CHENNAI, Feb 13: India opener Rohit Sharma is very clear in his mind that even an iota of doubt while playing the sweep shot on a rank turner could lead to inevitable trouble.
With one of the best exhibitions of sweep shots played at the Chepauk since Sachin Tendulkar’s valiant 136 against Pakistan in 1999, Rohit has put his team in a commanding position on a track that is deteriorating pretty fast.
England know a tough task await them in the second Test, which started here on Saturday. “Before it’s too late, you start doing what you want to do and you can’t be tentative.
If you want to sweep, you sweep it,” Rohit’s statement had a touch of Mexican bandit Tuco Ramirez’s famous punch line — “When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk” from the Hollywood classic ‘The Good The Bad The Ugly’.
Having watched Joe Root slay the Indian spinners in the first Test, it was like a ready reckoner for Rohit, who had prepared well during the last two training sessions.
“We knew how the pitch was prepared and we knew that it would turn. So we had a good few training sessions before today and trained according to what were supposed to expect today,” he said.
“When you play on turning pitches where you have to be pro-active and you can’t be reactive. Getting on top of the bowler and making sure you are ahead of him. Little adjustment based on that,” the white ball vice-captain said.
Moeen Ali had troubled the Indian batsmen in the past and for Rohit, it was imperative that England’s senior off-spinner needed to be swept from the rough to negate any chance of a leg before decision.
“What helped me was preparation I had before the game. Understanding the line that Moeen Ali was bowling. He was bowling into the rough, so there is a slight chance of getting leg before decision,” he explained.
“Also I saw the deep square leg was pushed back, so even if I top-edged it wouldn’t carry and land in safe place. Those were my ideas and thoughts.”
According to Rohit, sweep is a percentage shot, which takes the condition of the pitch out of the equation. In the case of left-arm spinner Jack Leach, it was about presenting a straight bat.
The ‘Hit-Man’ didn’t want to rate any of his hundreds even though he would know in his heart that this would be the top most among his seven three-figure marks. (PTI)
