"Rohit could have gone on to get a double hundred" - Gautam Gambhir on perishing for 83 in first ODI against Sri Lanka
Former Indian opening batter Gautam Gambhir felt captain Rohit Sharma would be lamenting over the missed opportunity to score a double-hundred in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati. The 41-year-old recognized that Virat Kohli was smart enough to convert his start into a big one.
The right-handed batter, returning from a finger injury that he sustained during the second ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur, played a brisk knock of 83 runs off 67 deliveries.
The 35-year-old brought up his half-century off 41 deliveries before losing his middle and off-stump to debutant Dilshan Madushanka. His opening partner, Shubman Gill, also missed out after scoring a sublime 70.
That's a brilliant 50-run partnership between @ImRo45 & @ShubmanGill 💥💥
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Speaking on Star Sports, Gambhir reckoned both the openers are guilty of not converting their starts into big scores, especially the captain, who he felt had an opportunity to dominate the innings.
"Both Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill would be kicking themselves, thinking that they could easily have got to 150-160," he said. "Rohit could have gone on to get a double hundred as well. Then, the lost opportunity was someone else’s opportunity and Virat took it with both hands. That's what top and great players do."
"They convert those starts and Virat has done and shown that," he added. "Rohit Sharma, I’m sure, would be kicking himself. It was a great opportunity for him to dominate the entire game because of the way he was batting. He could have gone to another double hundred if he wanted to."
Virat Kohli's innings ended in the 48th over of the innings as Kasun Rajitha dismissed him for 113 off 87 deliveries. The 33-year-old top-scored for India, while fifties from Rohit and Gill, followed by cameos from KL Rahul (39) and Shreyas Iyer (28), carried the hosts to 373/7 in 50 overs.
"There are some areas we need to look at as a group" - Rohit Sharma
After the 67-run win, the veteran cricketer praised the platform set by the batters and their approach throughout the innings. However, he believes there is room for improvement with the ball and said in the post-match presentation:
"We started off really well and to get that total was a great effort from all the batters. The platform was set to come out and play freely. I thought we could've bowled slightly better, but don't want to be too critical of it although the dew was not so much.
"We bowled well as a unit and if you want to win games like this, everyone has to come to the party. There are some areas we need to look at as a group and again it's a team sport."
For his stupendous knock of 113 off 87 deliveries, @imVkohli is adjudged Player of the Match as #TeamIndia beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs.
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The two sides will now move on to Kolkata for the second ODI on Thursday, January 12.