Taking batting Powerplay early was a brilliant move by Virat Kohli: Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli

Rohit Sharma – who hit a world record 264 yesterday in the fourth match of the ongoing 5-match ODI series against Sri Lanka – has credited his opening partner Ajinkya Rahane for providing a quick start to the team, which allowed him some time to settle in, and captain Virat Kohli for taking the batting Powerplay early, following which there was a clear change in the way the 27-year-old went on with the game.

Making a comeback into the Indian team after a two-month injury lay-off, the Mumbaikar was slow to start off with. However, he wasn’t put under pressure to increase the scoring rate, thanks to Rahane who got off the blocks quickly with a stroke-filled 24-ball 28.

Rahane helped me settle down

The scoreboard read 40/1 in 7.4 overs by the time Rahane was dismissed; Rohit’s contribution was only a paltry 11 off 23 by then. In an exclusive interview to bcci.tv, he said: “Ajinkya’s knock – the quick fire 28 he got – really helped me settle down and allowed me to take my time. It was crucial for me to just get the feel of the game and play myself in.”

He added: “It may sound like it’s only a two-month gap but coming after an injury (finger) is never easy. So, this was the thinking initially and then once I got to 50, I started to play quite fluently. I know my game well and the idea was to get to a little landmark and then build it on from there. I am glad that I could bat for 50 overs.”

Kohli’s move was brilliant

Although Rohit stepped up the ante after the dismissal of Ambati Rayudu in partnership with his captain, it was only during the batting Powerplay (overs 29.1 – 34.0), which saw move from 78* off 90 to 123* off 111, that he set the base for such a humongous score.

From then on, there was no looking back for Rohit as he registered his second double century in ODIs and highest ever individual ODI score in the history of the game, beating Virender Sehwag’s 219 against West Indies.

Crediting Kohli for the tactical ploy, Rohit said: “Absolutely. It was a brilliant move by the captain. It was Virat’s initiative to take the powerplay then. The thing with powerplay is that they can go either way and you have to be careful. It can drift the game in favour of the opposition if you lose too many wickets, and if you take calculated risks, it can put you on top.”

He added: “You can’t just go berserk in powerplay, you have to bat sensibly. We played some proper cricketing shots and didn’t slog our way. I have played a lot here and I understand this ground. The outfield is quite fast and once you pierce the gap, it’s a boundary.”