Having faced setbacks in the first two matches of his comeback T20I series, Rohit’s triumphant comeback, 121 not out off 69 balls, in Bengaluru showcased both individual brilliance and strategic acumen.
Teaming up with finisher Rinku Singh (69* off 39), Rohit rescued India from a precarious batting situation, leading the hosts to a victory in the double Super Over thriller.
His outstanding century, a record-breaking fifth T20I century for India, and an unbeaten 190-run partnership with Rinku Singh helped India recover from 22/4 to post a formidable total of 212 in 20 overs.
“This is the format where your captaincy skills are really tested. If he has a higher winning percentage than MS and Virat, that tells you what a good captain he is,” commented former Indian cricketer Rohan Gavaskar to Cricbuzz, acknowledging Rohit’s exceptional captaincy skills.
Gavaskar further emphasized the cricketing intelligence displayed by Rohit and Rinku, highlighting their ability to adapt their game plan after the team found itself at 22/4.
“What I really liked about this innings is that, generally you say in a T20I game now – the template is to go bang bang bang from the word go. And that is the template that is set. But both Rohit and Rinku used their cricketing intelligence at 22-4 and said no. We can get runs later on, but let’s just give ourselves a little bit of time,” added Gavaskar.
The cricketing intelligence and composure demonstrated by Rohit and Rinku were crucial as they balanced aggression with patience, resulting in a remarkable comeback and a significant win for India.
Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh make T20I history with record-breaking batting display
With this victory, Rohit achieved a milestone by matching Dhoni’s feat of 41 wins as India’s T20I captain, underlining his impact and effectiveness in leading the team. Additionally, Rohit’s century made him the most successful century-maker in T20Is, surpassing Glenn Maxwell and Suryakumar Yadav.
(With inputs from agencies)
