Rohit Sharma led India to a perfect victory against Australia in the second T20I in Nagpur on Friday, September 23. The match was delayed for more than two hours due to a wet outfield and was reduced to eight overs per side.
Australia was invited to bat first. They managed to put 90 runs on board. In response, the Indian captain decided to lead from the front. He took on the Aussie pacers with absolute excellence. Rohit hit four sixes and four boundaries in his 46 (20) ball stay. The skipper looked in good form and shape.
Many questioned his aggressive approach in the past, which led to his failures. Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar explains the reasons that led to the change in fortune for the skipper. He said that Rohit adopted a measured approach. He backed his strengths and remained calm. Here’s what he said:
“What you saw with Rohit [Sharma] today was a measured approach. It wasn’t anything where he was looking to defend, but he was being a lot more selective. And look, when he is playing those flick shots or the swivel pull shots, he is very good at that.
“Where he gets into trouble is where he is looking to play on the off-side, just tonks it up like that, that’s where he hits the ball up in the air rather than into the stands. That’s the only thing that he is going to watch out for.”
“He was not going bang straightaway” – Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma
Sunil Gavaskar further added that rather than rushing, Rohit Sharma measured his shots properly and that’s the reason behind his brilliant performance against Australia.
“Otherwise, when he is hitting it in his range, he has got absolutely no problems at all. That’s what he should be looking to do. Today was such a measured inning. He was waiting, cutting the ball, pulling, he was not going bang straight away. That is the reason why he batted so brilliantly,” Sunil Gavaskar concluded.
India defeated Australia by six wickets and levelled the series 1-1. The 3rd and series decider T20 international will take place on Sunday in Hyderabad.
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