Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma surpass Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid’s legendary record in Ranchi
Team India batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli broke the record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the first ODI of the three-match series against South Africa in Ranchi. Rohit and Virat became the pair with the most international matches together for India, surpassing Sachin and Dravid’s record.
The duo returned to action at home after 291 days at the Jharkhand Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday (November 30). South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bowl first. India started with Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Jaiswal perished for a low score and Virat came in third.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma surpass Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid’s record
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli achieved a milestone in the second ODI in Ranchi. This match became the 392nd match in which they played together for India across all formats. No other Indian pair has played together in the same XI more than them.
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They surpassed the long-standing record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. The legendary duo had appeared in 391 international matches together for India. Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, who together played 369 international matches for India, are third on the list.
Notably, Rohit and Virat announced their retirement from Test cricket and T20 internationals. Their long journey together in international cricket makes this moment even more special for the fans.
Indian pairs with most matches played together:
| Rank | Indian pair | Matches played together | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli – Rohit Sharma | 392* | Active |
| 2 | Sachin Tendulkar-Rahul Dravid | 391 | Retired |
| 3 | Sourav Ganguly – Rahul Dravid | 369 | Retired |
| 4 | Sachin Tendulkar – Anil Kumble | 367 | Retired |
| 5 | Sachin Tendulkar – Sourav Ganguly | 341 | Retired |
Only five pairs in cricket history have appeared together in more ODIs:
The list of pairs with the most international matches together is dominated by Sri Lankan cricketers. Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara have shared the peloton 550 times. They are followed by another Sri Lankan pair, Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who have played 426 matches together.
Most international matches played together (between teams):
| Rank | Pair | Matches played together | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mater Jayawardone – Turama Sangkarakkka | 550 | Retired |
| 2 | Mahela Jayawardene – Tillakaratne Dilshan | 426 | Retired |
| 3 | Kumar Sangakkara – Tillakaratne Dilshan | 418 | Retired |
| 4 | Sanath Jayasuriya – Muthiah Muralidaran | 408 | Retired |
| 5 | Jacques Kallis-Marc Boucher | 407 | Retired |
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s long-standing partnership in Indian cricket
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been part of the Indian set-up for over a decade. Rohit made his international debut in 2007 and Virat in 2008. Rohit was even in the XI when Virat played his first international match, an ODI against Sri Lanka.
Over the years, they have shared the field in all formats. They appeared together in 60 Tests, 226 ODIs and 106 T20 internationals.
They also brought major successes to India. Both players were part of the teams that won the Champions Trophy in 2013 and 2025, as well as the T20 World Cup in 2024.
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