Rohit Sharma captained India for the first time in red-ball cricket outside India when on Thursday he marched for the toss at the boundary line for the warm-up game against Leicestershire prior to the Edgbaston Test against England which will start on July 1.
However, the skipper failed to put up a big score and the signs aren’t great for the Indian team either ahead of the Edgbaston Test against a resurgent, rampant England side who have beaten New Zealand in both the Tests so far.
While Rohit and his opening partner, Shubman Gill, both got out in their 20s, India lost 5 wickets in the first session with the moving ball – in the air and off the seam – causing trouble to the Indian batters.
Rohit scored 25 in the first innings of the warm-up fixture
Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first. To note is that four big names of the India squad – Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna – were named in the opposing Leicestershire team because this had been an arrangement made by the BCCI and the ECB to provide all members of the touring party a match-practice.
While Sharma started off steadily, Gill raced with a flurry of boundaries scoring 21 runs off 28 balls before nicking off pacer Will Davis to wicket-keeper Pant after advancing down the track but only fending off a back-of-length delivery. Six overs later, Sharma followed Gill. Having stroked three fours in his sedate knock of 25 runs off 47 balls.
But it was the manner of Rohit’s dismissal that has irked the fans: to a short ball from seamer Roman Walker, Rohit went after it with his trademarks pull shot however, he was late on it and sliced it up in the air for Abidine Sakande who ran behind from square leg to take a comfortable catch. Sharma was dismissed twice on short ball on the England tour last year as well and this is something that the hosts will like to exploit once again in Birmingham.
Here are some of the reactions from frustrated fans on Rohit Sharma’s dismissal:
Sorry walker get him
— Samip Rajguru (@samiprajguru) June 23, 2022
Leicestershire is literally the worst team in county & if we still not able to score 250 then we need serious introspection.
Loose shots from Rohit & Shreyas.
— Alez
(@_OutSwing) June 23, 2022
(@_OutSwing) Rohit Sharma failed to convert the start in warm-up match. pic.twitter.com/VttB9km45d
— CBTF Speed News (@cbtfspeednews) June 23, 2022
He scored 9 runs vs durham in a similar warmup match before the start of test series last year, and we know what happened in the series itself
— Lazy (@TensoRo45) June 23, 2022
25 runs against Leicestershire…massive achievement lol pic.twitter.com/OXlLIanCbG
—
Bruce Wells
(@bruceywells) Rohit 25 gill 31 vihari 3 Iyer 0 jadeja 13
All outKohli 8*
— • (@KohlifiedGal) June 23, 2022
Rohit ko bolo koi naagin k set pe hi chala jaaa
— Tejran (@Sunnyxladdoo56) June 23, 2022
21-year-old Roman Walker gets Rohit, Vihari, Jadeja and India 81 for 5.
— asy.currentupdates (@ASYcurrentupdte) June 23, 2022
Rohit yahan bhi pull shot khelte out hua
— ARYAN (@TheAryanBansal) June 23, 2022
Rohit is worst puller in tests. He gets out every time on a short ball. Itna bda player hokr same mistake saalo se krra h. He csnt even leave short balls. Its like m hr match se pehle hi bol deta hu ye pull short m out hoga or aaj b whi hua. Irrespobsible sharma. #rohitsharma
— Suraj J (@SurajJ64722147) June 23, 2022
Roman Walker departs – Rohit, Vihari and Jadeja. Till now
— Shyam (@shyambugga9) June 23, 2022
The procession followed after Rohit’s dismissal as Hanuma Vihari (3 off 23), Shreyas Iyer (0 off 11) and Ravindra Jadeja (13 off 13) were dismissed in the first session.
