For the longest time, Rohit Sharma the Batter owed a favour to Rohit Sharma the Captain. As the 37-year-old Indian skipper stepped out to bat on a humid Sunday at Barabati Stadium, he knew he had no choice but to deliver. His century (119 off 90 balls, 12 fours, 7 sixes) was greater than a milestone – it was a statement, a moment of catharsis.
When the ball crossed the boundary to help him reach a hundred, his reaction was subdued – more of a relief than a joy. The burden he carried seemed to lift off his shoulders, but the journey had been long and hard. This knock will likely be one of Rohit Sharma’s personal favourites, not for its beauty, but for the huge weight that has been lifted off his shoulders.
A captain’s credibility within the dressing room is often tied to how well he performs, and while Rohit’s stature was never in question, even the most seasoned players don’t want doubts lingering. Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s clap was polite, his face an enigma, but the value of the innings was clear. Rohit had been under the microscope big time since the New Zealand series at home. The criticism he faced was some of the worst he’d faced in 17 years of international cricket.
No matter how much players say they don’t pay attention to the “outside noise”, frequent failures do take a toll. The memes that mocked his form and the speculations about his spot in the team must have stung his champion’s pride. The concerns weren’t baseless. He had struggled in Test cricket enough that he chose to step aside from the Sydney Test. It seemed like everything was going wrong up until February 9.
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