India vs Bangladesh: RoHITS maturity

Rohit Sharma celebrates his century against Bangladesh at the MCG on Thursday. (Source: AP)

Batsmen and bowlers have long turned cricket matches on their heads. They have played innings which prove decisive in the end. Umpires, on the other hand, are just for making decisions. But their verdict also proves decisive. Just like it did on Thursday in Melbourne.

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Rohit Sharma played a Rubel Hossain delivery – a waist high full-toss – straight to deep mid-wicket and was caught. Bangladeshi fans had started to celebrate when they saw umpire Ian Gould’s signal. A no-ball. Replays showed it was marginal but the umpire’s call was decisive.

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Rohit went on to score a century. It was one of those days for Rohit. All going right for him. He started with a four off the first ball of the innings. Bangladesh need a perfect yorker to get him out. His elegance was on display one more time.

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Apart from that one catch off a no-ball, there was nothing wrong in Rohit’s innings. He varied the pace as if he knew what target would be enough against Bangladesh in Melbourne. It was a matured innings. Pick any of his hundreds, Rohit would not have played an innings better than this. If there was an innings that could be labelled as ‘error free’, it was this 137-run masterclass from the Mumbai lad.

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The responsibility of an opener and carrying the team till the end after a great start is what Rohit has learnt. “At the top of the order, you need to get big hundreds,” said Rohit at the presentation ceremony.

None of his hundreds have been small one. He has racked up two doubles and other hundreds have been above 125 runs.

Suresh Raina, who played a brilliant hand with a 57-ball 65, said about Rohit: “He is taking the responsibility. He is talking to Shikhar (Dhawan) in the dressing room about the plans in the first 10 overs. He is taking the charge and that has brought out the best in him”.

Rohit was surely at his best on Thursday. India will just hope that he once again takes the charge, on Thursday in Sydney.

Source:: Indian Express