"He was always in control" - Parthiv Patel lauds Rohit Sharma's captaincy following India's 2-0 series triumph over Sri Lanka
Former Indian wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's captaincy skills following Team India's dominant 238-run victory over Sri Lanka in the pink-ball Test.
Patel pointed out that Roit always looked to be in complete control of the proceedings throughout the course of the two-Test series. He also underlined the 34-year-old's spectacular record as Mumbai Indians skipper, stating that the five-time IPL-winning captain has the experience to perform under pressure.
Speaking on Cricbuzz after India's triumph at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday, Patel said:
"Rohit Sharma has not lost a game ever since becoming the full-time captain. The calmness with which he is handling the team shows that he is in complete control. While the opposition did not challenge much, he was always in control in terms of bowling changes and DRS. He is an experienced leader who has won five IPL trophies, so he knows how to deal with pressure."
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It is worth mentioning that the Test series against Sri Lanka was Rohit's maiden assignment as India's red-ball captain. The star batter has had a fantastic start to his new role, with the hosts comprehensively winning both fixtures.
Dimuth Karunaratne's knock will send a message to the batters of world cricket: Parthiv Patel
on a difficult pitch! This is his 14th in Test Cricket.
What.A.Knock 👏
Brilliant from Dimuth Karunaratne to bring up his 💯 on a difficult pitch! This is his 14th in Test Cricket.
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Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne showcased stunning reliance in the final innings of the second Test, slamming his 14th century in the longest format.
Patel reckoned that the Lankan's knock indicated that visiting batters could score big runs on Indian wickets if they apply themselves in the middle.
Praising Karunaratne's efforts with the willow, the former keeper-batter said:
"His knock will send a message to the batters of world cricket. Hopefully, there will be better pitches in India. I believe that India need to play Test cricket on better wickets. But even if there are turners like this, it shows that if you get in and apply yourself well, then you can score runs. We value this century more because of the opposition's bowling attack."
Patel compared Karunaratne's performance to the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Steve Smith, who are among the few batters to fare well on turning Indian tracks. He added:
"He slammed an impressive century, that too in the fourth innings on a wicket where batting was difficult right from Day 1. Watching his knock, I was thinking about the players who have played so well against Indian spinners on Indian oil. The likes of Kevin Pietersen and Steve Smith have done that in the past. This hundred might have come in a losing cause, but it is still right up there."
The left-hander received appreciation from all quarters for his 107-run knock off 174 deliveries. However, he did not get much support from the other Sri Lankan batters as the visitors were ultimately bowled out for 208 in their second innings.