“Hopefully, he can repeat the same in this final” - Virat Kohli expecting another big knock from Rohit Sharma at The Oval
The last time India played a Test match at The Oval, Rohit Sharma notched up a magnificent ton against England to guide the visitors to a 157-run win.
Virat Kohli, who was the Indian captain in that Test, is hoping for another big knock from current skipper Rohit in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. The match is set to begin today.
Ahead of India’s 2021 tour of England, there were questions over Rohit’s ability to play the moving ball. Most of his success as a Test opener had come in sub-continent conditions.
However, the elegant batter gave a fitting reply to critics, scoring a sublime 127 off 256 balls in the second innings, a patient knock that featured 14 fours and a six.
In a video posted on ICC's official website, Virat Kohli shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma.
“I’ve had amazing partnerships with him and I have thoroughly enjoyed it from the other end when he’s going great guns. He’s performed really well in these conditions [England],” Kohli said.
“Last time around, he got a hundred at The Oval. Hopefully, he can repeat the same in this final as well,” he added.
Kohli also hailed Rohit for taking up the difficult task of opening in Tests. The latter began his red-ball career in the middle order but like in white-ball cricket, he has moved up the order in Tests as well.
“Opening is not an easy job and he has done a wonderful job opening the innings for us in the last three-four years. He’s really performed amazingly well in all formats of the game for us in the recent past and [is] someone that when you watch him play, you enjoy it,” Kohli stated.
Rohit has played 49 Tests for India, scoring 3,379 runs at an average of 45.66, with nine hundreds and 14 fifties.
“The way he has performed in Test cricket is a testimony to his temperament” - Virat Kohli on Rohit Sharma
After a great start to his Test career, which saw him score two tons in his first two matches, Rohit Sharma lost his way. Given a lifeline after being asked to open, he grabbed the opportunity and hasn’t looked back since.
According to Virat Kohli, Rohit has always had talent, and his success in red-ball cricket is proof of his temperament.
“I have always said that he has always got more time than anyone on the ball. That’s the special ability he had from day one. When I saw him play the first time, I understood what the hype was all about and why he was rated so highly," Kohli said.
“What he has done for India in white-ball cricket over a long period of time, we all knew. But the way he has performed in Test cricket over the last three-four years is a testimony to his temperament towards playing Test cricket and having belief in himself that he can do it in Test cricket as well at the highest level," he added.
Apart from Tests, Rohit Sharma has featured in 243 ODIs and 148 T20Is, scoring 9,825 and 3,853 runs, respectively.