India skipper Rohit Sharma took everyone by surprise by hinting at his bowling comeback as he was seen rolling his arms during a practice session ahead of Men in Blue's ODI World Cup clash against Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday, October 19.
Rohit Sharma, known for his batting prowess, had previously expressed concerns about bowling off-spin due to the risk of finger injury, which could potentially affect his batting performance. However, the seasoned opener was spotted bowling to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the nets, even managing to induce a false shot from the southpaw on a couple of occasions.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of Rohit fine-tuning his bowling skills in the nets, sparking curiosity among fans about the possibility of him bowling against Bangladesh.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE…
Interestingly, Rohit Sharma has so far snared eight ODI wickets and a solitary T20I wicket, he used to bowl regularly during the early stages of his international career. In fact, he has revealed in multiple interviews that he began his cricketing journey as a competitive off-spinner. However, his childhood coach recognized his exceptional batting potential, leading him to focus more on his batting skills.
Rohit Sharma even boasts an Indian Premier League (IPL) hat-trick as a bowler, leaving fans to wonder why he didn't continue honing his bowling talents. Nonetheless, during the press conference where India's World Cup squad was announced, Rohit hinted at the possibility of both himself and Virat Kohli contributing with their bowling if the situation demands.
Although it appears unlikely that Rohit will take up the ball against Bangladesh, his recent practice sessions have ignited hope among fans. This development could also open up the opportunity for players like Suryakumar Yadav to assume the role of a finisher, should Rohit decide to rely on his off-spin in critical situations, potentially providing an extra dimension to the team alongside Hardik Pandya as the fifth bowler.
Meanwhile, legendary batter Ricky Ponting, Rohit's former captain at Mumbai Indians and later his coach, praised the veteran batter for his ability to handle pressure. Ponting highlighted Rohit's calm and laid-back demeanor, which reflects in his batting style and extends to his off-field persona.
"He's very laid back. You can even see that by the way that he plays. He's a pretty laconic sort of batsman as well, and that's the way he is both on and off the field," said Ponting.
Rohit Sharma has proved his batting might in the ongoing ODI World Cup. However, he kicked off the tournament with a duck in the opening match against Australia. But Rohit regained his form, making headlines with a remarkable 131-run innings against Afghanistan. This performance not only marked his record seventh century in World Cup matches but also surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's World Cup centuries record.
One particular feat that stood out was Rohit's century, achieved in just 63 balls, making it the fastest World Cup century by an Indian, surpassing Kapil Dev's century in 72 balls against Zimbabwe in 1983.
Rohit's exceptional form continued in the highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, where he played a match-winning 86-run knock, leading India to top of the points table in ODI World Cup.
Throughout his illustrious career, Rohit Sharma has amassed an impressive 10,329 runs in ODIs, including 31 centuries, in 254 matches since his debut in 2007.
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