Khurram Khan still owns it. Rohit’s 138 at Lord’s made him the oldest Indian ever to score an ODI century, but globally he sits fifth on that particular list. Four batters, from four different countries, scored ODI hundreds at an even older age than his 39 years and 80 days. England won that series 2-1 despite his innings, chasing down a target of 388 that India fell agonisingly short of, yet the individual landmark he set that day stands entirely on its own.
A Landmark Hundred at Lord’s
Chasing 388 in the series decider, Rohit scored 138 off 110 balls, with 17 fours and 5 sixes, the first ODI century by an Indian batter at Lord’s. India fell 27 runs short and lost the series 2-1. At 39 years and 80 days, Rohit became the oldest Indian to score an ODI century, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar, who was 38 years and 327 days old when he scored against Bangladesh in Mirpur back in March 2012.
The knock arrived in defeat, but the individual record it produced will likely stand for a very long time in Indian cricket. Few batters get to bat this deep into a career at international level, let alone score this heavily against England.
A Short List of Ageless Centurions
Only a handful of batters worldwide have scored an ODI century at 39 or older, and the group is more varied than most fans would guess. Khurram Khan of the UAE leads it with an unbeaten 132 off 137 balls against Afghanistan in Dubai at 43 years and 162 days, the only century ever scored past 40 in the format. Sanath Jayasuriya, Chris Gayle and Ed Joyce fill the next three spots, each from a completely different cricketing nation. Rohit sits fifth on that list, separated from second place by exactly 132 days, a gap smaller than it first looks given how rarely these ages are reached.
Player | Country | Age at Century | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Khurram Khan | UAE | 43 years, 162 days | Dubai | 2014 |
Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 39 years, 212 days | Dambulla | 2009 |
Chris Gayle | West Indies | 39 years, 166 days | Grenada | 2019 |
Ed Joyce | Ireland | 39 years, 119 days | Dubai | 2018 |
Rohit Sharma | India | 39 years, 80 days | Lord’s | 2026 |
Rohit Sharma’s oldest ODI century: India vs England 2026
Rohit’s innings against England at Lord’s is now the reference point for Indian batting longevity in the fifty-over format. He is the only Indian to score an ODI hundred past the age of 39, a mark that stood previously with Tendulkar for well over a decade. Globally, the list above him is short but genuinely international, spanning a UAE captain, a Sri Lankan great and a West Indian showman before an Irish opener rounds out the group ahead of him. That company puts his achievement in useful context rather than diminishing it, since reaching this list places him among a genuinely small group worldwide.
The Four Men Still Ahead of Him
Khurram Khan’s record has stood since 2014, when the UAE captain scored an unbeaten 132 off 137 balls against Afghanistan in Dubai at 43 years and 162 days, the only ODI centurion ever to do it past 40. Sanath Jayasuriya sits second with 107 against India in Dambulla back in 2009, at 39 years and 212 days. Chris Gayle scored 162 off just 97 balls against England in Grenada in 2019, aged 39 years and 166 days, while Ed Joyce of Ireland made 116 not out against the UAE in Dubai in 2018 at 39 years and 119 days. All four were older than Rohit when they reached three figures.
The Clock Is Not Done Ticking Yet
Rohit turns 40 on April 30, 2027, which leaves a genuine window to climb this list further. To pass Chris Gayle’s third-placed mark of 39 years and 166 days, he needs one more ODI century within the next 86 days of turning 39. Reaching Jayasuriya’s second-placed mark of 39 years and 212 days would require a hundred by October 28, 2026. Both targets are tight but realistic if selectors keep trusting him. The Rohit Sharma oldest ODI century India vs England 2026 milestone may end up as just the first entry on a list he keeps climbing before his fortieth birthday arrives.
Can Rohit climb past Jayasuriya and Gayle before his fortieth birthday, or does Khurram Khan’s record stay untouchable? Share your prediction below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is the oldest player to score an ODI century?
Khurram Khan of the UAE holds the record at 43 years and 162 days. He scored an unbeaten 132 against Afghanistan in Dubai in November 2014, the only century scored past 40.
How old was Rohit Sharma when he scored his Lord’s century?
He was 39 years and 80 days old, born April 30, 1987. His 138 off 110 balls at Lord’s was the first ODI century by an Indian batter at that ground.
Did Rohit Sharma break Sachin Tendulkar’s record at Lord’s?
Yes, he broke India’s oldest ODI centurion record that Tendulkar had held since 2012. Tendulkar was 38 years and 327 days old against Bangladesh in Mirpur, making Rohit 118 days older at his century.
How many ODI centuries does Rohit Sharma have?
He has 34 ODI centuries as of July 19, 2026. The Lord’s century was his 34th, and the first by any Indian batter at that ground in ODI history.
Who is Khurram Khan?
He is a Pakistan-born former UAE captain who played 16 ODIs between 2004 and 2015. His unbeaten 132 against Afghanistan in Dubai in 2014, aged 43, remains the oldest ODI century ever scored, and he retired in June 2015.