Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has showered praise on India’s opening batsman Rohit Sharma, who scored a record-shattering 208* off 153 balls in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali on Wednesday (December 13). Sharma’s monumental knock virtually batted Sri Lanka out of the game as the hosts posted a mammoth 392 on the board after being put into bat by the visiting captain Thisara Perera.
Tendulkar, who had played with Rohit during the last few years of his career, was exceedingly impressed with the stand-in skipper’s scintillating innings which included 13 graceful fours and a dozen towering sixes. The Master Blaster couldn’t stop marvelling at Rohit’s strokeplay as he took to his official Twitter account and wrote: “Way to go my friend. Always a joy to watch you bat :-)) @ImRo45”.
Way to go my friend. Always a joy to watch you bat :-)) @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/wAhZr5t0ZB
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 13, 2017
India made a stellar comeback in the second ODI after facing an annihilating 7-wicket defeat in the ODI series opener at Dharamsala. Chasing a massive target of 393, Sri Lanka never looked comfortable as they lost their top five by the score of 159. Even though former skipper Angelo Mathews scored a gritty ton (111* off 132 balls), but the visitors could only manage 251-8 in their 50 overs.
Rohit was rightfully adjudged Man of the Match for his 16th ODI ton and in the post-match press conference the elegant right-hander said that he can’t single out one as his favourite double ton among the three that he boasts.
“The first double century came against Australia after the series was locked 2-2, while the second was also crucial as that also had come against Sri Lanka and more importantly, it was a record score. Even this one is special, because of the circumstances in which it had come. We were 1-0 down in the series, and after our loss in Dharamsala, I was keen to do well as a batsman and help my team. So, this knock is also special as this is my first as a captain of India… So, all the three double hundreds are important for me, as it has helped my team,” Rohit elaborated in the post-match press conference.
