Indian captain Rohit Sharma has ignored the likes of Australia’s Mitchell Johnson, Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir, and Shaheen Afridi to pick the South African pacer Dale Steyn as the toughest bowler he faced in International cricket. The 36-year-old is one of the finest openers of the modern era, who has taken on high-quality bowlers during his prime days in cricket.
Rohit Sharma has been a phenomenal opener for the Indian team in all three formats of the game for India. Rohit made his debut for India in the ODI format, back in 2007. His career took a massive turn for the better after being made to open the batting in 2013, where he established himself as one of the best openers in world cricket.
Left-arm pacers have been a nightmare for the Indian skipper over the years, as he struggled to get going against the likes of Trent Boult, Mitchell Starc, Mohammad Amir, and Shaheen Afridi in recent times, but when asked about the toughest bowler he has faced in his career, Rohit Sharma went on to pick South African legend Dale Steyn as the most difficult one to face in the cricket.
“Dale Steyn has been one of the toughest bowlers to face. His Work ethic, his discipline, and his ability with the new ball were always challenges and I loved to play against him,” Rohit Sharma told IANS.
Since his return to the Indian team in 2013, he has set standards for everyone else. In limited-overs cricket, there are only a few players that can match his skills, but the Indian veteran has struggled to get going in recent years before turning the tide starting from the Asia Cup 2023 tournament in Sri Lanka.
India captain Rohit Sharma completed 10,000 runs in ODI cricket and has now joined the elite list, taking 248 ODIs and 241 innings to reach the milestone, becoming the now second fastest Indian to reach the mark, after Virat Kohli (205 innings) and is followed by Sachin Tendulkar (259 innings).
Rohit Sharma’s form will be crucial for the Indian team’s success in the impending ODI World Cup 2023, as the team will require him to be at his best going into the mega-event.
The Indian team will fancy their chances of coming into the marquee event, as they have a well-balanced side to lift the coveted title on home soil.