While Rohit Sharma hit a brilliant fifty in the opening ODI vs England, Virat Kohli had to sit out due to a groin injury.
Former India captain Virat Kohli has been going through a rough path of form, having last scored an international hundred back in 2019. Former India cricketers Kapil Dev and Venkatesh Prasad are already questioning Kohli’s place in the side. Now Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq had made a big comparison between current India captain Rohit Sharma and Kohli.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are arguably the two of the best white-ball batters of this era. While Kohli has got more runs in white-ball cricket and his average is better than Rohit, yet Imam believes that the current India captain has more talent with the bat compared to Kohli.
“I feel that the talent Rohit Sharma has, Virat Kohli does not. I have seen them both play but the way Rohit plays, it feels as if he is batting in replay. He has plenty of time. The first time I realised the true meaning of timing because I mostly field at point and I get to know. Virat Kohli has batted in front of me, so has Rohit Sharma but Rohit has been gifted a lot of time by God. He is one player who can change the game in seconds. When he is set, he can hit at will,” Imam said on SAMAA News.
Meanwhile, both Rohit and Kohli are in the UK for the white-ball leg against England. While Rohit hit a brilliant fifty in the opening ODI, Kohli had to sit out due to a groin injury. Reports suggest that Kohli could miss the remainder of the tour as BCCI does not want him to aggravate the injury.
India have a 1-0 lead against England after a convincing 10-wicket win at the Oval. At Lord’s on Thursday, Rohit and Co. would like to seal the series.
Rohit Sharma on Tuesday became the first Indian batter to smash 250 sixes in the one-day international (ODI) format. The Indian skipper got to this landmark during the first ODI against England at The Oval in Kennington on Tuesday. In the match, Rohit played a fantastic knock of 76 not out off just 58 balls, in which he hit seven fours and five sixes.
A six on a delivery bowled by pacer Brydon Carse in the 19th over helped Rohit reach the landmark. He hooked the second ball of the over through the fine leg area. Now, he has the fourth-highest number of sixes in ODIs, behind Sanath Jayasuriya (270), Chris Gayle (331) and Shahid Afridi (351). A match-winning spell of 6/19 by Bumrah and Rohit Sharma’s half-century helped India gain a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against England after a ten-wicket win in the first ODI.
