Indian captain Rohit Sharma made a comeback to T20I cricket in the first match against Afghanistan in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. However, his return to the format was short-lived as he was run out for a duck following a mix-up with Shubman Gill.
Despite his angry reaction on the field, Rohit downplayed the incident during the post-match press conference, emphasizing that such things happen in the game.
Rohit expressed his frustration about the run-out, stating, “These things happen. When it happens you feel frustrated, you want to be out there and score runs for the team.” He acknowledged the importance of team victory, saying, “Everything will not go your way. We won the game, that’s more important. I wanted Gill to carry on, unfortunately got out after playing a very good little innings.”
The incident occurred in India’s chase of 159 when Rohit, facing only his second ball, pushed a delivery from Fazalhaq Farooqi to the right of mid-off and set off for a single. Gill, however, failed to respond, resulting in Rohit being run out. The Indian captain, visibly upset, had a heated exchange with Gill before leaving the field.
Despite Rohit’s early dismissal, Shubman Gill opened up and played a quick innings, scoring 23 off 12 balls. However, he was eventually stumped off Mujeeb Ur Rahman as he charged down the track and missed the ball.
In the pursuit of the target, Shivam Dube played a crucial role, guiding Team India with an unbeaten 60 off 40 balls. Jitesh Sharma (31 off 20) and Tilak Varma (26 off 22) also contributed significantly, helping India surpass Afghanistan’s total in 17.3 overs.
After the match, Rohit Sharma addressed the team’s strategy, emphasizing their intent to try out different bowlers in various situations while keeping the focus on winning matches. “We want to keep trying different things – try and bowl our bowlers in different situations of the game,” said Rohit. He highlighted the team’s goal to challenge themselves in areas where they are less comfortable, ensuring that the experimentation does not come at the cost of the game’s outcome.
Rohit’s perspective sheds light on India’s approach to T20 cricket, where they are keen on testing players in diverse roles to enhance adaptability. The Indian captain stressed that the team’s primary objective is to secure victories while exploring different combinations.
The second T20I of the India vs Afghanistan series is scheduled to take place at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, January 14. As the series progresses, Rohit Sharma and the Indian team will continue to fine-tune their strategies and evaluate players in different scenarios, aiming for a well-rounded and adaptable squad in the lead-up to future tournaments.