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Former India player Ajay Jadeja has said that Rohit Sharma raised his game a notch higher in India's second innings of the Sydney Test by grinding it out in the middle when the Australian bowlers were having the upper hand in the proceedings.
Rohit Sharma scored 52 runs in India's second essay and shared a 71-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill. This was the first time since 1968 that an Indian opening pair shared half-century partnerships in both innings of a Test match in Australia.
While reviewing the fourth day's play on the Sony Sports network, Ajay Jadeja and Mohammad Kaif shared their views about Rohit Sharma's knock and his untimely dismissal a few minutes before the close of play.
Jadeja lauded Rohit Sharma for showing the ability to play the waiting game during his knock when the Australian bowlers were in the ascendancy. He said in this regard:
"Whenever you see his innings, you get enjoyment. He plays like an artist, and shot-making is easy for him. But the patience and perseverance he showed today was praiseworthy. The way he approached his innings because there was a stage between the 18th and 24th over when the bowlers were on top, so you had to put in the effort at that time."
Ajay Jadeja observed that Rohit Sharma had shown a new facet of his game during his knock on the fourth day of the Sydney Test.
"You don't see that from Rohit Sharma because he generally destroys the opposition. He took his game one level higher today, according to me, because daily you see a player if he has added anything. So, I liked a lot what we saw from Rohit Sharma today," observed Ajay Jadeja
"Rohit Sharma getting out gave me heartache" - Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif highlighted Rohit Sharma's ability to take the attack to the opposition and said that India would have stood a chance to win the Sydney Test had he stayed put at the crease.
"Rohit Sharma was playing well defensively in any case, but he can play the big shots as well whenever required. The Indian hopes would have remained alive till the time he was there. The way he plays in T20s and ODIs, he knows how to accelerate the scoring," said Kaif.
Kaif signed off by saying that Rohit Sharma's dismissal caused him massive disappointing, as the final day's play would have been an entertaining affair if he had stayed around.
"But his getting out gave me heartache because I wanted the match to remain 50-50. If Rohit Sharma had remained unbeaten today, we would have enjoyed a lot tomorrow," concluded Mohammad Kaif.
Rohit Sharma was looking all set to play the big knock after seeing off the threat of the new ball. However, much to the dismay of fans, he pulled Pat Cummins straight down Mitchell Starc's throat at long leg just four overs before stumps on the penultimate day of the Test match at the SCG.
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