The much-awaited Test series between India and England commenced on Thursday (January 25) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The visitors opted to bat first and posted 246 runs on the board in their first innings. In response, India started well with Yashasvi Jaiswal taking the attack to the opposition but their skipper Rohit Sharma got out scoring 24 runs off 27 balls before getting out to Jack Leach.
But this effort was enough for the Indian captain to climb to the fourth position in the list of most runs scored for India in international cricket. He needed 14 runs to go past Sourav Ganguly in this list and did so successfully. The latter scored 18433 runs during his international career in 485 innings at an average in excess of 40 with 38 centuries and 106 half-centuries.
Rohit Sharma, after his 24-run knock, has amassed 18444 runs in 490 innings at an average of 43.29 with a mammoth 46 tons and 100 fifties to his name. Undoubtedly, Sachin Tendulkar is on top of this list with 34357 runs during his more than illustrious career. Virat Kohli is next having amassed 26733 runs in his career so far and both him and Sharma are still going strong at the highest.
At the third position is India's current head coach Rahul Dravid with 24064 runs in 599 outings with the bat at an average of more than 45. He smashed 48 centuries and a massive 145 fifties during his time in international cricket. With the top three fair way away, it will take some effort from Rohit to score more than 5000 runs to climb up in this list now.
Most runs for India in international cricket
| Players | Runs |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 34357 |
| Virat Kohli | 26733 |
| Rahul Dravid | 24064 |
| Rohit Sharma | 18444 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 18433 |
