“That’s what is going to happen in WTC final” - Trent Boult’s fun banter with Rohit Sharma during IPL
Mumbai Indians’ (MI) bowling coach Shane Bond has revealed details of some fun banter between Trent Boult and Rohit Sharma during IPL 2021. According to Bond, Boult kept hitting Rohit Sharma on the pads during practice and warned him that something similar would happen in the World Test Championship (WTC) final as well.
While Rohit Sharma and Boult are teammates at MI, they will be in opposite camps when India face the Black Caps in the WTC final in Southampton from June 18-22.
At a press conference organized by Star Sports, Bond informed that preparations for the WTC final had begun in the MI nets itself.
“What I do know is that even during the IPL season, Trent Boult was running in, swinging the ball, hitting him on the pads and telling him - that’s what is going to happen in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. There was banter going on there, which was just brilliant. Those two are very aware that they are going to come up against each other.”
Adding that he loves to watch Rohit Sharma play, Bond described him as a batsman in the Matthew Hayden mold who can go out and play attacking, match-winning knocks. The MI bowling coach elaborated:
“I see him almost in a Matthew Hayden-type role. He goes out, as he did against England in the series on very difficult wickets, and imposes himself. He could come out and score very quickly. He is that sort of a player, very dynamic in difficult conditions. Like a Rishabh Pant, he can take a game away from a team if he has a very good hour. There are obviously some areas in his game which New Zealand will look to exploit. But what he does is he scores fast, and by doing so, you can put runs on the board, and the bowlers under pressure.”
Rohit Sharma cannot take his left leg across against Trent Boult: VVS Laxman
Former India batsman VVS Laxman admitted that Rohit Sharma will have to be wary against left-arm pacer Boult, considering his ability to dart the ball back in sharply. At the same press conference, Laxman said about Rohit Sharma:
“He has got another challenge in the form of Trent Boult, who gets the ball in. He also knows that, against Trent Boult, he cannot take his left leg across. He has to play as much as possible with the full face of the bat, back towards the bowler.”
Laxman added that he was confident Rohit Sharma would do a good job in England. He also advised the opener not to flirt with balls outside the off-stump. The former India batsman said:
“Not only for Rohit Sharma, but for any opener, it is very important to know where your off-stump is. When he started opening, against South Africa in Indian conditions, he knew where his off-stump was. He was very disciplined at the start of the innings and that is something Rohit Sharma can replicate in England. I am sure that he will perform well. We all know what an unbelievable talent he is. But, knowing where your off-stump is and letting the ball go outside off-stump, in that channel of uncertainty, is something which Rohit requires to focus on.”
Rohit Sharma has played only one Test in England, and this will be his first visit to the country as an opener in the longer format of the game.