"Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill came riding a flying horse" - Aakash Chopra lauds duo's explosive partnership in IND vs NED 2023 World Cup clash
Aakash Chopra has lauded Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill for giving India a flying start in their 2023 World Cup win against the Netherlands on Sunday.
The two openers added 100 runs in just 11.5 overs as the Men in Blue set the Dutch a massive 411-run target in Bengaluru. The two-time champions then bowled out Scott Edwards and company for 250 to complete a comprehensive 160-run win.
Reflecting on India's batting in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Rohit and Shubman for their destructive partnership.
"There wasn't much sharpness in bowling and the pitch was extremely flat but Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill came riding a flying horse. They got out in the end. First Shubman got out - found a fielder at fine leg," he said.
The former India opener reckons both batters would be disappointed about their failure to convert their fifties into three-figure scores.
"He scored a fifty and from the disappointment on his face while leaving, it seemed like he was thinking about missing out on 100 or 150. The same can be said about Rohit because he was also batting splendidly," Chopra elaborated.
Chopra added that Rohit couldn't do an encore of the double century he scored against Australia at the same venue on a Diwali day in 2013.
"When he got out, he also felt that he missed an opportunity as he had scored a double hundred the last time he played here on a Diwali day. But this Diwali wasn't a double-hundred one. So he also stopped while running," he observed.
Rohit smashed a 54-ball 61 on Sunday and was caught at wide long-on off Bas de Leede's bowling while trying to go for a big hit.
Shubman, meanwhile, smoked 51 runs off just 32 deliveries and was caught at long leg while attempting to hook Paul van Meekeren for a maximum.
"He started slowly for sure but then he also gathered pace" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli's knock
![Virat Kohli scored 51 runs off 56 deliveries. [P/C: AP]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/4d274-16998454546474-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Virat Kohli too couldn't convert his half-century into a century.
"Virat Kohli also scored a half-century. He started slowly for sure but then he also gathered pace. However, he too got out. You were thinking if anyone will score a hundred. It's okay if you don't score," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator praised Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul for playing substantial knocks to ensure that India crossed the 400-run mark.
"I don't have a personal obsession with a hundred in any case, especially these batting milestones. However, someone should play a big knock because if you have to score 400 to 425, you need slightly bigger knocks and huge partnerships, and here there was Shreyas Iyer, and alongside him was KL Rahul," Chopra explained.
Shreyas scored an unbeaten 128 off 94 deliveries with the help of 10 fours and five sixes. Rahul struck 11 fours and four maximums in his 64-ball 102 as the duo added 208 runs for the fifth wicket in just 21.1 overs.