Rohit Sharma is one of the most experienced batsmen in T20 Internationals at the moment. He is one of the only three batsmen to have played over 100 T20Is till now and he is the second highest run-getter in the history of the format as well. Rohit has scored 2773 runs in 100 innings so far at an excellent average of 32.62 and an equally good strike-rate of 138.78 as well. Not only that, he is the only batsman with four centuries to his name in T20Is. That said, let's take a look at three of his best batting performances in the format.
118 vs Sri Lanka (Indore | Dec 2017)
This is still the joint fastest century in T20Is till date. Rohit took on a monstrous avatar to crush the Lankan side with his breathtaking century. He brought up his century in just 35 deliveries and then smashed 18 runs off the next eight deliveries before departing for a magnificent innings of 118 in the 13th over of the innings. He had done the bulk of the scoring in his 165-run opening stand with KL Rahul and thus had knocked the Lankans out of the contest completely. Rohit's knock included 12 fours and 10 huge sixes and powered India to a massive total of 260/5. Sri Lanka in response were bowled out for a total of 172 and thus India won the match by 88 runs. Rohit Sharma was deservedly adjudged the Player of the Match as well.
100* vs England (Bristol | Jul 2018)
This is probably Rohit's finest T20I knock till date. It came in a high-scoring game as India chased a target of 199 runs in the series decider of the three-match series against England at Bristol. India had lost Shikhar Dhawan at the third over but Rohit kept scoring seamlessly at the other end. KL Rahul departed soon in the sixth over after a 10-ball cameo of 19 runs as well but Rohit didn't stop attacking at all.
The 32-year-old just kept going for his shots without bothering about losing his wicket. Virat Kohli's arrival at the other end helped him a bit too. The Indian skipper was seen in fine touch too as he contributed 43 off just 29 deliveries in an 89-run stand with Rohit. The job wasn't done then as Kohli departed with India's score on 151/3 in the 15th over. They still required 48 runs to win off the last five overs.
But once Hardik Pandya came to the crease, it was all carnage from both ends. It was Rohit who did the bulk of the scoring till now but Pandya took over in this partnership as he scored 33 off those 48 runs in just 14 deliveries. Rohit didn't bog down though, he scored the remaining 15 runs off just nine deliveries as well and completed his century in just 56 deliveries. India finished the chase with eight deliveries remaining and Rohit was again adjudged the Player of the Match.
79* vs Australia (Bridgetown | May 2010)
This innings in 2010 gave a glimpse of what Rohit Sharma was going to become a decade down the line. He was just 22 years old back then and this was a T20 World Cup encounter against Australia at Bridgetown. This was a time when Rohit used to bat in the middle-order, mostly at number four.
Australia had posted a total of 184/5 on the board and it was a daunting ask for the Indian team against a bowling lineup that consisted of pace batteries like Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, and a street-smart operator in Dirk Nannes. India didn't get off to the best of starts as they lost two wickets inside the first three overs for just 12 runs. It was Rohit Sharma who walked out to bat at number four but that wasn't the end of the collapse. From the other end, Rohit just watched India getting reduced to 17 for 3, and then to 37 for 5. That didn't stop there as India got further reduced to 50 for 7 and then to 97 for 8.
But Rohit waged a lone battle with the bat. It seemed like he was batting on a totally different deck and against a completely different bowling attack as he smashed the Australian bowlers all around the park. He carried the entire Indian team on his back but lack of support from the other end meant India were bowled out for just 135 runs. Rohit, though, remained stranded on 79 off just 46 deliveries. He tried his best but fell short of support. But this still remains one of his best T20I knocks.
Feature image courtesy: AFP/ INDRANIL MUKHERJEE
