[Watch] "Ye bat nahi hai, ye power hai" - Rohit Sharma explains his biceps gesture in fun chat with Hardik Pandya
Indian captain Rohit Sharma has stated that he showed off his biceps to umpire Marais Erasmus after hitting a six against Pakistan in the 2023 World Cup on Saturday because he was doubting the legitimacy of his bat.
Rohit hit a rapid 63-ball 86 in the match, helping India chase the 192-run target in just the 31st over. His knock started with a first-ball four against Shaheen Shah Afridi and concluded with an overall six boundaries and as many sixes.
"He (Erasmus) was asking me, 'How do you hit such long sixes? There's something in your bat', Rohit told Hardik Pandya in a chat on BCCI.tv. "I said, 'Ye bat nahi hai, ye power hai' (It's not the bat, it's my power) (laughs)"
The skipper has looked more aggressive with the bat in the past year. Earlier, he used to switch the roles of aggression and anchoring in the powerplay with Shikhar Dhawan depending on the match situation. More often, Rohit would take his time till reaching his half-century before completely taking on the bowlers.
"I have been trying to bat like this for the past two years," Rohit explained to Hardik. "The wickets are so good, I want to play my shots... We have a lot of conventional players in our team, so someone has to change the game a bit."
India's victory took them to the top of the points table with a positive run rate of 1.821.
I planned with Rohit Sharma for Abdullah Shafique's wicket: Mohammed Siraj
Hardik also chatted with other members of the team in the video. Ravindra Jadeja expressed his happiness that Indian bowlers "hunted in pairs" against Pakistan. Batting coach Vikram Rathour said he, on Hardik's suggestion, has given all players the freedom to play how they want in this World Cup.
Hardik then went to Mohammed Siraj, who picked up two crucial wickets in the match.
"It was the first time I was playing an India-Pakistan match in India and the first time I was playing in the World Cup. So the nervousness and pressure were very high. But I talked to Rohit bhai and Abdullah Shafique's wicket. I had bowled him a bouncer (which troubled him) so we talked and he (Shafique) thought that it'd be a bouncer again but I bowled fuller and I got the LBW," Siraj explained.
The video ended with Hardik and Siraj having an adorable discussion-cum-praise for Jasprit Bumrah's magical two-wicket spell.