ICC World Cup 2019 | It wasn’t a typical innings from me but it got the job done, says Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has stated said that his century against South Africa was not exactly the kind one expects from him, but it took them across the line. He went on to talk about the conditions during the game and the need for Indian batsmen to step up if they have hopes of going far in the tournament.
On Wednesday, fans around the world got to witness a different side of Rohit Sharma as he led his team to what turned out be a commanding win as he was present on the crease throughout the innings. The pitch was working in favour for the bowlers, as was seen by Jasprit Bumrah’s early rampage before Yuzvendra Chahal added onto the misery to restrict the Proteas to a subpar score of 227/9. However, the opposition took full advantage of the conditions too, containing India to a run rate below 4 for large parts during the first 20 overs and managing to nab crucial wickets of Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan.
“[It was a] different experience from India. There was something in it for the bowlers throughout the game, so you had to play out the overs initially and see what the ball was doing,” Rohit said after the game.
Rohit remained steady in his pursuit of the target and adapted himself to the need of the circumstance, keeping the scorecard ticking by rotating the strike and only playing occasional boundaries compared to his usual flamboyant self. In the end, his partnership of 85 with KL Rahul and 74 with MS Dhoni turned out to be the most crucial stages of the run chase.
“I couldn't play my natural game. You have to take your time. Certain shots that I like playing, I had to cut out and play close to the body, and follow the basics properly - try and leave as many balls as possible on a pitch that is doing a bit. Building partnerships were key in this chase. It was a small total, but since there was something in it for the bowlers, it was tough and we needed partnerships,” explained the man of the match.
He sits at number two in the ICC batsman rankings in the format, only behind skipper Virat Kohli, which depicts the team’s reliance on their top 3 batsmen to perform.
“It's the batsmen's job to get the job done, whoever is out in the middle. We can't rely on one or two individuals all the time. That's been the hallmark of this team over the last two years - someone always puts their hand up and takes the responsibility to take the team across the line. I hope at some stage someone will put their hand up and take that challenge,” Rohit said.
His 122 runs of 144 balls were laced with 13 fours and two sixes, in an environment well suited for a game of cricket. The weather was pleasant, and the crowd had come out in full force.
“That's the beauty of playing in England - we are playing a little early. We play in July/August, but this is June. The weather has been good, and overcast, so you don't sweat too much like in India. It wasn't a typical Rohit Sharma innings, but I had to play out the overs initially to make sure that the job is done,” the hitman concluded his post-match interview.
0
0
0
0
0
0
Comments
Sign up or log in to your account to leave comments and reactions
0 Comments