Indian skipper Rohit Sharma smashed sixes and fours to reach the double century mark. He also became the first player to score an ODI double century both as captain and non-captain.

Rohit had scored his first double century (209) which was against Australia in Bengaluru (2013), while the second (264) was against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, in 2014.

India virtually batted Sri Lanka out of the game by scoring the highest total and surpassing the 351/5 South Africa made against Netherlands in 2011 at Mohali ground.

Another record shattering performance by Rohit was of the highest individual score at this venue, surpassing the 154 score of Virat Kohli against New Zealand last year.

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Rohit Sharma also became the only player in world cricket to hit three double centuries in List A cricket. He has also surpassed the record held by Surrey’s Alastair Brown’s who had two of them in his name. Big name players in cricket like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill are the others who have breached the 200-run mark in 50-over cricket ODI.

The newly appointed selection committee have recalled Suresh Raina and Hardik Pandya but in a surprise move they’ve left out regulars spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The squad has been selected for the first three matches of the five-match One Day International series against New Zealand, starting on October 16.

This was the first assignment for the newly-appointed selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India headed by M S K Prasad. The 15-member squad led by limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who last played the ODI and T20 International series in Zimbabwe in June. 

The batting department has been bolstered by the return of Test skipper Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma while Manish Pandey is likely to fill in for injured Lokesh Rahul as opener. Maharashtra stumper Kedar Jadhav and Punjab batsman Mandeep Singh also retained their places in the squad.

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Meanwhile, the pace bowling department will be spearheaded by Umesh Yadav, and will also comprise Jasprit Bumrah and Dhawal Kulkarni. The spin department will be headed by senior leg-spinner Amit Mishra in the company of left-armer Axar Patel and offie Jayant Yadav.

The first match will be played in Dharamsala on October 16 followed by the second at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla on October 20 while the third match will be played at Mohali on October 23.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Jasprit Bumrah, Dhawal Kulkarni, Umesh Yadav, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav.

IANS