The Indian cricket team scripted history by becoming the first team to play the 1000th ODI when they took the field against the West Indies in the series opener at the picturesque Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Before this game, India had played 999 ODIs and recorded 518 victories. They had suffered 431 defeats, while nine matches had ended in ties and 41 matches had no result. India skipper Rohit Sharma said that it will be a privilege for him to lead the Men in Blue as they take the field to play their 1000th ODI.
“It will be a historic moment as we play the 1000th ODI. I would like to congratulate all the players who have taken part in this long journey. It is an honour for me to lead the side in that game, it will be a privilege to lead the boys. Our journey has been fantastic over the years. So many players have tried to put their best foot forward, we will also try to keep raising the bar,” said Rohit in a video posted on BCCI.TV.
In India’s 100th ODI, Kapil Dev was the captain while Sourav Ganguly had led the side in the Men in Blue’s 500th ODI.
Australia has played the second-most ODIs in the world with 958 matches while Pakistan has played 936 ODIs. England is in the seventh spot in the list of most ODIs played after having played 761 matches in the 50-over format.
“It has gone from strength to strength. We have had a couple of transitions and that shows the quality we have and the bench strength we have. We have eventually come to this landmark of 1000 ODIs, it is a big number and it is a testament to the matches we have played over the years,” said Kohli.
