IPL 2021: Rohit Sharma bats for a unique cause with a special message on his shoes
During the opening game of IPL 2021, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma walked out to bat for a noble cause. The opening batsman's shoes were inked with a message that read 'Save the Rhino' as he stepped out to bat.
Notably, back in 2018, Rohit Sharma had joined hands with the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) as a brand ambassador for their Rhino conservation project. Since then, Rohit has been working closely to help save the endangered one-horned Indian Rhino species.
Rohit Sharma's distinctive shoes in the game against RCB also contained the message 'Seeking Possibilities', indicating that the WWF team and Rohit Sharma are open to new possible solutions to protect the endangered species.
Rohit Sharma's gesture attracts praise from Kevin Pietersen
The Mumbai Indians captain's gesture was praised by former England skipper Kevin Pietersen on Twitter.
"The great man's boots last night in the IPL opener. Rohit continually playing for a cause - SAVING RHINOS!" wrote Kevin Pietersen, while praising Rohit Sharma.
Earlier, in a drive to mark World Rhino Day, Rohit Sharma had pledged to do his share of work to save the near-extinct Rhino species. Wearing shoes with the message is just one of Rohit's gestures towards saving animals, as the swashbuckling batsman has been seen working for various causes in the past
In the IPL opener, the Mumbai Indians' losing streak in their first game of the IPL continued as they lost their 9th opening match on the trot. Backed by a dazzling knock by Chris Lynn, the Mumbai Indians posted a total of 159 on the scoreboard for RCB to chase.
Despite Virat Kohli's side making a high-spirited start to the chase, the Mumbai bowlers continued to take wickets and put RCB under pressure. In the end, it was AB de Villiers' heroics that helped Virat Kohli's men secure a thrilling last-ball win in the IPL 2021 opener.