Oct 02, 2024 05:33 PM IST
In the last ball of the over of Ashwin, Rohit asked the India all-rounder to get hit for a six to make sure the Bangladesh No.11 was on strike in the next over.
Rohit Sharma’s intent, plans, and ability to lead by example have been a highlight of India’s 2-0 series win against Bangladesh. The Indian captain did not get a big score in the four innings he batted in the two Tests, but his captaincy and intent left a big impact on the outcome of the matches. Take the Kanpur Test, for example, where Rohit said he was ready to get bowled out for a 100 in the first innings in pursuit of quick runs to get a result after eight sessions were lost to the weather and outfield. He then walked the talk by hitting the first ball that faced in the first innings for a six by charging down the track to a fast bowler.
Bangladesh was not India’s only opponent in Kanpur. Rohit knew they were in a race against time too and therefore, he could not afford any lapses. India’s bowlers did a fine job of bowling Bangladesh out cheaply in both innings but there was a point in Bangladeesh’s second innings on Day 5 when the last pair left India frustrated.
Rohit got frustrated by Mushfiqur Rahim’s tactics
Former Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was batting quite well, doing a fine job of shielding No11 Khaled Ahmed from India’s spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. He was going for the boundaries in the first four or five deliveries in the over and in the final ball, despite India’s best efforts, taking a single to keep the strike. After Mushfiqur had the done same in back-to-back overs from Ashwin and Jadeja, Rohit was visibly frustrated.
In the last ball of the next over of Ashwin, he asked the Indian all-rounder to get hit for a six. “Chhakka marne de usko, Ashwin” (Let him hit a six),” screamed Rohit from the slips when Ashwin was on his mark. The message was loud and clear. Ashwin had to ensure Mushfiqur did not get a single off the last ball. And so he did.
In the next over, Jasprit Bumrah got five deliveries at Ahmed but could not get him out. The right-hander got a single off the fifth ball, which brought Mushfiqur on strike. It was also the last ball before lunch and Bumrah produced a cracker of a slower ball to knock Mushfiqur’s middle stump out.
India bowled Bangladesh out for 146. They needed 95 runs in two sessions to win the Test. They did that in just 17.2 overs, courtesy of another half-century from Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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