David Leggat: Exploit provides 'he did what?' moment

Rohit Sharma of India. Photo / Getty Images

If you're going to break records, usually you need a bit of help.

So Rohit Sharma should be thanking the clumsy Sri Lankans who spilled three chances - including one at four - on his way to pillaging his world record 264 off them in Kolkata.

For all that, Sharma's was a staggering achievement. Consider that:

• He scored 65 per cent of India's 404, the third highest percentage in a completed ODI innings;
• He hit 33 fours, easily a world record, and nine sixes;
• He went from 50 to 200 in 70 balls;
• He scored 198 more runs than India's next best effort, Virat Kohli's 66.

Records should be broken. When the really big ones are overhauled they can provide a wonderful moment of "he did what?"

When English offspinner Jim Laker took 19 wickets against Australia on a dustbowl at Manchester in 1956 no one imagined it would be matched, and so far they're right. The best since then is 16 by Australian swingman Bob Massie at Lord's in 1972; Indian spinner Narendra Hirwani, on debut, in 1988; and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan at The Oval in 1998.

So Laker is one of those rarities in cricket, holder of one mark that may never be matched.

With successive world highest test scores there has been far less of that claim. What could be averred with more certainty is that Brian Lara's 400 not out against England 10 years ago in Antigua might not be overhauled. Cricket has moved on in the pace that it is played and is better for it. Perhaps Lara's 400 should be left there as a monument to selfishness, a case of a captain thinking of himself over his team.

Only three players have reached 200 in ODIs, and all are Indians. Sachin Tendulkar almost inevitably was first, followed by Virender Sehwag, a noted top order blaster.

This was Sharma's second time past 200, the first being in Bangalore last year against Australia. A 27-year-old from Nagpur, he made his first-class debut against New Zealand A in Darwin in 2006 but was found out in the two tests in New Zealand early this year.

Will his record be overtaken? One day yes, the way ODI boundaries are being stretched, and with the rocket launchers now passing for bats. Still, Sharma didn't exactly inch past Sehwag's mark of 219. So it might take a while.

India have been fretting over their opening combination for the World Cup. Fret no more. Sharma plus one.