"He has read the surface well and he's read the balls well" - Anil Kumble praises Rohit Sharma's rescuing act in 3rd IND vs ENG Test
Former India spinner, Anil Kumble, lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's brilliant knock during Day 1 of the third Test against England in Rajkot on Thursday, February 17. The Indian skipper played a crucial role in the innings after the side was reduced to 33/3 in the early stages of the contest.
Rohit not only survived the initial phase of the innings, but also made the most of his start by converting it into his 11th Test hundred. He found an able batting partner in Ravindra Jadeja, and the duo put on a mammoth 204-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Anil Kumble praised the manner with which Rohit Sharma negotiated the initial hostile spell from Mark Wood. Given the situation, the opening batter resisted the temptation to play his favorite hook shot despite being presented with several opportunities. He was even hit on his helmet grille by a ruthless bouncer, but eased into the innings after spending some time at the crease.
However, the short ball and the temptation to pull ended up being Sharma's downfall in the end.
“He was stepping out and looking to go over the top. He did everything right, he rode the tough phase against Mark Wood. England had set a plan for Mark Wood with three fielders on the ropes so obviously Rohit did not take the bait of going for the hook. So he had to ride that over off and there was one ball that was really steep and hit him on the helmet," Anil Kumble said on Sports 18 during the lunch break.
"But he was brilliant with handling all the bowlers. Even the spinners, I thought he did really well. He made that mistake of going across but immediately corrected that in the next over when he stepped out and hit Hartley over his head. He has read the surface well, he's read the balls well and understands what the bowlers are doing,” Kumble added.
The Hitman's recent heroics mark the third ton he has scored against England. His previous two tons against the nation at The Oval and MA Chidambaram Stadium, are often regarded as two of his finest Test tons.
Rohit Sharma dismissed by Mark Wood after scoring 131 runs in the first innings
The Indian skipper's terrific knock came to a rather unfortunate end as he miscued a pull shot off Mark Wood's bowling. Sharma tried to go over the field, but the ball found Ben Stokes at mid-wicket, ending the brilliant partnership.
Rohit Sharma's heroic 131-run knock took 196 deliveries, and the innings also included 14 fours and three sixes. As of writing, Team India are placed at 237/4 after 64 overs, with debutant Sarfaraz Khan joining Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle.
How many runs will Team India end up with at the end of Day 1 in Rajkot? Let us know what you think.