What was Rohit Sharma's record for the Deccan Chargers like?

Veteran opening batter Rohit Sharma has had a storied Indian Premier League (IPL) career, winning six titles, the first of which came during his stint with the Deccan Chargers (DC).

The Hitman, who had made his national debut by the time the IPL unfurled, was roped in by DC for a sum of INR 4.8 crore at the inaugural auction. He recently reminisced about his days with the franchise when he was reunited with his skipper Adam Gilchrist in the 'Club Prairie' podcast.

Sharma particularly recalled the Deccan Chargers anthem, ranking it as the best IPL theme song of all time. Gilchrist had played the song on his phone, and the old teammates also grooved to the iconic beats.

"I don't think any current IPL theme song even comes close to Deccan Chargers song. I still remember that song," Sharma said

Sharma parted ways with the Deccan Chargers after the 2010 season. He was roped in by the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the first-ever mega auction for a hefty price tag, and the rest is history. He went on to win five titles with MI as captain, and is still part of the franchise.

Although he will be remembered for his exploits with MI, one cannot forget his stint with DC which led to greater things.

Rohit Sharma's prolific first season for DC

Deccan Chargers finished last in the inaugural IPL season in 2008 with only a couple of wins. However, Rohit Sharma, batting in the middle order, emerged as one of the few positives from the season.

The Hitman scored 404 runs in 12 innings at an average of 36.73 and a strike rate of 147.99. He contributed almost one-fifth of his team's total runs, and his campaign included four fifties.

Sharma's IPL career had begun with a duck against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), but he made amends by scoring 66 runs off 36 deliveries in his very next match. His highest score of an unbeaten 76 came in the clash against the Kings XI Punjab (now renamed as the Punjab Kings) midway through the season. He was even promoted to the No. 3 spot for the final set of matches in the season.

Rohit Sharma had a mediocre IPL 2009 campaign with the bat as Deccan Chargers lifted the title

Deccan Chargers had their redemption the very next year by winning the title. Rohit Sharma, however, could not replicate his batting exploits as he ended with a tally of 362 runs in 16 matches at an average of 27.85 and a strike rate of 114.92. He scored only one fifty in the entire season.

However, surprisingly, the season saw the best of Rohit Sharma, the bowler. The part-time off-spinner ended up with 11 wickets with an economy of just 7.00. His bowling exploits also included an unprecedented hat-trick in the clash against MI in Centurion.

He scored 24 crucial runs in the final against RCB as DC won the match by five runs to claim their first title.

Rohit Sharma scored 404 runs in his final season for DC in IPL 2010

DC managed to qualify for the semi-finals in the 2010 edition, losing to eventual winners CSK in the knockout fixture.

Rohit Sharma managed to breach the 400-run mark for the second time in three years, as he ended with 404 runs in the 2010 edition across 16 matches. He had an average of 28.86 and a strike rate of 133.77.

He did not have the greatest starts to the season, scoring only 33 runs off his first three matches, but picked up with notable contributions across the next set of matches. He played a part in DC's push to the knockout phase by scoring three fifties in five matches.

However, the Hitman faltered in the semi-final fixture for DC, departing for two runs off five deliveries. He was dismissed for a duck in his final match for DC, which came in the form of a third-place playoff against RCB. He could not be influential with the ball, picking up only two wickets at an average of 57.

To sum up, Rohit Sharma scored 1170 runs off 44 innings in DC colors, at an average of 30.79 and a strike rate of 131.46.