Aakash Chopra has praised Indian Skipper Rohit Sharma for scoring a crucial century in India’s first innings of the third Test against England. Rohit Sharma scored 131 runs off 196 deliveries as India posted 326/5 at Stumps on Day 1 in Rajkot on Thursday, February 15. It was his 11th Test century and ninth on home soil.
Rohit Sharma played James Anderson cautiously- Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra praised Rohit Sharma for rising to the occasion. He elaborated:
“Among the fantastic performances, we should repeatedly talk about Rohit Sharma because there was pressure. You are the most experienced in your team and you saw three players getting out from the other end when the score was only 33. So the captain had to play,”
“He played Jimmy Anderson cautiously and gave a lot of respect to Mark Wood as well. He accelerated calculatedly against the spinners. The way he played and the time at which it came – one of the finest Test hundreds of his career. He scores a century whenever you need it the most,” the former India opener added.
India were in a difficult position at 33/3 after 8.5 overs, losing the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rajat Patidar. Rohit Sharma then forged a crucial partnership of 204 runs for the fourth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja to rescue the hosts from this precarious situation.
Rohit Sharma was a fantastic performer and so was Ravindra Jadeja-Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra also praised Ravindra Jadeja for playing according to the demands of the situation. He said,
“So Rohit Sharma was a fantastic performer and so was Ravindra Jadeja. Jaddu was promoted in the batting order. He was sent at 33/3 and Jadeja’s story these days is that he plays very cautiously. He doesn’t get troubled while defending. He doesn’t have any difficulties against the bouncers,”
The reputed commentator noted that Jadeja’s overly cautious approach as he neared his century contributed to Sarfaraz Khan’s run-out.
“It was the first-century partnership from India in this series and that too became a double-century partnership. Jadeja slowed down in the end. He went into a shell slightly and because of that he probably called for a non-existent single and then said no,” Aakash Chopra stated.
Jadeja called for a single after playing the ball to mid-on when he was on 99. Realizing his mistake, he tried to stop Sarfaraz Khan from running back, but it was too late. Sarfaraz was run out by a direct hit from Mark Wood.
Also Read: https://goworldwide.co.in/atherton-on-englands-decision-to-play-mark-wood/