Former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra hailed Rohit Sharma for his recent performances in England where the India opener was the second highest run-scorer in the Test series.
Chopra was particularly impressed with the way Rohit curbed his natural attacking instincts to drop anchor and bat time in swinging conditions against the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Craig Overton and Chris Woakes in the four Tests played in the series.
The 34-year-old, who was playing in just his second Test series in England and first as an opener, amassed 368 runs at an average of 52.57 with one hundred and two half-centuries.
“It took courage to make the radical changes to his game that we saw him make in England. While Rohit batted the way he was expected to bat in India in Tests, he changed his game radically to meet the demands of English conditions.
“He went against his natural instinct, which is to attack at the first opportune moment.
“Rohit’s attempt to play a totally different brand of cricket to that with which he got all his international success reflected two things: nurture is as influential as nature, if not more; and he has a burning desire to succeed in Tests,” Chopra wrote for ESPNCricinfo.
Chopra also noticed how Rohit was determined to make a name for himself in red-ball cricket and praised the Mumbai batsman’s courage to take the risk to change his game at this point in his career.
“He knew that this English summer had the potential to define his legacy as a Test cricketer. And it is remarkable that standing at such a crucial juncture so far into his career, he had the conviction to remould his game so drastically that he looked like a different batter altogether.
“In England this summer Rohit seems to have taken a giant leap towards writing his legacy, an effort born of his love for the longer format,” Chopra concluded.
The five-match series came to an abrupt halt last week with India 2-1 ahead after four support staff members of their squad tested positive for Covid-19. The fifth Test was called off just hours before the toss and has been postponed indefinitely.
