Rohit Sharma reveals 'secret mantra' behind his comeback to form
What's the story
Indian cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma, has revealed his own unique strategy that helped him get back to form in the second ODI against England. The match was played on Sunday, February 9 at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Sharma scored a brilliant 119 runs off just 90 balls. He smashed 12 fours and seven sixes, making a strong comeback after low scores in previous matches.
Tactical approach
Sharma's strategy to overcome poor form
Sharma's brilliant innings in Cuttack was his first score above 50 after 12 international cricket matches. Before this, he had been struggling with a string of low scores in India's recent long Test season. However, Sharma managed to silence his critics with his performance in Cuttack. His strategy was to break the innings into different segments and plan to bat as deep as possible.
Counter strategy
Sharma's approach to England's bowling strategy
Sharma also spoke about how he adjusted his batting according to the England bowlers' plan. He said they were targeting his body, making him look for gaps. "Looking at the pitch when you play on black soil, the pitch tends to skid on a bit so it's important that you show the full face of the bat," Sharma said during a post-match presentation.
Team effort
Sharma's partnerships and India's series lead
Sharma stitched a formidable opening stand with Shubman Gill, adding 136 runs for the first wicket off just 100 balls. He also added 70 runs for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer. These partnerships helped India chase down a target of 305 in 44.3 overs, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against England. The final ODI will be played on Wednesday, February 12 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Record breaker
Sharma surpasses Dravid's record, nears another milestone
Apart from his comeback, Sharma also broke Rahul Dravid's record of 10,889 runs to enter the top-10 ODI run-scorers' list in this match. He is now only 13 runs away from the 11,000 ODI runs club. His return to form comes just in time with only 10 days to go for ICC Champions Trophy 2025. His innings was all about precision and dominance, as he signaled his intent early on and maintained his rhythm even after a floodlight failure.