India captain Rohit Sharma made a magnificent statement with his century in the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Nagpur. The 35-year-old held the Indian innings together with a fantastic innings that had a lot of similarities with his 160-run knock against England last year in Chennai. This was Rohit’s first Test century as the Indian captain, also his first against Australia, and he made it special with a brilliant lofted shot over the covers off debutant Todd Murphy’s bowling on Day 2.
Rohit’s century was of immense value to the game, especially after India lost the crucial wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav. The Indian captain’s knock was met with appreciation from the entire dressing room, including the support staff members, who stood up and clapped for him. The best reaction, however, came from non-striker Ravindra Jadeja, who walked towards Rohit and hugged him, lowering his head in admiration. The video of the moment was shared by the BCCI on its social media handles and received widespread praise from fans and followers.
Smiles, claps & appreciation all around! 😊 👏
This has been a fine knock! 👍 👍
Take a bow, captain @ImRo45 🙌🙌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/SwTGoyHfZx #TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/gW0NfRQvLY
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 10, 2023
In the morning session, Rohit showcased his favourite pull shot during the Australian skipper’s second spell, which was dug in short. The low bounce made it easier to defend and both Rohit and Ashwin, during their 42-run stand, often plonked their front foot to frustrate the bowlers. The slowness of the track, however, did affect the Australian bowlers, with both off-spinners, Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy, having to bowl quicker to get some purchase from the track.
The slowness could be best gauged from the fact that Australia’s second pacer Scott Boland asked wicket-keeper Alex Carey to keep up to him in order to prevent the batters from using their feet. Boland bowled like a workhorse and kept the batters quiet at one end. Against spinners, there was no problem in easily rocking onto the back foot and playing on both sides of the wicket.
Rohit Sharma’s century was not only a personal milestone for him but also a historical one. He became the first Indian captain to score a century in all three formats of the game, joining an elite club that includes Babar Azam, Tilakaratne Dilshan, and Faf du Plessis.
In conclusion, Rohit Sharma’s hundred was a statement from the Indian captain and a testament to his talent and skill as a batsman. With this knock, he has not only made his mark on the game but also set the tone for the rest of the series, putting India in a commanding position.
