Rohit Sharma becomes
first ODI batsman to
score 2 double hundreds in the history of the game
score 2 double hundreds in the history of the game
He could have scored a
300 and perhaps starred in the sequel of that 'This is Spartaaa!' epic going by
the same scoreline. It was the closest that something could have come to a
fantasy innings of 'book cricket' that some of us might have played in school.
Rohit Sharma was that good on Thursday. Even though it was a beleaguered Sri
Lankan attack on a placid Eden Gardens strip but 264 in a one day match is a
once in a lifetime feat - an epic.
Add 33 boundaries,
nine sixes and 173 deliver ies and the eyes only widen. But wait, it's
his second, yes second, double hundred in ODI cricket- the first was a 209 last
year against Australia. That time he had gone past Sachin Tendulkar - 200 not
out - but stayed behind Virender Sehwag - 219.
But not anymore.
Rohit's 264 is the highest ever individual score in an ODI and the fact that
it's second, that makes Rohit the only one to two doubles hundreds in ODIs. And
that's not all either. His 33 fours are the highest in an ODI innings and
during his first double hundred he had hit 16 sixes, a world record. To wrap it
up, Sharma now holds every major ODI record for a single innings.
So Rohit does it
again. From the beginning of his career, he has been termed as immensely
talented but not the one to have done justice to the potential. To his
frustration and to the ones who believe in him, there have been many occasions
when Rohit has given away good starts.
Closer examination and
it was felt that the problem was somewhere in the
head and not the way he uses the bat. It was believed that may be he wasn't serious.
Just at the beginning
of last year, he was the third slowest Indian to 2000 runs in the 50-over
format - and the slowest for a proper batsman as the other two are Robin Singh
and Kapil Dev. And then he does something absolutely remarkable.
At one end he faces
criticism for being given a never-ending rope to make his place permanent in
the team and the bonus of the opener's slot - arguably the best place to make
one's mark. But on the other hand, a justification. His performance in 2007-08
in Australia had made sure that India won a rare ODI series Down Under. Rohit
was 20 then. He should have been in the team on a regular basis and not made a
Test debut as late as last year and played more ODIs than 125 over seven and a
half years.
So what happens
next?
India have three
openers, Rohit, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane and all three have scored a
hundred in the ongoing series. Not giving Sharma the opening slot after a world
record would be ridiculous. So somebody has to move down. May be, just may be,
finally, Rohit has emphatically taken what he believes is his.
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