IND vs AUS 2022: "The bowlers don't try to bowl short to Rohit Sharma, it happens by mistake" - Ashish Nehra on Team India skipper dazzling knock in 2nd T20IΒ
Former cricketer Ashish Nehra lauded Team India captain Rohit Sharma for his blistering knock in the second T20I against Australia on Friday, September 23 in Nagpur.
During a discussion on Cricbuzz, he pointed out how the Australian bowlers erred in terms of their lengths, bowling a lot of short-pitched deliveries to Sharma. He opined that it might not have been their ploy against the batter and it was rather a matter of missing their lengths.
Notably, the right-handed batter hit Josh Hazlewood for two sixes in the very first over of India's run chase. Nehra mentioned how Sharma was able to clear the ropes even when the bowler delivered a good ball.
Nehra explained:
"The bowlers don't try to bowl short to Rohit Sharma, it happens by mistake. Josh Hazlewood was hit for three sixes in the first over. The first of the three was a very good delivery, but Rohit still managed to send it over the ropes. The others were bad balls, and he capitalized. It is his favourite shot."
With his unbeaten knock of 46 off 20 balls while chasing a target of 91, Rohit guided the Men in Blue to a crucial six-wicket victory in a truncated eight-over match. He was adjudged the Player of the Match for his superb batting display.
"Didn't just look to slog blindly" - RP Singh dissects Rohit Sharma's knock
Speaking in the same video, RP Singh noted that while Rohit Sharma showcased positive intent upfront, he didn't rely on slogging. He suggested that the batter played proper cricketing shots during his innings, countering the bowlers well by picking the right areas.
He highlighted how Rohit is very comfortable against the short balls and prefers to use an attacking shot against them. Singh said:
"Rohit Sharma didn't just look to slog blindly but played good cricketing shots. He planned his innings well, targeting the right bowlers. He waits for the short-pitched ball and hits it beautifully. These are signs that he is in great touch. He played how a captain should have"
With the win, India have now leveled the three-match series at 1-1. The two cricketing giants will next be seen in action in Hyderabad on Sunday, September 25, in the third and final match of the series.