By Admin 
Rohit Sharma presented a display of patience and passion in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer also played a strong innings, but captain Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli once again flopped. Rohit hit seven fours and two sixes in his innings of 73 runs in 97 balls. He laid the foundation of India’s challenging score by making a partnership of 118 runs for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer (61 runs, 77 balls, seven fours). Akshar Patel also played a useful inning of 44 runs in 41 balls with the help of 5 fours.
Leg spinner Adam Zampa, who returned after the birth of his second child, took four wickets for 60 runs for Australia. Most of the batsmen were out trying to attack him. Fast bowler Xavier Bartlett bowled brilliantly and took three wickets for 39 runs. He also got the valuable wicket of Virat Kohli (0).
Rohit Sharma showed patience, Iyer also supported a lot
The start of the Indian innings was not good. Bartlett gave initial shocks to India by taking the wickets of captain Shubhman Gill (09) and Kohli. Gill played Bartlett’s ball into the hands of captain Mitchell Marsh at mid-off, while three balls later, Kohli also became LBW on a fast-incoming ball, due to which India’s score became 17 runs for two wickets in the seventh over. Kohli failed to open the account for the second consecutive match. He greeted the fans on his way back to Adelaide, where he has scored several Test centuries and a World Cup century against Pakistan.
Josh Hazlewood (29 runs without wicket in 10 overs) also troubled the batsmen by getting good bounce. At one time Rohit played 17 consecutive balls of Hazlewood blankly. Both he and Iyer looked very cautious due to the moisture and movement on the pitch. Rohit caught a good rhythm after playing the first 50 balls. His only positive shot in the beginning was a four over square leg off Mitchell Starc.
The first real glimpse of Rohit came when he hit two sixes with a pull shot on Mitchell Owen’s medium pace balls. 17 runs were scored in Owen’s over. Iyer also preferred to rotate the strike, which increased the run rate. World Cup 2027 is still far away but Rohit wanted to prove that his spirits are still high. After the initial phase, Rohit did not look uncomfortable in any way.
Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh did wonders with the bat
He had enough time for his 33rd ODI century, but he was caught by Hazlewood while trying to send Starc’s ball beyond the square leg boundary. Iyer also played Zampa’s ball on the wickets after completing his half-century, while KL Rahul (11) also got bowled after missing the leg spinner’s straight ball.
Akshar and Washington Sundar (12) added 39 runs for the sixth wicket, but then both these batsmen were out in quick succession, after which Harshit and Arshdeep took the team to a challenging score. Harshit hit three fours while Arshdeep hit two fours.