Rohit Sharma’s return to international cricket was anything but what he would’ve hoped for in Perth against Australia. He scored 8 runs before edging one to the slips off Josh Hazlewood in that match.
Today, in the second IND vs AUS ODI at the Adelaide Oval, The Hitman looked timid early on, even struggling with timing. However, he managed to stitch together a 50 off 74 deliveries.
This was amuch needed knock not just for him personally, but also for the Men in Blue in this particular fixture.
Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli were dismissed early on in the match, in quick succession, which put further pressure on the team after a slow start.
However, the partnership between Rohit and Shreyas Iyer since then has brought the team somewhat back on track as they bat first in this second ODI against Australia.
Rohit Survived Many Close Calls
In the process of reaching this average score, Rohit survived near-edges, quite a few LBW calls, and even DRS reviews. Josh Hazelwood, who picked his wicket in the first match, troubled Rohit today as well, with Indian veteran looking timid.
Very early on in the innings, Rohit had survived a direct hit run out attempt too.
Then in the 19th over, being delivered by Mitchell Owen, Rohit pulled two sixes in signature fashion, which appeared to have calmed his nerves.
Having said that, it is worth noting that while Rohit Sharma’s 50 is a big improvement over his 8 runs in the first IND vs AUS ODI, the manner in which he got them is still well below his usual standard.
Fans would be hoping for the former Indian skipper to play as long as possible, and see the team off on a competitive total in this must-win ODI.
Check Out: IND vs AUS 2nd ODI: Virat Kohli Dismissed For A Duck Again!