India vs England 2nd ODI: Indian Captain Rohit Sharma Gets a Handful With his Comeback Century

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has struggled with his form for some time, raising concerns among his fans and teammates. As a captain, he eagerly awaited that moment to signal his return to form, and it finally arrived yesterday in Cuttack during a 300+ run chase against England. Rohit Sharma shone brightly, scoring a century and marking his comeback just ahead of the Champions Trophy.

He scored his second-fastest century off 77 balls, with an impressive 119 runs off 90 balls, including 7 sixes. This stellar performance earned him three awards at the post-match ceremony: the Dream11 Game Changer award, the Campa Best Striker award, and the Player of the Match award, underscoring his match-winning display.

The Usual Rohit Sharma

As we all witnessed, Rohit Sharma returned to his best form with a century. The phase he just came out of was one that few players could emulate. Sharma had been struggling with his shot selection for the past few months. However, his innings in Cuttack showcased a different approach, as he confidently went after the bowlers, executing his shots with good timing. Despite facing challenges in the ODI format since the World Cup 2023, where he often couldn't replicate his success in longer formats, he has now returned to his preferred format with renewed form. This return provides vital confidence at the top of the order, with the Indian captain back in his comfort zone.

Record Night for the Hitman

While Rohit Sharma's century was the highlight of the match, he also made significant strides in the record books. His 7 sixes in Cuttack brought his career total to 338 sixes in ODIs, surpassing Chris Gayle, who holds 331. Rohit now trails only Shahid Afridi, who leads the charts with 351 sixes.

Additionally, Rohit Sharma ranks third for the most runs scored in 300+ run chases, amassing 787 runs in 10 innings at an impressive average of 112.43, with three centuries. He is behind only Jason Roy and Virat Kohli, the latter leading with 998 runs in 11 innings and 7 centuries.

That was indeed a memorable night for Rohit Sharma at Cuttack from Scoring a Century to Player of the Match awards to coming back to his old self when India needed him the most ahead of the Champions Trophy.