IND VS AUS 2023: Rohit Sharma- Indian cricket team won the first test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at Nagpur. Men in Blue won the game by an inning and 132 runs at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell put down that Rohit Sharma playing as an opener above Virat Kohli in test matches has saved his test career. Sharma scored a century in the first test match and become the first Indian player to have tons in all formats while captaining the side.
Chappel penned reasons for Rohit Sharma’s success in white ball cricket-
“The move to open in Test cricket saved Rohit’s career. He looked like he might waste his enormous skill down the order but batting above Virat Kohli has prevented him being overawed by the ex-captain’s popularity. Captaincy has also played a big part in Rohit’s revival; the discipline required to lead a team has added another level to his batting,” wrote former Aussie cricketer Chappell
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant 120 runs in 212 balls, his innings included 15 fours and two sixes. Sharma has now nine centuries in the longer format of International cricket. The 35-year-old has always been compared to former Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Both have stated on numerous occasions that this rivalry or rift has been created to show disunity in the Indian team.
Chappelli at his best ?#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/N9R4n7JHmn
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 7, 2023
Former Australian cricketer cum analyst Chappell appreciated Rohit’s batting in the first test match, he wrote that his wide stroke range on that turning pitch when other batters were struggling was a pure masterclass.
“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 defense, his wide stroke range on a turning – but not impossible pitch – and his ironclad discipline,” Chappell added.
India will take on Australia for the second test match of the Australia tour of India 2023, at Arun Jaitely Stadium in Delhi from Friday ( 17th February). India has successfully retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy from the last three editions in which two came down under. Australia last won the test series in India in the 2004-05 series under Ricky Ponting’s captaincy tenure.