Twitter Reactions: Fans disappointed after Rohit Sharma squanders another start

Rain gods showed some clemency on the World Test Championship final, which finally got underway on June 19 at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton, after there was no play on an entirely washed out first day. 

Winning the toss, the New Zealand skipper invited India to bat, citing the overcast and damp conditions, with Virat Kohli admitting that he “would have bowled too”. Much to India’s delight, however, New Zealand made a nervy start, contrary to their reputation of being disciplined with the new ball and, therefore, allowed both Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, to get their eyes in. 

Both the batters, who do not have any prior experience of opening in England, ensured that India did not repeat the ghastly show despite the entire build-up of this contest having an eerie similarity with India’s last meet against New Zealand during the ODI World Cup 2019.

Rohit Sharma fails to capitalize his start (again)

While Gill plucked a couple of confident pulls and strokes down the ground, Rohit, too, made merry, rotating the strike well before driving any overpitched deliveries with his usual panache. As New Zealand struggled to maintain their lines, India cautiously navigated their way out in seam-conducive conditions and notched up a half-century stand, with Rohit, in particular, raising hopes of staying inside for much longer, more so after he left the balls perfectly and showed some subtle technical changes.

Although often guilty of not capitalizing on his starts in the longer format, he was undone soon after doing all the hard work and surviving a difficult hour of play with relative ease when he edged Kyle Jamieson to second slip, where Tim Southee snaffled an excellent, low catch. The 6 ft. 8 inches tall Jamieson pitched the ball fuller, getting ample away movement to take a healthy edge off Rohit’s bat who committed himself half-heartedly into a nothing jab, to end his 68-ball 34 that included six fours. 

The scoreboard barely moved before Neil Wagner had Shubam Gill caught behind as India lost both the openers. That aside, it was Sharma who found himself in the midst of flak, with many calling him out for his unimpressive away Test average and throwing away his starts.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: