Rohit slammed 41 off 36 balls in India’s Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh.
The rich praise from across the border came after Rohit slammed 41 off 36 balls in India’s campaign opener against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 20. His quickfire knock paved the way for India’s six-wicket victory.
While Akram lauded Rohit for his class and elegance, Hafeez doffed his hat to him for instilling a “selfless” culture in the Indian dressing room.
“There is a lazy elegance about Rohit Sharma. He is special. He has scored three double centuries in ODIs,” Akram said on the show Dressing Room.
Akram said he knew Rohit was a “special” player the first time he saw the Mumbaikar play for India in 2008.
“In 2008, during a tri-series in Australia, I was doing commentary, and all of us in the commentary box predicted that there was something special about this boy. He scored a fine 70 and looked so good to the eyes,” he stated.
On the other hand, Hafeez hailed Rohit for leading from the front as a captain and prioritizing team milestones with aggressive cricket rather than focusing on personal milestones.
“When he became captain then as a leader he took that approach that I need to induct selfless approach in the dressing room,” Hafeez said on PTV Sports. “Because somewhere there was this complaint that Indian players were playing for themselves.
“The team’s superstars were big but the team’s performance wasn’t. He set the example that he will lead from the front. It doesn’t matter if I am nearing a landmark, I will go for a boundary if required. He will not tap singles to go for a personal milestone. So he put team milestones before personal milestones. He created a culture that if we play, we will play for the team.”
Rohit Sharma will look to continue his good form in India’s next match against arch-rivals Pakistan, scheduled for Sunday (February 23) in Dubai.