Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Latest:

My Views Room

Think Write



Rohit Sharma
Cricket 

Rohit Sharma kicks off new era in T20 with a win

Meenakshi Rao

Rohit Sharma, Jaipur and a new era in T20 cricket for India. Yes, as skipper — finally — Sharma led in style a Rahul Dravid chosen band of youngsters to their first win under his leadership.

Fresh from an asphyxiation from the Kiwis in the unforgettable World Cup that just went by, it was a refreshing makeover by the squad which performed comprehensively in registering a five- wicket win against the visiting New Zealanders. The waters got choppy at death but Suryakumar Yadav and later Rishabh Pant saved the day.

Besides keeping his hit man tag intact with a blazing 48 in 36 balls, Sharma signalled the reconstructive path to Australia where, under the able guidance of Dravid, India will be bidding for the World Cup in the shortest form of the game in 2022.

For the first T20 in the home series against the Black Caps on Wednesday, it was business as usual for Martin Guptil who mended his reputation scoring a quick fire 70 off 42 balls, and Mark Chapman (63 off 50) taking New Zealand to 164 for six on a good batting surface.

India chased well with a skipper’s knock from Sharma and Yadav’s 62 off 40 balls. Yadav replaced the rested Kohli at the crucial No 3 spot and proved his worth in home conditions.

Does that bode well for Kohli with the precedent of T20 poster boy Hardik Pandya being sent home by Dravid, is a question begging for answer unless Kohli returns to open with Sharma, if at all.

The end time bungle, Sharma said after the win, would be something that the team would be looking into. “It didn’t come as easy as we expected, so great learning for the guys, to understand what needs to be done, not about power-hitting all the time,” Sharma said at the post-match presentation.

“As a captain and a team, I am happy that those guys finished the game off. A good game for us, missing a few players, opportunity to other guys to show their ability, he added.