IND vs AUS 2022: “India needs this Rohit Sharma” - Wasim Jaffer analyzes significance of Team India skipper’s knock in Nagpur T20I

Wasim Jaffer has opined that Team India captain Rohit Sharma played the kind of knock that was being expected of him for a while in the second T20I against Australia in Nagpur on Friday, September 23. According to Jaffer, India could not have won the match had Rohit not batted through the innings.

The Men in Blue got the better of the Aussies by six wickets in a match that was reduced to eight overs per side due to a wet outfield. India were set to chase a challenging 91 and Rohit guided them home with a sublime 46* off 20 balls.

What stood out about Rohit’s knock what the fact that he did not look to be over-aggressive, a ploy that has led to his downfall in recent times. He played his natural game and found the boundaries with ease. Reflecting on the Indian captain’s match-winning effort, Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:

“India needs this Rohit Sharma. He makes six-hitting look really easy. He is not as bulky as those West Indian players, but he hits it really sweetly and a long way. And if you pitch anything short around his body, he is absolute class. With a 20 or 30, India would have lost this game. It was important that he batted till the end.”

The former India opener reckoned that Rohit’s knock made the difference between victory and defeat for the Men in Blue as the other batters struggled. He elaborated:

“That innings was the difference from India’s point of view. Rohit was the only one who was hitting it well. Otherwise, it looked like Australia came with a straight plan to bowl slower balls into the wicket, wide outside the off-stump. Not many other than Rohit could hit those sixes.”

The Indian captain struck four fours and as many sixes during his innings as the hosts got past the target in 7.2 overs to level the three-match series at 1-1.

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“He is amazing at picking up the length” - Brad Hodge on Rohit Sharma's batting skills

Former Australian batter Brad Hodge also praised Rohit for his excellent knock, terming his ability to pick up length as amazing. He said:

“I have seen him at his best in the IPL. One of the things that he is amazing at is picking up the length. Those pull shots that he is able to hit around hip high are incredible. They travel 90-95 metres, which is rare for a player who doesn’t look to be putting a lot into it.”

Rohit was named Player of the Match for his breezy innings. India and Australia will now meet in the series decider in Hyderabad on Sunday, September 25.