Has Rohit Sharma finally arrived? That’s the question asked every time he plays one of his trademark brilliant knocks, mostly in the IPL. But a good knock or a couple of good knocks are always followed by a series of low scores and the same people who hailed him, start baying for his blood. To be fair to the critics, they’re right in expecting talent to be complimented by performance on a consistent basis.
We all know that Rohit seemed to have it in him to succeed at the highest level. Sadly, he’s let his contemporaries to steal a march over him. For too long, he's remained the future prospect, showing trailers of what could be in store. Now with two consecutive centuries in the tri-series in Zimbabwe, he has settled the debate for a while. Yes, the runs came against lesser teams but his nemesis was never the opposition but the challenge within.
I spoke to an international bowler recently and he was all praise for Rohit. According to him, Rohit is blessed with a sense of timing. Coming from a successful bowler, the observation carried a lot of weight.
Ever wondered what is having more time?
Cricket, apart from bowling, is mostly about receiving. You have to be at the right place at the right time to receive the ball and react appropriately. Rohit gets into the right positions quickly to execute shots perfectly and that’s why he’s never off-balance or hurried.
{{/usCountry}}Cricket, apart from bowling, is mostly about receiving. You have to be at the right place at the right time to receive the ball and react appropriately. Rohit gets into the right positions quickly to execute shots perfectly and that’s why he’s never off-balance or hurried.
{{/usCountry}}It was never the talent that was questioned but the temperament. His shot selection has often left a lot to be desired and caused his downfall more often than the wicket-taking deliveries.
An incident involving another international fast bowler comes to mind. The bowler was starting a new spell and bowled a loosener, which was deposited into the stands straight over his head. As expected, the bowler cursed himself but surprisingly it wasn’t for bowling a loosener, but for forgetting the strength of the man at the opposite end.
He knew that Rohit would pounce on anything loose. But since every coin has two sides, this has often led to his downfall. His exceptional ability to hit even the good balls takes him ahead of himself and he tries one too many. Hopefully, he’s cracked the code for the Men in Blue need him, as much as he needs them, to make a formidable Test team even after the Fab4 retire.