Asia Cup: Ro-a-hit for India even as others fail
CHENNAI: An average of 23.40 at a strike rate of 138.18 in the last 16 innings is not what any team would want from their T20I opener. Especially if the player is Rohit Sharma, who holds the record for the most T20I centuries. But there was never a worry about his form, for there was a template he, as a captain, was trying to set.
Since the last T20 World Cup in the back end of 2021, India have been consciously seeking to adopt an aggressive approach with the bat. And as the newly anointed skipper, Rohit had to set an example. He tried to take the attack to the opposition from ball one, without putting much value on his wicket. His power play SR of 145.91 in 2022 highest among Indian openers with 10 or more innings is an indication of that.
Through this time, despite his lack of big scores, the template seemed to catch on. With Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, and Dinesh Karthik following the approach, there was a pattern building. Which is why, even when he got out cheaply, it never felt like Rohit was out of touch. That said, the need for a big score from the skipper was due at some point.
And it came against Sri Lanka in a must-win Asia Cup encounter in Dubai on Tuesday. KL Rahul had been deceived by the mystery of Maheesh Theekshana. Virat Kohli, who had just scored a fifty in the previous game, was castled by left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka. India needed Rohit to step up.
When Kohli got out, he was batting on four runs from five balls. It was no different than any other short bursts he has played in the recent past. But today, he had to take a step back and play a big innings.
Except that he didn't.
Rohit stuck to the template the team management have been trying to establish. He stood still and did what he does best --- hold his shape to hit the ball to the ropes. First, a slog wide of mid-on off Chamika Karunaratne.
The next over, Rohit charged down at Asitha Fernando, who went short. He reacted by using his hands to hook while standing upright in the middle of the pitch.
Could there be a shot that typifies an in-song Rohit more? Wait for it.
Off the next delivery, back of length, he rocked on the backfoot and punched through point with a vertical bat. A spoon of madness followed by a tinge of elegance. It was Rohit in his element.
When the leg-spinners came on, he just tried to hit them out of the attack and was being fairly successful at it 17 runs came off an Waninidu Hasaranga over. Against pace, he was unstoppable.
A 32-ball half-century, his second in 17 innings this year, ended with 72 runs from 41 balls as Rohit tried to keep the momentum going. When he got out, India were 110/3 in 12.2 overs.
But the middle-order fumbled as India scrapped their way to 173/8 by the end of 20 overs.
The total was not enough and India paid the price for not picking the best possible XI/batting order.
However, what didn’t change after their first loss was their approach and it was their captain who made sure of that.
Brief scores: India 173/8 in 20 ovs (Rohit 72, Suryakumar 34; Madushanka 3/24) lost to Sri Lanka 174/4 in 19.5 ovs (Mendis 57, Nissanka 52; Chahal 3/34)