"That's where Rohit Sharma was different from others" - Former Indian selector on India captain's incredible knock in IND vs AUS 1st Test
Former Indian selector Saba Karim has hailed captain Rohit Sharma for his match-winning hundred in the first Test against Australia in Nagpur. Rohit scored a fantastic knock of 120 and played a huge role in the hosts batting Australia out of the Test match.
The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and debutant Suryakumar Yadav were dismissed while trying to play rather uncharacteristic shots on a tricky pitch. Karim spoke about the importance of batting time and showing the level of patience that Rohit had.
Speaking to India News on Saturday, here's what Saba Karim had to say about Rohit Sharma and other Indian batters:
"Suryakumar Yadav's role was probably to get some quick runs. But on this pitch, you need to give yourself time to understand the turn and bounce. That's where Rohit Sharma was different from others as he showed a lot of trust in his defense. He defended really well and that's why there were very few appeals off his batting."
Rohit Sharma and Co. thump Australia inside three days in Nagpur
The hosts were able to take a mammoth lead of 223 runs in their first innings even after losing Rohit's wicket. Ravindra Jadeja (70) and Axar Patel (84) proved how valuable they are to the team with the bat as well.
Mohammed Shami also enjoyed himself in the middle, adding 37 runs to frustrate the visitors further. All eyes were on whether the visitors would show some sort of fight. However, it wasn't to be as they were bundled out for just 91 in their second innings.
Right from the get-go, the Australian batters showed no spine as they crumbled under the pressure of the number of runs that they were trailing by. This loss could certainly leave some mental scars as the teams move on to the next Test to be played in Delhi from February 17.