Priyanka Tiwari
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India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, was under immense pressure leading into the second ODI against England at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. His struggles in the Test series against New Zealand and Australia, combined with poor performances in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir and the first ODI against England, had raised concerns about his form. Speculation even suggested that if his performance did not improve, he might consider dropping himself from India’s Champions Trophy squad.
Rohit Sharma’s Match-Winning Century
In the second ODI, Rohit put all doubts to rest with a sensational 119-run knock off 90 deliveries. His dominant performance not only helped India win the match by four wickets but also sealed the series. Popularly known as the Hitman, he played an attacking brand of cricket from the start, setting the tone early and paving the way for his first century in 13 innings.
Rohit Sharma on His Preparation and Execution
Speaking after the game, Rohit analyzed his approach, explaining how he planned to bat based on the situation. He focused on batting deep and adjusting to the black soil pitch, which required a specific technique to score runs effectively.
"I broke it into pieces, how I wanted to bat. This format is longer than T20s but shorter than Tests, so it's crucial to assess and adapt accordingly. My focus was on staying at the crease and batting as deep as possible," Rohit shared during the post-match presentation.
He also highlighted how the pitch conditions influenced his game plan. "On black soil, the ball tends to skid, so showing the full face of the bat is important. They were trying to bowl into the body and restrict room, so I prepared accordingly. I assessed the gaps and got excellent support from Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, which made things easier," he added.
Read More: Hardik Pandya's Eventful Return in IPL 2025: On-Field Tensions and Reconciliation
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