[Watch] The amazing similarity between Abhishek Sharma and Rohit Sharma's first international hundreds
Young Team India opener Abhishek Sharma notched up his maiden international hundred in only his second match for the Men in Blue. The 23-year-old clobbered 100 off 47, slamming seven fours and eight sixes during his scintillating ton in the second T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday, July 7.
Team India batted first after winning the toss and put up 234-2. Skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed cheaply for 2, but Abhishek and Ruturaj Gaikwad (77* off 47) added 137 for the second wicket. The left-handed batter reached his maiden international ton with three consecutive sixes.
Rather intriguingly, there's an amazing similarity between Abhishek and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's first international hundreds. Like the left-hander, Rohit, who announced his retirement from T20Is after India's T20 World Cup triumph, also scored his first international ton against Zimbabwe
The similarity doesn't end there. Like Abhishek, Rohit also brought up three figures with a maximum. Both batters reached three figures by slamming full tosses from left-arm spinners over the ropes.
The Rohit Sharma show against Zimbabwe before the Abhishek Sharma show
Rohit had notched up his maiden international ton against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on May 28, 2010, in a triangular ODI series also featuring Sri Lanka. The future Indian captain reached his maiden international ton in the first match of the triangular series in Zimbabwe.
Team India had elected to bat first after winning the toss. They put up 285-5 on the board in 50 overs.
Coming into bat at No. 4, Rohit smashed 114 off 119, a dazzling knock that included six fours and four sixes. The right-hander got to three figures in the 47th over of the innings, nonchalantly dispatching a full toss from left-arm spinner Ray Price over the cover boundary for a maximum.
Rohit's fine knock ended when he top-edged an attempted slog off Chris Mpofu in the 48th over of the innings. The elegant batter's impressive effort with the willow, though, went in vain as Zimbabwe won by six wickets, with 10 balls in hand.
Chasing 286, the hosts got home courtesy of Brendan Taylor's 81 off 103, while Craig Ervine hit an unbeaten 67 off 60 deliveries.