India’s skipper, Rohit Sharma, has unveiled the most formidable adversary he’s faced in his illustrious career. With the impending T20 World Cup on the horizon, Rohit’s revelation has sparked curiosity among cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
The eagerly awaited T20 World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 2, with the United States and West Indies serving as hosts for the prestigious event. India, known as a powerhouse in the shortest format of cricket, will begin their quest for victory on June 5 as they take on Ireland.
Discussing the challenging bowler he’s encountered, Rohit singled out South African pace maestro Dale Steyn, who amassed 699 wickets in 265 international matches for the Proteas from 2004 to 2020.
Rohit said that he would watch Steyn’s bowling videos “100 times” before going to bat.
“I have gone and watched his videos like 100 times before I went in to bat. That was Dale Steyn. He is an absolute legend of the game. And what he has achieved in his career is just superb to watch. And I have faced him many times,” Rohit said.
“He is quick. He used to swing the ball at that pace, which is not easy. It is quite tough. And he was a fierce competitor. He just went out there wanting to do everything, to win every game and every session, so it was nice to come up against him,” the Indian skipper said.
India, led by Rohit Sharma, reached the final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, ultimately securing the runners-up position.
Dale Steyn got Rohit Sharma out once in international matches
Interestingly, Dale Steyn managed to dismiss Rohit Sharma only once in international cricket, during a Boxing Day Test where Rohit got out for a duck.
However, Steyn delivered some memorable spells against the Indian opener, notably during India’s tour of South Africa in 2013. In one instance, Steyn troubled Rohit consistently with the new ball, dominating him on the bouncy pitches of South Africa.
These encounters occurred when Rohit was still finding his form, whereas Steyn was nearing the end of his career by the time Rohit became a limited-overs powerhouse.
Rohit Sharma has previously acknowledged facing challenges from Dale Steyn. In a recent interview with Indian sports journalist Vimal Kumar, Rohit reiterated this sentiment, indicating it wasn’t the first time he had spoken about it.
“If a bowler challenged me, and I had fun playing against him, it has to be Dale Steyn. He never deviated from the ideal length. He used to swing [the ball] at a high pace. There are a few bowlers who make the ball swing above 140 [kmph]”.
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