Whatever you say about this man, what can’t be denied is his ability to score runs in the shorter format of the game. He might not be the best of Test batsmen, but he is the finest opener in the ODI format.

Against Sri Lanka, Rohit Sharma scored his third unprecedented third double hundred. It was his second against Sri Lanka and his first time without being beaten. And Rohit Sharma believes that all the three mighty innings have something in common.

"It is a very similar pattern that you will see… started off slow, then pick up the pace and accelerate in the end.

“That is only because, unless you make a mistake, you are not going to get out because you are set and you are seeing the ball well.”

Sharma then added that he always talks to himself on the pitch to analyse things since the bowlers will try different things once things don’t go according to plans.

“Bowlers are trying to get away with their plans because things are not going their way. I analyse and talk to myself about it when I am batting. I feel after you get a hundred, batting will only get easier.”

Indeed, all three of Sharma’s double hundreds came in a similar way. For the first double hundred, the 209 against Australia, it took him 114 balls to reach 100 and then 44 balls to make the next 109 runs. Similarly, in the 264 against Sri Lanka, he scored the first 100 in 100 balls and the next 164 in just 73 balls.

And the pattern yesterday was similar too. It took him 115 balls to make his first 100 and then 36 balls for the next 100 – giving us a testament that he is a master at pacing his innings.

Rohit Sharma has had a great 2017 and he himself doesn’t deny it, claiming that this is the best year of his career.