"A big positive for India" - Salman Butt on Rohit Sharma's return to form
Former Pakistan opener Salman Butt believes skipper Rohit Sharma's impressive performances with the bat in recent outings are a wonderful sign for Team India.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt noted that Sharma's form is key for the Men in Blue heading to the ODI World Cup at home later this year. He stated that the side goes on to register big scores whenever the senior batter is in good form.
The 38-year-old emphasized that Sharma tends to score centuries consistently once he gets going, pointing out the player's record of five centuries at the 50-over World Cup in 2019.
"Rohit Sharma's return to form has been a big positive for India," Butt explained. "He is one such player that whenever he gets going, the team goes on to pile massive scores. He has hit hundreds consistently when he is in such form.
"We saw that in the 2019 World Cup, where he scored five centuries. He used to play very carefully in the first few overs. His strike rate improved as the innings progressed."
Notably, Sharma has been in good touch since returning from a thumb injury in January. The right-handed batter scored 83 runs off 67 balls in the ODI series opener against Sri Lanka, which was his comeback match.
He has also shown glimpses of his vintage self in the ongoing three-match home ODI series against New Zealand, managing scores of 34 and 51 in the first two fixtures.
"There is a lazy elegance in his batting" - Salman Butt on Rohit Sharma's playing style
Salman Butt also spoke about Rohit Sharma's ability to hit big sixes. He mentioned that the seasoned campaigner is capable of clearing the ropes quite effortlessly.
The former Pakistan captain added that it is delightful to watch Sharma bat when he is on song, as he makes batting look very easy thanks to his lazy elegance. Butt elaborated:
"Rohit Sharma hits sixes very effortlessly. There is a lazy elegance in his batting, and his timing is outstanding. When he is in rhythm, everything in his batting looks very natural, and the flow is very good."
It is worth mentioning that Sharma has the fourth-highest sixes in the history of ODI cricket. With 267 sixes in 233 innings, he is only behind Sanath Jayasuriya (270), Chris Gayle (331) and Shahid Afridi (351).
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Rohit Sharma does not play for the big scores 👊🏻🔥
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Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Co. secured a stunning eight-wicket win over New Zealand in the second ODI of the series on Saturday, January 21 to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Both sides will lock horns in the final ODI in Indore on Tuesday, January 24.