Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa lauded Rohit Sharma’s captaincy after a six-run win against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York on Sunday. India was skittled out for a paltry score of 119 runs but Rohit was spot on with his field placements and bowling changes.
Rohit has all the leadership experience and he was able to make the most of it. The Indian captain decided to open the bowling innings with Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj and introduced gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah into the attack in the third over.
Bumrah was able to strike in his second over as he got the big wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam and then removed Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed later in the innings.
Robin Uthappa said on Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube Channel, “What I loved about the second innings was Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. It was class, responsive captaincy. Anyone else in Rohit Sharma’s place, defending 119 would have brought on the trump card in the first over. But Rohit said ‘no’. He trusted everyone, he kept faith in each one of them. He said ‘you come and execute your role’. In doing that, he actually gave them confidence not just for this match, but for the rest of the tournament.”
Bumrah didn’t have the rub of the green on his side in the first over as Shivam Dube dropped an easy catch at deep fine-leg and gave a reprieve to Mohammad Rizwan, when he was on seven.
“He was saying ‘I trust your ability to bowl where you have to bowl’. Brought Arshdeep in the first over, gave Siraj his second over and then he went to Bumrah for the two most important overs in the powerplay. What did Bumrah do? He nearly got a wicket in his first over. And when he came back to bowl the fifth over, he picked the wicket of Babar Azam. He then gave Siraj another over in the 7th over.”
On the other hand, Hardik Pandya returned with impressive figures of 2-24 in his quota of four overs as he accounted for Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman with short-pitched deliveries.
“It was just out of the top draw, Rohit Sharma. Brilliant, brilliant captaincy! All the bowlers responded well. Even Hardik Pandya. In the first two overs, I think he gave away 18 runs. Then he got two wickets and gave away just 7 or 6 runs. 4 overs, 24, 2 wickets. Typically vice-captain role. Top cricket,” said Uthappa.
India will next take on the USA at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York on Wednesday.
