“It seemed like they were playing PS5” - S Sreesanth recalls Rohit Sharma’s first ODI double hundred
Former India pacer S Sreesanth has compared the match in which Rohit Sharma scored his maiden ODI double hundred to a video game. According to him, Rohit was batting in the game as if he was playing PS5.
Rohit is the only batter in international cricket to have slammed three double tons in one-day cricket. The first one came against Australia in Bengaluru in November 2013. The “Hitman” hammered 12 fours and 16 sixes in his 209, which came off 158 balls. India posted 383/6 batting first and then held Australia to 326.
In an interview with Sportskeeda, Sreesanth recalled memories of Rohit’s maiden ODI double century. He said:
“I was not playing when he had hit his first double hundred. The way he was batting and was hitting the bowlers, it seemed like they were playing PS5 - as if a video game was on. Rohit Sharma has so much time, just like Yuvraj Singh before him did.”
During the interaction, Sreesanth narrated another incident of how the current Indian captain pulled him for a six so far during a match that the ball couldn’t be found. The 40-year-old said:
"Rohit had hit a pull shot off my bowling in 2008-09. He was playing for Indian Oil and I was playing for Bharat Petroleum. Many people don’t know, the six that he hit, the ball is still lying on the railway track at Parsi Gymkhana in Mumbai. The ball is yet to be found.
“Earlier, I had got him out in the Duleep Trophy as well in the West Zone vs South Zone match. I had got him out on the pull. That’s why I bowled a bouncer again in that game against Indian Oil. But he had improved a year later,” Sreesanth added, concluding the tale.
The former fast bowler represented India in 27 Tests, 53 ODIs and 10 T20Is.
“Rohit Sharma had that intent from day one” - Sreesanth
Praising Rohit’s work ethics, Sreesanth said that he had the correct intent and positive mindset from Day 1. The former cricketer commented:
“My first impression was that he can play and is someone who looks positive. The best thing about Rohit Sharma is that he had that intent from day one. The intensity with which he comes for training or practice, his gym routine…”
Rohit is currently leading the Indian team in the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. India started their campaign with a six-wicket win over Australia in Chennai.