“He's looking like the vintage Rohit Sharma” - Wasim Jaffer reflects on Indian captain’s return to form

Former India batter Wasim Jaffer is pleased with Rohit Sharma’s return to form with the willow. While reviewing the skipper's performances in recent matches, Jaffer concluded that that opener seems to have rediscovered his mojo.

After a tough 2022, during which Rohit suffered from both fitness and form issues, the 35-year-old made an impressive start this year. Heading into the Indore ODI against New Zealand on Tuesday, January 24, he scored two half-centuries in five innings.

He went one step ahead and broke his century drought in Indore, registering his first three-figure score in the format in over 1000 days. Rohit slammed 101 off only 85 balls, featuring in a 212-run opening stand with Shubman Gill (112 off 78). Praising the Indian openers, Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:

“Rohit has been in magnificent form in this series. He’s looking like the vintage Rohit Sharma. Shubman Gill is just carrying on from the last 2-3 innings. You understand that it’s not going to be like that throughout that 50 overs.”

While India lost their way after the opening stand was broken, Jaffer stated that it was never going to be easy to maintain the rate at which Rohit and Gill were scoring. He explained:

“When the openers give you such a blistering start, in 50 overs it’s very difficult to bat at 9-10 an over for such a long period. You’ve got to give credit to how Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill started the innings.

"Even though it was a good wicket, small boundaries, the way they played, it didn’t look like they were slogging. There were pure cricketing shots and they showed their class.”

After the opening partnership was broken, India went from 212 for one to 313 for six. However, a seventh-wicket stand of 54 between Hardik Pandya (54 off 38) and Shardul Thakur (25 off 17) lifted the hosts to 385/9.

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“Hope it continues since it’s a World Cup year” - Jaffer on India’s aggressive batting mindset

While reviewing India’s batting performance in the series, Jaffer was impressed with the Men in Blue’s aggressive display. However, he wants the team to take the same attitude into the 2023 ODI World Cup as well. The 44-year-old commented:

“Whenever India have batted first, they have got in excess of (close to) 350 all the time. That shows how they are approaching 50-over cricket, which is very exciting and hope it continues since it’s a World Cup year.

"It was the same in the T20 format, but suddenly when India goes into multi-nation tournaments, sometimes we go back into that safety mode option.”

Team India’s lowest score the last five times they have batted first in ODIs is 349.