highlights
Rohit Sharma changed his style of batting in ODIs
Don't worry about your loss, keep an eye on the benefits of the team
His attacking cricket in Powerplay is benefiting his teammates
Rohit Sharma has changed. His attitude is also visible from turn to turn. Earlier, after a steady start, Rohit used to class the bowlers in the style of Hitman. Batting like this, he scored not one, but 3 double centuries in ODIs. Now his style of playing has changed. Apart from Team India, fellow players are also benefiting from this. Shubman Gill is the proof of this. Gill scored a double century in the Hyderabad ODI against New Zealand. But, Captain Rohit also had a big hand in his double century. Let us explain how.
ODI World Cup is to be held in India later this year. India won the last World Cup in 2011 at home. Since then Team India's bag is empty. This time there is a chance to end that drought at home. Captain Rohit Sharma knows this very well. In such a situation, he has decided to sacrifice for Team India. Rohit is not starting as smoothly as before in ODIs. As soon as he came, he was taking an aggressive stand against the bowlers. The shot which he was hardly seen playing while starting the innings, is now using it.
Rohit's sacrifice for Team India was
also seen in Raipur ODI against New Zealand, when Rohit played reverse sweep against Mitchell Santner. There is only one thought behind this changed style of Rohit and that is the strategy of dominating the opposing team with the very first ball. This counter-attacking cricket of Rohit is benefiting his partners. He is able to improve his innings by taking time.
Rohit is not worried about his loss, but about the benefit of the team.
Rohit was dismissed early in the Hyderabad ODI against New Zealand because of this attacking cricket. He tried to play the shot by going ahead on the ball of Blair Tickner and lost the wicket in it. He has not been able to score a century in the last 16 innings in ODIs. He is being criticized for this. But Rohit doesn't care about it. He recently said that I am now trying to change my game. Trying to understand the bowlers. I know big scores are not coming. But I am not too worried about it. Because the team advantage is important.
Why is Rohit taking risks in white ball cricket?
Since the advent of T20, the way of playing ODI cricket has changed. No team can afford to save wickets in the powerplay on a flat wicket and later score quick runs. Especially in India. Where dew in the evening can affect the result of the match. In such a situation, while batting first, it is necessary for the team to score such a score, which can eliminate the effect of dew. The ODI World is also to be held in October-November. In that season dew starts falling in the evening in India. This is the reason why Rohit is playing high risk cricket in Powerplay.
Taking advantage of Rohit's aggressive approach,
Rohit had scored an inning of 83 runs in 67 balls against Sri Lanka in Guwahati ODI while opening. The later batsmen took advantage of this and India scored 373 runs for 7 wickets in that match. Even though Sri Lanka missed by chasing this target. But, the Sri Lankan captain had given tension to India by playing an inning of 108 runs in 88 balls. Due to the dew, the ball was coming easily on the bat. This was the reason that Shanaka had hit a century.
Will the 12 year drought end?
Rohit had adopted the same approach just before last year's T20 World Cup. It is a different matter that then they did not get the desired results. Since the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rohit is scoring at a strike rate of 93 in the powerplay. He is sixth among openers to have batted in at least 15 innings in that period. Johnny Bairstow (106.35), Quinton de Kock (95.93) are in the first two places. Jason Roy (95.89), Gill (94.88) and Finn Allen (93.19) are not far ahead of Rohit.
Now looking at the 2023 World Cup, Rohit has once again changed his batting style. It has to be seen that on the basis of his thinking and approach, India can end the drought of 12 years or not?
