Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar analyzed Rohit Sharma‘s dismissal after Rohit’s early exit contributed to India setting an unwanted record in the ICC World Cup. This record was established because, for the first time in One Day International (ODI) history, three of India’s top four batters failed to score a single run during the ICC World Cup 2023 opener against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Rohit Sharma delivered an entertaining innings in his final ODI appearance before the ICC World Cup against Australia. He scored a rapid 81 off just 57 balls in the third ODI of the series. Despite being the top run-scorer in the 2019 World Cup, Rohit couldn’t continue his scoring streak in India’s World Cup opener, falling to Josh Hazlewood, who also dismissed Shreyas Iyer in the low-scoring match at Chepauk.
Gavaskar commented on Rohit Sharma’s dismissal after India’s ODI World Cup win over Australia
Referring to Rohit’s poor performance against Australia, Gavaskar highlighted that the India captain began the ODI World Cup with a score of zero. Cricket legend Gavaskar noted that this 2023 ICC tournament might mark Rohit’s final appearance in an ODI World Cup.
“In the last tournament in 2019, Rohit Sharma, the Indian skipper, hit five centuries and a few half-centuries too. This time around, which could well be his last World Cup, he has begun with a zero in the first game. The footwork is palpably slow to start with, and that makes him vulnerable to the incoming delivery. If he can rediscover the 2019 form, then India will be assured of a very good start to their campaign,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
Star player Rohit will aim to rectify his performance in India’s upcoming match against Afghanistan. India, the host nation, is set to face Afghanistan in the ninth match of the World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. In their respective World Cup openers, Rohit’s India secured a victory against Australia, while Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Afghanistan faced a defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in Dharamsala.
“The so-called minnows, Afghanistan and the Netherlands, have started with defeats as also Sri Lanka who had to qualify for the tournament. It’s going to be a long haul for all the teams, and no one can be termed as favourites after they have played their first match. That’s why this tournament could well be the most exciting of them all,” Sunil Gavaskar added.
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