Vijay Hazare Trophy: Pink City glows as Rohit Sharma fever grips fans

JAIPUR: Rohit Sharma has fond memories of Jaipur and the Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS). It was here that his status as a destructive and prolific white-ball opener was validated.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In the second of the seven-match ODI series against Australia in Oct 2013, India, who were trailing the rubber 0-1, were left to chase a mammoth 360. They got there with just the loss of Shikhar Dhawan for 95 as Rohit, attacked by the media and critics, as someone who was not making the most of his chances, belted an unbeaten 141 (123 balls, 17x4, 4x6) and Virat Kohli scored a rakish 52-ball 100 to help India get home with 39 balls to spare. It was just Rohit’s third hundred in 104 games, and his first since 2010. But it was an innings that proved to himself and others that he belonged.Aged 38 now and with very little to prove, he is back at the SMS as Mumbai meet minnows Sikkim in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Wednesday. While tournaments like the Hazare Trophy fail to enthuse fans, the presence of Rohit for the first couple of games for Mumbai has created a huge buzz.Fans could barely contain their excitement as the star batter arrived at the RCA Academy ground to train with his teammates. A composed Rohit batted for around 30 minutes in the nets before sitting quietly at the sidelines watching others play. Thereafter, he walked down to the main ground with Sarfaraz Khan for fielding sessions.The security guards had a difficult time controlling the fans as Rohit set foot inside the main stadium. A few fans got a little too close to him for comfort which irked him a bit.Rohit’s last appearance for Mumbai was in 2018 when he played in the knockout matches. Playing only one format at the international level, Rohit is keeping himself match-fit for the next ODI series against New Zealand, which will get underway on Jan 11.He’s hoping that his participation in the Hazare Trophy will quell doubts about his commitment and focus to remain relevant in the ODI scheme of things for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.Mumbai skipper Shardul Thakur was happy to have Rohit in the team. “Rohit playing for Mumbai is a great thing. In his younger days, he was an integral part of the squad. It is always good when an international player of his class plays for us. He has won ICC championships for India and has been a very successful captain. It’s good for everyone and the tournament that he has decided to play,” Shardul told TOI on Tuesday after the practice session.The Mumbai skipper appreciated Rohit’s professionalism. “Rohit is always a guiding force. He is never short of ideas. Whenever a youngster asks for his advice, he is always there,” said Shardul.