IPL: Four of Rohit Sharma’s greatest moments in the tournament

Rohit Sharma is the biggest thing in Indian cricket right now. While the 15th edition of the IPL has not gone down well for the Indian skipper, his international captaincy tenure has started on the brightest note possible.

One of the few remaining players from the inaugural season of the IPL, Rohit’s impact and dominance in the tournament has been long and illustrious. Whether it be batting heroics, bowling exploits in 2009, fielding acrobatics, or captaincy masterstrokes, he has enthralled viewers year after year.

While Rohit represented the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in the formative years of the IPL, the 35-year-old has represented Mumbai Indians since the 2011 edition as their marquee player.

On his 35th birthday, here is a look at the four most glorious moments of Rohit Sharma in IPL history:

1. Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders (2009): 32*(13)

Though Rohit was already an India international by this time, the dashing batsman was yet to leave his mark on the biggest league in the world. And the match in question provided him with the perfect opportunity to do so and forced the cricketing world to stand up and take notice.

Chasing 161 against Kolkata Knight Riders, Deccan Chargers were tottering along at a snail’s pace as Herschelle Gibbs’s pedestrian 28 off 34 had put them behind in the chase after Adam Gilchrist’s mini-blitz of 43 from 31 balls. When their talisman Andrew Symonds failed to make a mark, Deccan Chargers were in deep waters.

Enter Rohit Sharma onto the scene, with 45 needed off 22 balls. Deccan Chargers were 140/4 at the end of the 19th over and needed 21 off the last one. Mashrafe Mortaza ran in to bowl the last over. First ball was pumped for four by Rohit, called a no-ball due to a fielding rule violation by KKR. The next two balls were sedate, with only two conceded. Chargers now required 14 off the last four. Starting with a mammoth 115-meter six, Rohit reduced the equation to just a single required off the last ball. Not content with that, Rohit Sharma sealed the deal with another six off the last ball.