'A fantastic effort': Rohit Sharma lauds young India pacer despite ODI series defeat

NEW DELHI: Senior opener Rohit Sharma played a commanding role in India’s nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third ODI, posting an unbeaten 121 to anchor the chase of 237 runs at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground. Rohit shared an unbroken 168-run stand with Virat Kohli, who contributed a fluent 74 not out, guiding India home with authority.

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Despite the win, India lost the three-match series 1-2, but Rohit emphasised the positives, particularly highlighting the performances of young players like Harshit Rana. In a video shared by the BCCI, Rohit said, “Unfortunately, we couldn't win the series, but I think it's still a very relatively young team. A lot of the guys haven't been here, playing white-ball cricket. So, we can take a lot of positives also from here, especially Harshit Rana, who's been playing white-ball cricket for the first time in Australia. The way he bowled in both the games, Perth obviously was a shortened game, but looking at how he bowled in Adelaide and also here, it was a fantastic effort from him.”




Rohit also reflected on the challenges of playing against a tough Australian side: “They are a tough opposition. We've seen that over the years, how they play their cricket, they really enjoy being out there in the middle. They never let anything come to you easy. You always have to work really, really hard. Having been here, playing with these guys so many times, it's very important to stand up and get the best out of whatever experience you have against them. They are a quality team, no doubt about that.”

Speaking about his own innings, Rohit shared the strategy behind his approach: “I enjoy playing in Australia in general. Today was the perfect day again to get a big one and get the team through. The bowlers did a fantastic job of restricting them first up. Up front with the two new balls, it was a bit challenging. I wanted to bat as deep as possible and see how we can take the game till the end. Sometimes you think about so many things, but today it just perfectly fit into my plans.”

On the partnership with Kohli, he added, “Yeah, fantastic partnership. After a long time, I think we've not had a 100-run partnership for a long time. It was good for the team, looking at how we were placed. There was a lot of chatter between us. We understand each other really well. It's just about taking the game and understanding what is required at that point, and it definitely comes with experience.”

Rohit’s innings, marked by patience and precision, combined with his praise for young talent like Harshit Rana, underscored India’s depth and experience, providing a strong platform as the team looks ahead to future challenges in white-ball cricket.

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