Former Australian cricket captain Ian Chappell has praised Rohit Sharma for his excellent performance in the Nagpur Test against Australia, stating that the move to open the innings in Test Cricket has saved his career. In his column on Mid-Day, Chappell wrote that batting above Virat Kohli has prevented Rohit from being overshadowed by Kohli’s popularity, and becoming the captain of his side has also added another level to his batting.
Chappell also noted that Rohit assessed the pitch very well and trusted his defence on a difficult wicket, which helped him score a magnificent hundred. “The state of the pitch was put into perspective by the Indian captain Rohit Sharma. He played a masterful innings that displayed confidence in his own defence, his wide stroke range on a turning – but not impossible pitch – and his ironclad discipline,” Chappell wrote.
According to Chappell, Rohit frustrated the Australian bowlers with his wide variety of shots and showed everyone how to bat on Indian pitches. “Not only did Rohit reveal a wide range of shots, he also frustrated the Australian bowlers with the way he only played them when the time was right. He showed all players, home and touring, how to play on Indian pitches, and his example was flawlessly followed by the much improved Ravindra Jadeja,” wrote Chappell.
Rohit Sharma scored a magnificent 120 in the Nagpur Test against Australia, which helped India post a massive 400 in their first innings and win the match by an innings and 132 runs. Chappell said that Rohit’s captaincy has played a big part in his revival, and the discipline required to lead a team has added another level to his batting.
