Full name Rohit Gurunath Sharma

Born April 30, 1987, Bansod, Nagpur, Maharashtra

Current age 22 years 70 days

Major teams India, Deccan Chargers, India A, India Green, India Under-19s, Mumbai, Mumbai Cricket Association President's XI, Mumbai Under-19s

Playing role All-rounder

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

Rohit Sharma oozes batting talent: malleable wrists, knack to find the gaps, and the extra half a second when he plays his shots. He first came to limelight when he exuded class at No. 3 in the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2006. He took that class with him when he played for India in their triumphant World Twenty20 campaign and the CB Series in Australia in early 2008, scoring two fifties, including a vital 66 in the first final in Sydney. However that class didn't translate into long innings in his first two first-class seasons for Mumbai. He kept making strides in the big league, though. He was bought for US$750,000 by the Deccan Chargers in the IPL, and made 404 runs at 36.73 including four fifties. He made his place in the Indian limited-overs side more or less permanent, and is also being looked at as one of the replacements with retirements just round the corner in the Test middle order. He pressed a claim for higher things through two centuries in the 2008-09 Ranji final, a feat last achieved by Sachin Tendulkar and only four others before him.

Jul 1, 2009

Rohit Sharma avoids a bouncer from RP Singh in the nets

© Associated Press

Jun 28, 2009

Ravi Rampaul had Rohit Sharma caught at slip

© AFP

Jun 26, 2009

Rohit Sharma is dejected after being dismissed

© Associated Press

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