Shahid Afridi’s Legacy: The Original Power-Hitting Superstar
Before T20 leagues, before powerplays became batting paradises, before cricket became ultra-aggressive—there was Shahid Afridi.
💥 “Boom Boom” Defined ODI Power Hitting
Afridi wasn’t just a six-hitter; he was a global phenomenon.
He made six-hitting fashionable long before modern techniques evolved. He holds:
- Some of the longest sixes ever recorded
- One of the fastest ODI centuries in cricket history
- A reputation for destroying bowling attacks in minutes
- A strike rate and approach decades ahead of his time
Afridi hit 351 sixes in 369 innings—a remarkable achievement considering:
✔ He mostly batted at No. 6 or No. 7
✔ He faced old balls, reverse swing, and pressure situations
✔ He was often sent to “rescue” or “revive” innings
✔ He rarely got more than 30–60 balls to face
So comparing Afridi and Rohit purely by numbers misses the deeper story—something Atul Wassan highlighted.
🎙️ Atul Wassan’s Big Statement: “It’s Apples vs Oranges”
In an interview with an Indian news channel, Atul Wassan said:
🗨 “Comparing Rohit Sharma and Shahid Afridi’s six-hitting records is like comparing apples with oranges.”
He explained:
- Rohit is an opener, who gets the best batting conditions
- Afridi was a finisher, facing pressure-filled, high-risk situations
- Rohit gets more balls, more opportunities
- Afridi was sent to slog, often when Pakistan needed miracles
- Rohit’s role allowed him to build long innings
- Afridi's job was about quick impact, not consistency
In essence:
🍎 Rohit’s sixes = Built through technique, timing, consistency
🍊 Afridi’s sixes = Built through explosive power and unpredictability
Both are extraordinary—but extremely different.
📊 Statistical Deep Dive: Why the Roles Matter More Than the Numbers
To understand Wassan’s argument, we must compare their records through the lens of their roles—not just six counts.
🏏 Rohit Sharma — The Opener’s Advantage
- Faces the new ball early but gets time to settle
- Bats in powerplay overs regularly
- Can convert starts into hundreds and double hundreds
- Plays the anchor or aggressor depending on situation
- Has a stable role, stable position, and supportive team environment
🧮 Rohit’s Key ODI Stats
- 352 sixes
- 269 innings
- SR: 90+
- 100s: 30+
- Double centuries: 3 (no one else has more than 1!)
- Role: Opener / Captain
🔥 Shahid Afridi — The Finisher’s Challenge
- Comes in during high-pressure overs
- Has to go big immediately
- Faces reverse swing, yorkers, field spread
- Rarely gets 50+ balls
- Natural hitting reduces consistency
🧮 Afridi’s Key ODI Stats
- 351 sixes
- 369 innings
- SR: 117+ (insane for his era)
- 100s: 6
- Role: Finisher / Lower-order hitter
Afridi’s strike rate alone proves that what he did was rare for his time. Rohit, meanwhile, represents the peak of modern ODI batting.
🥇 The Evolution of ODI Power-Hitting: Rohit vs Afridi vs Today’s Era
Cricket has changed enormously:
90s–2000s (Afridi era)
- Swing-friendly balls
- No free hits
- Fewer powerplay overs
- Less batting depth
- More risk to play aerial shots
- Slower bats
- Heavier bats
2010s–2020s (Rohit era)
- Powerplay rules favour openers
- Fielding restrictions benefit top-order hitters
- Larger sweet spot bats
- Better batting support systems
- More freedom to attack
- T20 influence improving skills
So yes—Rohit’s achievement is massive.
But Afridi’s was revolutionary.
🔎 Why Rohit Sharma’s Impact Is Greater Than Just the Record
Atul Wassan wasn’t dismissing Rohit—he was praising him.
He highlighted:
🌟 “As an opener, what Rohit has done is a very big thing.”
🌟 “His strike rate shows why India wins so often when he bats long.”
Rohit changed Indian ODIs by:
- Adopting an ultra-aggressive opening strategy
- Taking the pressure off Indian middle order
- Setting massive totals with ease
- Playing risk-free-looking sixes with effortless timing
- Bringing consistency to power hitting
He is the perfect blend of elegance + explosiveness.
🔥 Afridi’s Lasting Influence: The Finisher Every Team Wants
Afridi’s legacy is not defined by numbers alone.
He inspired an entire generation of finishers:
- Glenn Maxwell
- Andre Russell
- Hardik Pandya
- Rishabh Pant
- Liam Livingstone
- Kieron Pollard
Every modern finisher resembles Afridi’s style:
- ✔ fearless hitting
- ✔ unorthodox angles
- ✔ unstoppable bat swing
- ✔ match-turning cameos
Afridi may no longer hold the record, but he set the standard for what six-hitting means in modern cricket.
📌 Role-Based Comparison: A Fair Perspective
🟢 Rohit Sharma — Opener Strengths
- Converts starts into huge knocks
- Faces field restrictions
- Gets time to settle
- Plays longer innings
- Sixes come from timing
🔵 Shahid Afridi — Finisher Strengths
- Can change games within 10 balls
- No fear of failure
- Hits sixes off yorkers and bouncers
- Thrived under pressure situations
- Sixes come from raw power
🔥 Final Verdict
The comparison is not unfair, but incomplete.
Rohit is the better technical ODI batter.
Afridi is the more impactful lower-order destroyer.
Both are legends in their own categories.
📈 The Current All-Time ODI Sixes Top 5
| Rank | Player | Country | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 352 |
| 🥈 2 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 351 |
| 🥉 3 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 331 |
| 4 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 270 |
| 5 | MS Dhoni | India | 229 |
Rohit leads—but the race may continue as long as he plays.
🧩 Rohit Sharma’s Impact on India’s ODI Dominance
Rohit’s six-hitting isn’t just a personal achievement—it has shaped India’s strategy.
🇮🇳 How Rohit Strengthened India
✔ Fast starts in powerplays
✔ Explosive boundaries early on
✔ Reduced pressure on Kohli and middle order
✔ Ability to chase 300+ with ease
✔ Fearlessness that intimidates bowlers
Whenever Rohit fires, India wins.
This is statistically proven across years.
💚 Afridi’s Influence on Pakistan Cricket
Afridi remains one of Pakistan’s biggest match-winners.
🇵🇰 Impact on Pakistan
✔ Gave Pakistan fast scoring ability
✔ Took pressure off top order collapse
✔ Lifted team spirit with explosive knocks
✔ Won crucial matches single-handedly
✔ Became a cultural icon
Even after retirement, his influence on Pakistani cricket remains deep.
🔮 Who Could Break Rohit Sharma’s Record Next?
Potential future challengers:
🟡 Jonny Bairstow (England)
Aggressive, consistent, plays many ODIs.
🟢 Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Six-hitting machine, but inconsistency may stop him.
🔵 Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa)
New powerhouse; plays like a modern Afridi.
🟠 Suryakumar Yadav (India)
If he plays consistent ODIs, he could break several records.
But realistically…
🎯 Rohit’s record may stand for at least a decade.
🎯 Why Atul Wassan’s Comments Went Viral
Because he highlighted a truth:
“Roles define records.”
You cannot compare an opener to a finisher.
You cannot compare consistency to impact.
You cannot compare elegance to power.
Both Rohit and Afridi are legends—just different types.
🧠 Cricketory Insights & Analysis
🧩 Cricketory Insight #1 — Why Rohit’s Record Is a New-Generation Standard
Rohit Sharma’s six-hitting dominance symbolizes a shift in modern ODI cricket. The opener’s role has evolved from “anchor first, attack later” to “attack from ball one.” Rohit brought controlled aggression, elite timing, and the ability to build marathon innings—something few openers in history have matched.
His 350+ sixes are not just numbers; they represent:
- A revolution in Indian opening strategy
- The confidence to dominate fast bowlers early
- Incredible consistency against both pace and spin
- ODI cricket’s transformation after the T20 era
Rohit isn’t just breaking records—he is redefining what an opener can achieve.
🔥 Cricketory Insight #2 — Afridi’s Role Was Never Designed for Records
Shahid Afridi was a chaos engine—sent out to do the impossible in impossible conditions.
He batted with:
- 10–15 overs left
- Older ball, reverse swing
- Spread fields
- High scoreboard pressure
Yet he became the global symbol of power hitting long before T20 existed.
Afridi didn’t accumulate sixes—he exploded into them.
This is why Wassan said the comparison is unfair:
- Rohit = Structure, stability, top-order advantage
- Afridi = Madness, risk, backend overs, no room for settling
Afridi shaped an entire generation of aggressive cricketers.
🎯 Cricketory Insight #3 — The Milestone That Defines Two Eras
This single record reflects two completely different cricket timelines:
Afridi Era (1996–2015)
- Fielders in the deep
- No free hits
- Fewer powerplay overs
- Heavier bats
- No T20 influence
Rohit Era (2013–2025)
- Powerplays designed for hitters
- Innovation in attacking shots
- Coaching evolution
- Mega bat technology
- T20 leagues improving skill levels
One created the “idea” of six-hitting.
The other mastered it with precision.
📌 Cricketory Insight #4 — Wassan’s Comment Was Not Controversial, It Was Accurate
Atul Wassan wasn’t diminishing either player. He highlighted cricket logic:
- An opener getting 70–120 balls per innings
- vs
- A finisher getting 15–30 balls with immediate pressure
Both have:
- Different risks
- Different responsibilities
- Different environments
- Different match situations
Thus, “apples vs oranges” fits perfectly.
🧠 Cricketory Insight #5 — Who Truly Changed Cricket More?
It depends on perspective:
Afridi changed cricket’s attitude toward hitting.
Fearless, raw, unorthodox.
Rohit changed cricket’s method of hitting.
Efficient, calculated, repeatable.
Both pushed ODI cricket into the modern era in their own unique ways.
📣 Final Conclusion — Two Legends, Two Roles, One Historic Moment
Rohit Sharma has rightfully claimed the crown of:
🥇 Most ODI Sixes in Cricket History
It is a monumental achievement and reflects his dominance as one of the greatest ODI openers of all time.
Shahid Afridi remains:
🔥 The greatest lower-order hitter in ODI history
No one comes close to the unpredictability, impact, and destructive power he brought to Pakistan cricket.
Atul Wassan’s “apples vs oranges” comment makes complete sense.
Rohit’s achievement is historic.
Afridi’s legacy is evergreen.
Two eras.
Two styles.
Two legends.
One iconic statistical moment that unites cricket fans across borders. 🏏❤️🇮🇳🇵🇰
❓ Top FAQs
Q1. Why did Atul Wassan say comparing Rohit and Afridi is unfair?
A: Because Rohit is an opener with more balls and better conditions, while Afridi was a finisher who batted in high-risk overs with fewer opportunities.
Q2. Who is more dangerous: Rohit Sharma or Shahid Afridi?
A: Rohit is more consistent and technically superior.
Afridi is more explosive and unpredictable.
They dominate in different roles.
Q3. Does Rohit Sharma now officially hold the record for most ODI sixes?
A: Yes. Rohit has surpassed Afridi to become the all-time leader in ODI sixes.
Q4. Will Rohit’s sixes record ever be broken?
A: Possibly—but not soon. Future big-hitters like Klaasen and Bairstow could challenge it, but consistency will be the barrier.
Q5. Who had a bigger impact on world cricket: Rohit or Afridi?
A: Afridi revolutionized power-hitting culture.
Rohit perfected the art of modern opening.
Both shaped cricket in different eras.