Sanjay Manjrekar, previously a mainstay of the Indian team, lauded Rohit Sharma for stepping up as a leader with a brilliant knock. His efforts helped India crush the defending champion England by 100 runs during Sunday's clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. While he didn't reach a century for the 32nd time, the skipper's 87-run contribution—his 54th ODI half-century—featured 10 fours and 3 sixes, paving the way for a comfortable victory over Jos Buttler's men.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised Rohit Sharma after the experienced opener hit a captain’s knock to help team India beat defending champions England by 100 runs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday. Despite missing out on a 32nd century, Indian skipper Rohit’s 54th One Day International (ODI) half-century helped his side to secure a comfortable win over Jos Buttler-led side. Rohit hammered 10 fours and three sixes in his classical knock of 87 off 101 balls.
Manjrekar views this innings as one of the greatest in the ODI format, citing it as the catalyst for India's unforgettable win. He argued that while the world usually focuses on Rohit's record-breaking double hundreds or his ability to score quick centuries, this particular performance was an exhibition of pure greatness.
Explaining his view to Star Sports, the ex-player mentioned that the victory was hard-earned because the pitch became difficult in the afternoon, the English bowling was formidable, and Buttler's strategic approach was top-notch, leaving India in a precarious position.
Manjrekar recalled a specific moment where Rohit powered a drive through a tiny gap against Adil Rashid to find the boundary, followed by a stunning shot over mid-off against the spin of Moeen Ali. He believes this kind of artistry is what makes Rohit unique. Furthermore, he noted that with six or seven players currently at their peak, the gap between India and the rest of the cricketing world has become immense, rendering talks of a 'generation gap' irrelevant.