[Watch] Rohit Sharma hits a stylish six to finish his half-century in just 33 balls during 1st IND vs SL ODI
Team India captain Rohit Sharma continued his aggressive brand of cricket in the powerplay on his comeback to the 50-over format after eight months during the first ODI against Sri Lanka on Friday, August 2, in Colombo. It was his first ODI appearance after the 2023 World Cup final against Australia, where India suffered a heartbreaking loss.
Rohit led the Indian side phenomenally in the World Cup last year with his tactical acumen and aggressive battership, which won the hearts of most cricket lovers across the globe.
He continued to lead by example during the Sri Lanka tour by giving India a brisk start in the chase of 231 on a tricky surface. While Shubman Gill (16 in 35 balls) struggled to get going, Rohit looked in good rhythm from the outset and exerted pressure on the bowlers by displaying intent to score quickly. He stepped out against pacer Asitha Fernando and hit the second ball of the innings to a six, making his intentions very clear early on.
Rohit Sharma kept finding the boundaries at regular intervals, allowing Gill some breathing space at the other end to take his time. He reached his 56th ODI half-century in the 10th over with a stylish six over deep square leg region.
It was the third time Sharma scored a fifty inside ten overs in an ODI contest. He could not carry on and convert the knock into a big one as he perished in the 15th over for 58 (47).
You can watch Rohit Sharma's six to reach half-century in the video below:
"He'll go down as one of the best captains ever alongside Dhoni"- Ravi Shastri on Rohit Sharma after India's 2024 T20 World Cup win in his leadership
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri recently heaped praise on the leadership abilities of Rohit Sharma and put him on the same pedestal as the legendary MS Dhoni. Both the stalwarts played under Shastri during his coaching days with the Indian team during the last decade.
“As a tactician, let's not forget that he's been an outstanding guy. He'll go down as one of the best captains ever alongside Dhoni. If you ask me who's better, I'd say both are on par when it comes to tactics in the white-ball game. I can't pay a bigger compliment to Rohit than that because you know what MS has done and the titles he has won," Shastri said on the ICC Review.
Shastri continued:
“Rohit is not far behind and I thought tactically he was just outstanding in this year's (T20) World Cup. Just the calmness, the ability to get a (Jasprit) Bumrah or a (Hardik) Pandya, or even an Axar Patel at just the right time when needed was great to see."
Do you agree with Ravi Shastri's views above? Let us know your opinions in the comments section.