Former India captain Rohit Sharma added another prestigious honor to his decorated career after receiving the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards, for his immense contribution to cricket.President Droupadi murmured presented the Padma Awards 2026 during the second Civilian Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. Rohit’s recognition comes after a career that has seen him establish himself as one of India’s most successful batsmen and captains across all formats.The Mumbai cricketer has played a key role in Indian cricket’s recent successes, leading the national team to the ICC T20 World Cup title in Barbados in 2024 before guiding them to Champions Trophy glory in Dubai next year. Those triumphs further strengthened his position among India’s most accomplished leaders.Rohit’s ODI record remains among the best in world cricket. Across 285 matches, he amassed 11,720 runs at an average of 48.83 and a strike rate of 92.97. His achievements in the format include the world record individual score of 264 and an unprecedented three double centuries, feats that continue to define his legacy.In Test cricket, Rohit made his debut in 2013 and represented India in 67 matches. He scored 4,301 runs, including 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries, with a career-best 212 against South Africa in 2019. He brought down the curtain on his Test career in May 2025.The veteran batsman also enjoyed a distinguished T20I journey. After making his debut in the format in 2007, he ended his T20 international career with 4,231 runs from 159 appearances. Rohit became the first male cricketer to play more than 150 T20Is and remains one of the format’s most influential figures.His T20I career ended on the perfect note when India lifted the T20 World Cup 2024. Having already been part of the team that won the inaugural edition in 2007, Rohit became one of the rare players to win the tournament as a player and later as a captain. Soon after the title triumph, he announced his retirement from T20 internationals.With his exits from T20Is and Tests, Rohit now continues to represent India only in ODI cricket.The 2026 Padma Awards ceremony saw President Murmu confer 65 honors during the second phase of the investiture procedure. The list included two Padma Vibhushan awardees, seven Padma Bhushan awards and 56 Padma Shri recipients. First, 66 Padma Awards were presented during the first Civilian Investiture Ceremony held on May 26.For Rohit, the Padma Shri serves as another recognition of a career full of records, trophies and unforgettable moments in Indian cricket.
