25 June 2024 Punjab Khabarnama : Taking no prisoners after Rohit Sharma silenced his critics with another knock for the ages, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar issued a cheeky remark about the overfamiliar ‘weakness’ of the India skipper on Monday. Gavaskar had nothing but praise for Rohit after the Virat Kohli-starrer side outclassed Australia in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium. Rohit-inspired India punched its semi-final tickets with a comfortable win over the former world champions.
Leading from the front against Australia, veteran opener Rohit played a scintillating knock of 92 off just 41 balls. The 37-year-old smashed the second-highest score for India at the T20 World Cup. The Hitman special is still behind Suresh Raina’s 101 knock against South Africa. The Indian skipper fired eight sixes- the most by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup innings. Rohit’s batting masterclass propelled Team India to a match-winning total of 205-5 in 20 overs at St Lucia.
Jaw-dropping shots! Gavaskar salutes Hitman
“What an innings this was. Some of the shots were just incredible. Jaw-dropping shots! The slog sweep off Pat Cummins of his first delivery went almost 100 metres. Then those inside-out extra cover drives off Mitchell Starc. It was so sweet. He is one of the sweetest timers of the ball. He’s got so much of style. Style and strength going together – make up for a heavy combination. And that’s what we saw from him today,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
Rohit’s record-fest outing
Breaking a plethora of records, Rohit became the first batter to smoke 200 sixes in the shortest format. The 37-year-old completed 19,000 runs in international cricket. The blazing 92-run knock was the second-highest individual score by a captain at the T20 World Cup. Named Player of the Match for his batting masterclass, India skipper Rohit is also the all-time leading run-getter in T20Is.
“Yes, we all have been starved of that (knock) for a while. But then again, it’s just the intent to get the Indian team off to a great start. Today, he almost got a hundred. Again, he was not looking to tuck the bowler out for a 100. He was looking to play his shot. He is totally team-oriented, and that’s why every time he is successful, everybody enjoys it,” Gavaskar added.
‘Are we gonna do another segment about Rohit’s weakness?’
In the build-up to the rematch of the ICC World Cup 2023 final, cricket pundits discussed Rohit’s performance against left-armers. Gavaskar had downplayed the hype surrounding Rohit’s previous dismissals at the T20 World Cup. Interestingly, Rohit was dismissed by Starc in the high-scoring clash between India and Australia. “Just thinking, he got out to a left-hander again. Are we gonna do another segment about his weakness? He got out to a left-hander no? So, another segment next time,” Gavaskar concluded.
