From those frustrating 40s and 50s to scoring daddy hundreds, Rohit Sharma has come a long way in white ball cricket especially the 50 over format. When you think of Rohit Sharma, you actually have to go a long way back in 2007 when he started. I remember two of his innings in early years very clearly. One of them was against South Africa in the 2007 World T20 in a must win game when he got a fifty and bailed India out of trouble to get to a respectable total. The other one was in a one day international at the SCG when he scored 60 odd runs in a partnership with Sachin Tendulkar while chasing a good total. Sachin actually went on to get a hundred and India won the first of the three finals comfortably. Rohit's first two hundreds were actually in losing courses in 2010 in a tri series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, a series which India would dearly like to forget.
But when you think of Rohit Sharma's rise as an opener, your mind straightaway goes back in 2013 Champions Trophy when MS Dhoni made him open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan. Though he didn't score any hundred, he got a decent amount of runs and was consistently giving India good starts. But the breakthrough series was about to start a couple of months later. He got nearly 500 runs in 5 matches against the mighty Aussies which included that famous 141 when chasing 350 and the first of his three double centuries! Since he hasn't looked back, scoring runs consistently against every opponent in all the conditions he has become a reliable opener for Virat Kohli.
He probably is the most destructive batsman when in the mood. The average size of his hundred is over 140 which is not an ordinary number. But three double centuries in One Day international is a joke, it really is! One can understand a man scoring three centuries in T20 internationals but trust me, three 200s is a very cruel joke on bowlers! I don't think cricket had ever seen a man scoring tons of runs with such a lazy elegance. Rohit has always had that extra bit of a second than most of the others. I always think if ever there is anyone in this generation who can pull or hook the great West Indian fast bowlers without the helmet on, it's Rohit Sharma. He is arguably the most pleasing batsman on the eye when he gets things right. There is no better sight than watching Rohit Sharma bat, dare I say not even Virat Kohli can match his elegance! As Harsha Bhogle says- If Rohit Sharma makes a 100 runs, you remember every bit of it. If he makes 10 runs, you remember those two shots!
Rohit gets criticized for not being as consistent as a player of his calibre should be and I wouldn't blame the critics because I am one of them! The reason behind this is the amount of talent that the guy posseses. If you take Virat Kohli out of this team, Rohit Sharma is easily the best Indian limited overs batsman and if there was no AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, he would have been the best limited overs batsman in the world! He is 30 right now, clearly in the prime years of his career and we can expect a lot more from Rohit Sharma but that is where the disappointment hits us, doesn't it? Rohit Sharma is a rhythm player so let's hope he stays in good touch and has a great World Cup next year.
But when you think of Rohit Sharma's rise as an opener, your mind straightaway goes back in 2013 Champions Trophy when MS Dhoni made him open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan. Though he didn't score any hundred, he got a decent amount of runs and was consistently giving India good starts. But the breakthrough series was about to start a couple of months later. He got nearly 500 runs in 5 matches against the mighty Aussies which included that famous 141 when chasing 350 and the first of his three double centuries! Since he hasn't looked back, scoring runs consistently against every opponent in all the conditions he has become a reliable opener for Virat Kohli.
He probably is the most destructive batsman when in the mood. The average size of his hundred is over 140 which is not an ordinary number. But three double centuries in One Day international is a joke, it really is! One can understand a man scoring three centuries in T20 internationals but trust me, three 200s is a very cruel joke on bowlers! I don't think cricket had ever seen a man scoring tons of runs with such a lazy elegance. Rohit has always had that extra bit of a second than most of the others. I always think if ever there is anyone in this generation who can pull or hook the great West Indian fast bowlers without the helmet on, it's Rohit Sharma. He is arguably the most pleasing batsman on the eye when he gets things right. There is no better sight than watching Rohit Sharma bat, dare I say not even Virat Kohli can match his elegance! As Harsha Bhogle says- If Rohit Sharma makes a 100 runs, you remember every bit of it. If he makes 10 runs, you remember those two shots!
Rohit gets criticized for not being as consistent as a player of his calibre should be and I wouldn't blame the critics because I am one of them! The reason behind this is the amount of talent that the guy posseses. If you take Virat Kohli out of this team, Rohit Sharma is easily the best Indian limited overs batsman and if there was no AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, he would have been the best limited overs batsman in the world! He is 30 right now, clearly in the prime years of his career and we can expect a lot more from Rohit Sharma but that is where the disappointment hits us, doesn't it? Rohit Sharma is a rhythm player so let's hope he stays in good touch and has a great World Cup next year.
Raaadaaa
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