Top 5 best innings by Rohit Sharma in test cricket

Rohit Sharma played 67 tests for Indian Cricket Team from 2013 to 2024.

Rohit Sharma is one of the best captains, best openers and best batsmen to ever play for India. His record in white-ball cricket is known to all, but he couldn’t replicate the same in the longest format of the game. Yet he achieved a numerous things in his test career. Rohit made his test debut in November 2013 against the West Indies, while his last test for the country came against Australia in December 2024.

He represented the test side for 11 long years and pulled down the curtains on his test cricket career in May 2025. Sharma played 67 matches for Team India during his career. The right-handed batter mustered 4301 runs in 116 innings at a decent batting average of 40.57. He also scored many wonderful knocks for the team.

The Indian opener shattered 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries in the longest format of the game. This also includes a double century and four 150-plus knocks. On that note, let us take a glance at the top five best innings played by Rohit Sharma in test cricket (Ranked by number of runs scored).

Top 5 best innings by Rohit Sharma in test cricket

5. 131 vs England, Rajkot, 2024

During England’s tour of India 2024, Sharma slammed a 131-run knock in the third test at Rajkot. This knock gets the fifth spot on this list. India opted to bat first in the match and opener Sharma led the batting from the front.

While Indian team lost opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (10), Shubman Gill (0) and Rajat Patidar (5) cheaply at the start, Sharma kept his patience and added 131 runs with the bat. India piled up 445 in first innings with Sharma’s help and eventually won the match by a huge margin of 434 runs.

4. 161 vs England, Chennai, 2021

The former Indian skipper slammed a wonderful knock of 161 runs during England’s tour of India in 2021. During the second test of the series in Chennai in February, opening batter Sharma slammed 161 runs. This time too, he lost opening partner Shubman Gill cheaply for a duck.

Also, one-down Cheteshwar Pujara (21) and No. 4 Virat Kohli (0) failed to score with the bat. However, Sharma drove Team India to 329 in first innings. Later, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team posted 286 in the second innings. Bundling out Englishmen for 134 and 164 across both innings, the home team won the match by a huge margin of 317 runs.

3. 176 vs South Africa (Oct 2019)

During South Africa’s tour of India 2019, Sharma smacked a marvellous 176-run knock in the first test in Vishakhapatnam. The match took place in October 2019, and this was the first time when Sharma opened for India in the longest format. He slammed stunning centuries across both innings to win the Player of the Match (POTM) award.

However, his 176 runs in the first innings was crucial as he justified his opening slot with his century. India, led by then skipper Kohli, smacked 502/7 and 323/4 (d) in both innings. They dismantled South Africa for 431 and 191 to eventually win the encounter by 203 runs.

2. 177 vs West Indies (Nov 2013)

Sharma also grabbed a lot of limelight during his test debut for Indian Cricket Team in November 2013. During the first test between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Sharma scored a stunning ton. West Indies elected to bat first in the match and piled up 234 in the first innings.

Shockingly, MS Dhoni-led Indian team lost five wickets for just 83 runs on the scoreboard in reply. Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli went to the pavilion cheaply.

However, Sharma came to the rescue and slammed 177 runs. He powered the scoreboard to 453 all out with his knock, which was enough for India to crush West Indies in the match. Sharma won Player of the Match award on his debut and captured a lot of praise from the cricket fraternity.

1. 212 vs South Africa (Oct 2019)

Sharma slammed only one double ton in his test career and this knock takes the top spot on this list. This innings also came during the South Africa’s tour of India 2019, when Sharma was tried as a test opener. In the third test in Ranchi, Sharma stormed 212 runs in the first innings to drive the scoreboard to 497/9.

Later, the home team bowled out the Proteas for 162 in the first innings and 133 in the second innings after enforcing follow-on. The hosts won the match by an innings and 202 runs and also grabbed a clean sweep (3-0) in the series. Sharma won Player of the Match as well as Player of the Series awards. He also cemented his spot as the permanent test opener after the series.

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