‘Hitman is back’: India celebrates Rohit’s century before Champions Trophy
On Monday, India rejoiced at captain Rohit Sharma’s resurgence after he scored a match-winning ODI century against England just before the Champions Trophy.
Rohit struck his 32nd one-day century to guide India to a series-deciding win in the second match against the visitors on Sunday after months of uncertainty surrounding his future.
“The Hitman Returns,” proudly announced the Times of India newspaper.
The 37-year-old opener faced difficulties in the 3-1 Test defeat in Australia last month and did not participate in the final game due to his lack of form.
He scored two runs in the ODI opening match but found his rhythm in Cuttack, making 119 runs off 90 balls with 12 fours and seven sixes.
“The positive aspect is that scoring a century before a significant tournament like the Champions Trophy provides a major confidence boost,” spinner Ravindra Jadeja mentioned following the four-wicket victory against England.
“It benefits the team greatly, and clearly, he understands his game proficiently.”
India will kick off their Champions Trophy journey against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by a high-profile match against their longtime rivals Pakistan in Dubai three days after.
The captain showcased a variety of strokes including flicks, drives, and his signature pull to guide India’s pursuit of 305, securing victory with 33 balls remaining.
Rohit managed to score only 31 runs in three Test matches against Australia and had an average of 10.37 over formats in his last 16 innings leading up to the ongoing series.
He retired from T20 internationals following his leadership that brought India World Cup success last year, but his recent struggles cast uncertainty on his future in ODIs and Tests.
“Whenever I step onto the field, I aim to perform at my best,” Rohit expressed in a video shared on the Indian cricket board’s site.
“At times it occurs, at other times it might not occur.”
He remarked: “That approach to gaining runs and scoring runs appears straightforward, but it is actually quite challenging.”
Rohit is 13 runs shy of reaching 11,000 ODI runs prior to Wednesday’s last game against England in Ahmedabad.
Star batsman Virat Kohli has faced criticism for his poor performance and after sitting out the series opener because of a sore right knee, he scored just five on Sunday.
