Nonchalant strokeplay, record five hundreds in a single World Cup
What does one say about a man who scores three double centuries in One-day Internationals (ODIs) with a record 264, by a long way, to his name, and one who hits up five hundreds in a single World Cup. Just ten double hundreds have been scored in over half a century of ODIs, all since 2010, and no one else has managed more than one. Suddenly, in 2019 Rohit equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record six hundreds in the World Cup. There was always something special about Rohit. His sublime strokeplay, almost casual, David Gower like, endeared him to everyone. His lofted pull became his hallmark, earning him loads of sixes with the occasional dismissal. For what seemed ages, his innate God-given abilities did not translate into results expected of them. Then, like Tendulkar, he was given a spot at the top of the order and he flowered. Still, someone with his flair and natural gifts was not making headway at the Test level. Again, he was given the opener’s role, and he was off the blocks. A hugely successful IPL captain, Rohit Sharma found his way to the helm of the national side. He finally settled where he was always ordained.
His World Cup debut was the high intensity contest with Pakistan. Rohit raised 34 with Shikhar Dhawan in 7.3 overs. But on 15 he attempted his favourite pull shot off Sohail Khan; this time he miscued and the ball went sailing into the hands of mid-off. Virat Kohli (107) was associated in two century stands with Dhawan (73) and Suresh Raina (74). India set up a challenging 300 for seven. Pakistan were not up to it, and folded up for 224.
Disaster struck as Rohit was run out for a duck by a direct hit from A.B. de Villiers. This time Dhawan (137) conjured hundred partnerships with Kohli (46) and Ajinkya Rahane (79). India hit up 377. South Africa could muster only 177.
There was no challenge from the United Arab Emirates. They collapsed to 102 all out. After the early departure of Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli brought up victory with an unbroken stand of 75. Rohit was on the attack. They raised the half-century of the partnership in 8.2 overs. Rohit got to his maiden World Cup fifty in 48 balls. They cruised on, and finally Rohit clubbed a four to reach the target in 18.5 overs. He returned with 57 runs to his name off 55 deliveries, having struck a six and 10 fours. Kohli scored 33 in 41 balls with five boundaries.
Had it not been for skipper Jason Holder’s 57 at no. 9, West Indies would have been in far worse plight than they eventually were. Coming in at 85 for seven, he was last out with his side’s total on 182. But their bowlers hit back. Rohit was caught at the wicket, trying to drive, with his score on just 7. Wickets fell regularly, and at one stage they found themselves at 134 for six. An unbroken half-century stand between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin saw them home.
Ireland did well to post 259. But the Indian openers made light of it. Rohit and Dhawan took turns in hitting boundaries. The fifty of the stand came in the 9th over. They accelerated, the century partnership being registered in 14.1 overs. Dhawan reached his fifty from 54 balls. Rohit raised his own half-century off 49 deliveries with a six high over covers. With more fireworks, the 150 was on the board in just 20.1 overs. Dhawan was racing away; Rohit, though, played on to his stumps. His 64 came off 66 balls with the aid of 3 sixes and 3 fours. The stand realised 174 runs, the highest for India for the first wicket in the World Cup, in only 23.2 overs. Shikhar Dhawan brought up his hundred off just 84 balls. He was caught in the covers off the very next delivery that he faced, having slammed 5 sixes and 11 fours. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane carried India to victory with an unbroken stand of 70.
A tremendous hundred by skipper Brendan Taylor (138 runs, 110 balls) and his fifth-wicket century partnership with Craig Ervine were instrumental in Zimbabwe posting a total of 287. India slumped to 92 for four in 22.4 overs, Rohit being caught in the covers for 16. Then came a superb unbroken stand of 196 in 26 overs between Suresh Raina (110 not out, 104 balls) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (85 not out, 76 balls). They took India home with 8 deliveries to spare. India joined New Zealand as the only teams to win all their six pool matches.
The silken touch of Rohit Sharma was in full evidence in the quarter-final as they took on Bangladesh. He drove the first ball of the match from Mashrafe Mortaza to the cover-point fence. With both he and Dhawan finding the boundary regularly, the fifty came up in 9.3 overs. Dhawan was stumped for 30. The partnership yielded 75 runs off 16.3 overs. Rohit got to his half-century off 70 deliveries. Suresh Raina joined forces for the fourth-wicket. He raised the fifty of the stand in style, lofting Shakib Al Hasan over long-on for a six. It came off 8.1 overs. Rohit was cruising serenely, the singles interrupted by the intermittent boundary. Raina reached his half-century in 46 balls. In the same over, the hundred of the partnership was posted off only 13 overs. Soon, Rohit raised his century, his first in the World Cup, from 108 deliveries. Raina hit out at Mashrafe, but the ball gained only height, no distance, and when it came down, it settled in Mushfiqur Rahim’s gloves. His 65 had come off 57 balls, studded with a six and 7 fours. It was a splendid 122-run stand that spanned 15.5 overs. Rohit raised the tempo. He finally edged on to the stumps. It was a delightful innings, 137 runs from 126 balls, embellished with 3 sixes and 14 fours. India hoisted 302 for six. Bangladesh did not offer much resistance, being bowled out for 193. Rohit was man-of-the-match.
Australia posted a daunting 328 for seven in the semi-final, courtesy Steve Smith’s brilliant century and his 182-run second-wicket partnership with Aaron Finch. Rohit and Dhawan began steadily, and then raised the tempo. That brought up the fifty in 9.5 overs. Just as it seemed that India’s innings had taken off well, Dhawan was caught in the covers off Josh Hazlewood. His 45 had come off 41 balls with the aid of a six and 6 fours. Kohli fell for 1. Then Rohit pulled Johnson for a six. Johnson pitched the next one up and brought it in sharply. Rohit edged it on to the stumps. He was gone for 34, having faced 48 deliveries and hit 2 sixes and a four. From then on, India were fading despite a 70-run stand between Rahane and Dhoni. The reigning champions were all out for 233, bowing out of the tournament.
Without being brilliant, it was a successful foray in the World Cup by Rohit. He hit a characteristically sublime century in the quarter-final and a couple of other fifties. His 330 runs in 8 matches came at an average of 47.14 and strike-rate of 91.66. It was another impressive chapter in the opening duet with Dhawan.
Rohit was in an entirely different zone in the 2019 tournament. South Africa continued to struggle in this event and were able to put up just 227 for nine. While Rohit played a resolute knock, there were only cameos at the other end. Dhawan was caught behind early off Kagiso Rabada. Rohit was in full flow but Kohli too parted ways after a brief stay. K.L. Rahul dug in. Rohit raised his half-century from 70 deliveries. He was now in control. Soon they brought up the fifty of the stand in 10.5 overs. Rahul holed out at mid-off off Rabada for 26. The partnership was worth 85 in 16 overs. With Dhoni having joined in, Rohit hoisted his hundred off 128 balls. The half-century of the partnership arrived in 11.2 overs. Dhoni left after scoring 34, the fourth-wicket stand yielding 74 runs from 14.4 overs. Victory was ushered in the company of a trigger-happy Hardik Pandya. Man-of-the-match Rohit was unbeaten with 122, having been at the crease for 144 deliveries and fired 2 sixes and 13 fours.
It was a superb showing by India in the face-off with the holders, Australia. Rohit and Dhawan were off to a cautious start before the latter broke free. They raised the half-century in 11.3 overs. Dhawan went to his own fifty off 53 balls. The hundred partnership was posted in 19 overs. A square-cut to the fence took Rohit to his half-century from 61 deliveries. He nicked one from Coulter-Nile that took off and was caught at the wicket by Alex Carey. Hit 57 occupied 70 balls and comprised a six and 3 fours. It was a splendid stand of 127 runs in 22.3 overs. Dhawan went on to hit up 117 (109 balls, 16 fours). India piled up 352 for five. There were a number of fine knocks from the Aussies but no really big one. The target was far too huge, and they were all out for 316 off the last delivery of the innings.
The match with New Zealand was washed out. After the massive build-up, the face-off with Pakistan was a tame affair. Dhawan’s fine century against Australia turned into a bitter-sweet one. During that knock he suffered a thumb injury, which unfortunately put him out of the tournament. It was K.L. Rahul who now opened with Rohit. The fifty came up in 10 overs. Rohit darted to his own half-century off 34 deliveries. The hundred was raised from 17.3 overs. Rahul brought up his fifty in 69 balls. As they were pressing on, Rahul was caught in the covers. His 57 occupied 78 deliveries, hitting 2 sixes and 3 fours. The partnership of 136 runs in 23.5 overs had set up the match nicely for India. Joined by Kohli, Rohit hoisted his century off 85 deliveries. The fifty of the partnership arrived in 8 overs. Rohit was caught at short fine-leg off Hasan Ali for 140. His superb innings spanned 113 balls, embellished with 3 sixes and 14 fours. The stand was worth 98 in 14.3 overs. Kohli scored 77 (65 balls, 7 fours) as India logged up 336 for five. With rain playing a part, Pakistan’s target was 302 from 40 overs. All they could manage was 212 for six.
Rohit was bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman for just 1, as Afghanistan restricted India to 224 for eight. Afghanistan were dismissed for 213, with Mohammed Shami taking a hat-trick.
Kemar Roach brought one in, which took a fine inside-edge of Rohit’s bat on the way to Shai Hope. This time he scored 18. India posted 268. West Indies crumbled to 143 all out.
Hosts England put up a formidable 337 for seven. India’s task became difficult with Rahul dismissed without scoring. Kohli, though, was an able ally. The progress was slow, considering the task before them. The half-century of the partnership took 13.5 overs. Kohli was first to his fifty, having faced 59 deliveries. Rohit got to his half-century in 65 balls. The hundred partnership arrived 20.4 overs. The two matched each other stroke-for-stroke. Kohli was caught at backward point. His 66 came off 76 balls with the aid of 7 fours. With Rishabh Pant for company, Rohit raised his third century of the tournament, having taken on 106 deliveries. But after facing three more balls, he was caught behind by Jos Buttler off Chris Woakes for 102, having carved out 15 boundaries. There were rapid-fire cameos from Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dhoni, but India could get only as far as 306 for five, a fine effort but in vain.
If evidence were required that Rohit was in supreme form, it came in the first over of the encounter with Bangladesh. He pulled Mashrafe Mortaza for a six beyond square-leg. Rahul too was stroking well. They raised the fifty in 8.2 overs. In the following over, both took turns in hammering boundaries off Mortaza. Rohit soon breezed to his half-century from 45 deliveries. The hundred came up in 17.2 overs. A straight six by Rohit posted the 150 off 23.1 overs. Crashing Shakib through the off-side to the pickets, Rohit went to his fourth hundred in this World Cup, emulating Kumar Sangakkara’s feat of 2015. He had faced 90 deliveries. It was a consecutive ton, following his 102 against England. Soon, he was caught in the covers, his 104 composed of 5 sixes and 7 fours. The 180-run partnership spanned 29.2 overs. Rahul scored 77 (92 balls, 1 six, 6 fours). India hit up 314 for nine. There was a spirited chase by Bangladesh but they were all out for 286. Rohit won the man-of-the-match award.
A fine partnership of 124 runs for the fifth wicket between Angelo Mathews (113) and Lahiru Thirimanne (53) enabled Sri Lanka to score 264 for seven. Rohit and Rahul seemed inseparable. The half-century was posted in a matter of 6.5 overs. The first of two sixes took Rohit past fifty off 48 deliveries. The hundred of the innings was up in 18.1 overs. Rahul brought up his half-century in 67 balls. The 150 was reached in 24.4 overs. Rohit hoisted an unprecedented fifth century in a World Cup, being at the crease for 92 deliveries. It was his third successive hundred, and it equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record six tons in all the World Cup tournaments put together. It was a tremendous show by Rohit Sharma, to the jubilation of his teammates and the Indian supporters. He was out soon, driving into the hands of mid-off. His 103 spanned 94 balls, punctuated by 2 sixes and 14 fours. The partnership yielded 189 runs in 30.1 overs. Rahul went on to score 111 (118 balls, 1 six, 11 fours; India cantered to a seven-wicket victory. Rohit bagged a consecutive man-of-the-match prize, fourth in this World Cup, equalling the feats of Aravinda de Silva in 1996, Lance Klusener in 1999 and Yuvraj Singh in 2011. India topped the ten-team table, edging reigning champions Australia to second place.
New Zealand posted 239 for eight in the semi-final. India’s fond hopes were dashed by the Kiwi pacemen. Rohit, Kohli and Rahul were dismissed for 1 run each by Matt Henry and Trent Boult. The stunned silence in the dressing room turned into dismay as India found themselves six down in 30.3 overs. There was a fighting partnership of 116 runs in 17.2 overs for the seventh wicket between Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50 off 72 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (77 off 59 balls) but there was just too much to do from the precarious position they had found themselves in. India were bowled out for 221, bowing out of the World Cup in the semi-final for the second time in a row. “We failed to deliver as a team when it mattered, 30 minutes of poor cricket yesterday & that snatched away our chance for the cup,” tweeted a dejected Rohit.
