India, Dec. 6 -- Visakhapatnam got a familiar script on Saturday evening - India in a series decider, South Africa on the other side, and Rohit Sharma walking out with a milestone quietly stalking him from the scoreboard. By the time he nudged his 27th run in the chase of 271, the number finally blinked into place: 20,000 international runs to the name of Indian cricket's most laid-back assassin.

It is a landmark that took him 18 years of grind at the highest level. And fittingly, it came not in a dead rubber but in a pressure chase with a trophy on the line in Vizag.

Rohit Sharma becomes just the fourth Indian and the 14th player overall to cross 20,000 international runs. The company is exactly what you'd expect from a batter with his...