IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma’s heartwarming gesture to pitch invader after security manhandles fan goes viral

India skipper Rohit Sharma won the hearts of many after a clip of his heartwarming gesture towards a young fan who invaded the pitch circulated on social media. The Men in Blue registered a comprehensive win over New Zealand by 8 wickets in a series clinching contest in the second ODI in Raipur.

In the midst of the Indian batting innings, Rohit who took the field in their chase of 108 runs faced a peculiar moment when a young fan invaded the pitch to hug him. However, the guards present in the stadium in Raipur quickly noticed the fan running towards the skipper and immediately took the field to stop the invader.

Rohit Sharma asking the security guard not to do anything against the fan.

Nice gesture from Captain. pic.twitter.com/pLS9NE9D40

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 21, 2023

A fan invaded the field and hugged Rohit Sharma.pic.twitter.com/DNL2Lh8jD9

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohrr) January 21, 2023

In a video circulated on social media, Rohit was seen stopping the guards who nearly knocked down the fan during the match. The skipper further requested them to be a bit gentle with the lad and was later escorted by the security into the stands.

India relish back-to-back wins in ODIs

The Men in Blue are currently riding high on the back of consecutive series wins in the 50-over format as the side emerged victorious against Sri Lanka recently and have clinched the ongoing series against the BlackCaps. Thanks to a sensational bowling performance by the Indian bowling unit which made life easier for the batters to chase the total, India swiftly took an unassailable lead in the series.

Adding to this, the win against the Kiwis also dislodged the latter from the No. 1 spot in the Men's ODI team rankings. The BlackCaps now sit at the second spot with 113 rating points and 3166 overall points whereas England toppled the former to lead the charts with 3,400 overall points.

Rohit Sharma and Co. will be on the lookout to complete a series sweep against the visitors before shifting the focus to the T20I series. On the other hand, New Zealand will play for pride when they take the field on January 24 in Indore.