"People will question whether another shot was required" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma's dismissal in IND vs AUS 2023 World Cup final
Aakash Chopra feels Rohit Sharma cannot be blamed for the overaggressive approach he adopted that led to his dismissal in the 2023 World Cup final between India and Australia.
The Men in Blue set the Aussies a below-par 241-run target at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday despite their skipper giving them a flying start with a 31-ball 47. Travis Head's belligerent 120-ball 137 helped Australia register a six-wicket win with seven overs to spare to bag their sixth World Cup title.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra acknowledged that Rohit might be questioned for his dismissal. He said (3:45):
"Rohit (Sharma) started amazingly well. He is playing differently - a 47-run knock off just 31 deliveries. Rohit Sharma is in a league of his own. However, he had hit a four and a six, and people will question whether another shot was required."
The former India opener pointed out that the Men in Blue might have posted an even lower total had Rohit not taken the attack to the Aussie bowlers in the powerplay overs. He elaborated:
"However, the truth is also that you get cut yourself at times by the sword you use to cut. It's a double-edged sword. 80 runs were scored in the first 10 overs. If those 80 runs were not scored, considering the three-and-a-half to four runs per over 10-over passages you had, you would have fallen way behind."
Rohit's blazing knock helped India reach 80/2 after 10 overs. However, they scored only 160 runs in the next 40 overs to give the upper hand to Australia heading into the run chase.
"This playing style makes Rohit Sharma who he is" - Aakash Chopra
![Rohit Sharma smashed four fours and three sixes during his innings. [P/C: AP]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/fca7c-17004523051292-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Rohit Sharma is defined by his attacking approach. He stated (4:15):
"You might have scored 210 instead of 240. So you can see it both ways, but this playing style makes Rohit Sharma who he is. Like it or hate it, this is what you are going to get."
While observing that the Indian captain did whatever he had been doing throughout the tournament, the reputed commentator added that Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer's cheap dismissals put the hosts in a spot. He said:
"He has scored nearly 600 runs at a strike rate of 125-plus, and a strike rate of 150 in the final. He did his job. Shubman Gill got out early and India got pushed back. Then Shreyas Iyer also got out, and suddenly you realized that you had got stuck."
Gill and Iyer managed four runs apiece, with the latter's dismissal reducing India to 81/3. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then strung together a cautious 67-run fourth-wicket partnership but wickets at regular intervals thereafter stopped the two-time champions from posting a more challenging target for the Aussies.