CHENNAI: Rohit Sharma doesn't celebrate his hundreds much. Not in the last six years at least. In fact, he doesn't even remove his helmet. Since the 2019 World Cup, the only time he removed his helmet for a century was during the 2023 edition of the global event when he scored a century against Afghanistan in New Delhi.
On all other occasions in between, his reactions usually remain understated. Often a bat-raise towards the dressing room and the fans with his helmet on before embracing his partner at the other end. Doesn't matter whether it is New Zealand, Australia or England, the celebrations remain the same. It is something he embraced wholeheartedly as a captain when his job was to set the tone up front with quick innings. Which is also why his conversion rate from fifty to hundred took a substantial hit.
From 25 hundreds and 30 fifties since he became an opener in 2013 till the 2019 World Cup, Rohit scored 20 fifties and seven hundreds in 72 innings he has played till the first ODI against West Indies on Sunday. It was a conscious compromise he made to increase his strike rate from 92.47 to 107.07 in the respective aforementioned periods. That the strike rate itself has come down post the Champions Trophy is another thing, but the common thread is the understatedness that is often there to be seen when Rohit crosses three figures.
Wednesday, though, was different. The former India captain has been feeling the heat about his future and place in the team for the ODI World Cup next year. There were also questions over his lack of big scores in the first two matches of the series — his hundreds in Sydney and Lord's and fifty against Afghanistan came in the last match of the series. Though he had played it down, the weight of it all was visible when the 39-year-old crossed the three-figure mark for the 35th time during the record chase in the format.
As he strolled along for a single, Rohit imitated a high-knee jog before jumping in the air and pumping his fist. The helmet stayed on as it often does but it seemed clear what the century, which came in 72 balls during the chase of 406, meant. Though he got out immediately after for 101 in 75 balls, skipper Shubman Gill's unbeaten 223 took India home in the second highest run chase of ODIs.
Asked after the match about the celebration, Rohit, in his typical cheeky self, said he would keep that to himself. "I'll keep that celebration for myself. Some things are just meant to be with you and it's not to be shared. So that was for me," he said with a smile during the chat with the broadcaster. "Ravindra Jadeja wanted me to slide and jump and celebrate (laughs) but after fifty overs of fielding and batting so much, I was never going to do that," he added.
Rohit, who smashed ten fours and six sixes as he became the third Indian to cross the 12000-run mark after Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, said he and Gill wanted to keep batting without looking at the scoreboard. "We were trying to play with the merit of the ball. We were trying to stitch a partnership. Gill was fantastic on the other end. He was in control of his batting. To see him stay not out was fantastic to see as well. It comes down to concentration. You have to keep telling yourself to not throw it away. I wanted to use my experience. We knew the pitch was good and we needed big runs from the top order and that's exactly what happened and we had a very good partnership at the top and it pretty much sealed the game for us," he said.
Rohit may not have revealed the reason behind the celebration or what it meant. However, as long as he keeps batting the way he did on Wednesday and crossing those three-figure marks consistently, there is no one who could stop him from pursuing the dream of winning the ODI World Cup next year.
