Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, veteran Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood expressed his admiration for Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
I feel like Rohit Sharma plays the quicks unbelievably well: Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood highlighted the challenges of bowling to Sharma, noting his exceptional timing and ability to play with ease against fast bowlers.
Rohit Sharma boasts a respectable record against Australia in Test cricket. The right-handed batter has accumulated 708 runs in 12 Test matches, averaging 33.71, with three half-centuries and one century to his name. On Australian soil, Sharma has scored 408 runs in seven Tests, averaging 31.38.
Despite Sharma's overall success against Australia, his record against Hazlewood in Test cricket is less impressive. The 37-year-old batter has managed 54 runs in 174 deliveries, falling victim to Hazlewood twice.
In a video shared on X, Josh Hazlewood discussed the challenges of bowling to Rohit Sharma. The Australian fast bowler commended Sharma's exceptional skill in handling pace bowlers, highlighting his ability to navigate bounce and movement with ease.
“I remember one time India came out, he battled at 5 or 6 and then last time he opened. He’s faced the new ball a lot. I feel like he plays the quicks unbelievably well. The bounce doesn’t seem to worry him, the movement doesn’t. He’s got all the time in the world. So, I find him quite tough to bowl to," Hazlewood said on Star Sports.
Rohit Sharma's captaincy success
Rohit Sharma has successfully captained the Indian Test team since taking over from Virat Kohli. As captain, he has scored 1,101 runs, including four centuries and three half-centuries. Last year, Sharma led India to the final of the World Test Championship. His next significant challenge will be the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia later this year.
Hazlewood pointed out that spinner Nathan Lyon has had success bowling to Rohit Sharma, particularly in Australia. He emphasized the importance of dismissing the Indian captain early in matches, suggesting that it could significantly influence the game's outcome. Hazlewood proposed that bringing Lyon into the attack early might be a strategic approach to achieve this goal.
“I think ‘Gaza’ (Nathan Lyon) has had some good success against him, particularly in Australia, so it might be a case of getting him on early as well,” Hazlewood concluded.
Rohit Sharma's strong track record against Australia
Rohit has a good track record against Australia, scoring 3,571 runs, including nine centuries across all formats. In 2024, he has amassed 466 runs in seven Test matches, with two centuries against England. However, he faced challenges in the recent first Test against Bangladesh, scoring only six and five runs in his two innings. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is scheduled to kick start from November 22 in Perth.
Take a look at Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25's schedule
1st Test: Fri, 22 Nov 2024 – Tue, 26 Nov 2024, Perth Stadium: Start Time: 8:00 AM (GMT: 2:30 AM | Local: 10:30 AM)
2nd Test: Fri, 6 Dec 2024 – Tue, 10 Dec 2024, Adelaide Oval: Start Time: 9:30 AM (GMT: 4:00 AM | Local: 2:30 PM)
3rd Test: Sat, 14 Dec 2024 – Wed, 18 Dec 2024, The Gabba, Brisbane: Start Time: 5:30 AM (GMT: 12:00 AM | Local: 10:00 AM)
4th Test: Thu, 26 Dec 2024 – Mon, 30 Dec 2024, Melbourne Cricket Ground: Start Time: 5:30 AM (GMT: 12:00 AM | Local: 11:00 AM)
5th Test: Fri, 3 Jan 2025 – Tue, 7 Jan 2025, Sydney Cricket Ground: Start Time: 5:30 AM (GMT: 12:00 AM | Local: 11:00 AM)
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